7.3 The influence of Impressionism and the individual styles of Post-Impressionist artists

Post-Impressionism took Impressionism's ideas and ran with them. Artists like Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh pushed boundaries, using bold colors and new techniques to express their unique visions and emotions.

These artists' individual styles had a huge impact. Cézanne's geometric forms led to Cubism, Gauguin's bold colors inspired Fauvism, and Van Gogh's expressive brushwork influenced Expressionism. Their work changed art forever.

Post-Impressionism's Evolution

Emergence and Relationship to Impressionism

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• Post-Impressionism emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction to and extension of Impressionism, with artists seeking to express their individual perspectives and emotions through their art
• Post-Impressionist artists retained some Impressionist techniques, such as the use of bright colors and loose brushwork, but also incorporated new approaches to form, composition, and content
• Key figures in the transition from Impressionism to Post-Impressionism include Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, and Vincent van Gogh, each of whom developed distinctive styles that challenged traditional artistic conventions

Influential Figures and Their Contributions

• Cézanne's analytical approach to form and space laid the groundwork for Cubism and abstract art, demonstrating the importance of his individual contributions to the development of modern art
• Gauguin's bold use of color, symbolism, and Primitivist themes influenced Fauvism and Expressionism, highlighting the impact of his personal style on subsequent art movements
• Van Gogh's expressive brushwork, intense colors, and psychological themes had a profound influence on Expressionism and the development of abstract art, underscoring the significance of his individual creativity
• Seurat's scientific approach to color theory and development of Pointillism exemplifies the role of innovation in shaping new artistic techniques and styles within the Post-Impressionist movement

Impressionism vs Post-Impressionism Techniques

Color and Brushwork

• Post-Impressionists expanded the Impressionist palette, using even more expressive and non-naturalistic colors to convey emotions and ideas (vibrant yellows, deep blues, and intense reds)
• While Impressionists focused on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere, Post-Impressionists often used color symbolically or to express personal feelings (Van Gogh's "The Night Café")
• Post-Impressionists continued to use loose, visible brushstrokes like the Impressionists, but often with more emphasis on expressing emotion or creating structure (Cézanne's "Mont Sainte-Victoire" series)

Form, Composition, and Content

• Artists like Cézanne and Georges Seurat experimented with new approaches to form and composition, such as Cézanne's use of geometric shapes to structure his paintings and Seurat's development of Pointillism (Cézanne's "The Basket of Apples", Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte")
• Van Gogh and Gauguin moved away from the Impressionists' focus on capturing fleeting moments of light and instead used art to express personal experiences, symbolism, and spiritual themes (Van Gogh's "Starry Night", Gauguin's "Vision After the Sermon")
• Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Édouard Vuillard incorporated elements of Japanese prints and decorative art into their works, diverging from the Impressionists' primarily Western influences (Toulouse-Lautrec's posters, Vuillard's intimate interiors)

Individual Creativity in Post-Impressionism

Diversity of Styles and Visions

• Post-Impressionism is characterized by a diversity of individual styles, reflecting each artist's unique vision, experiences, and artistic philosophies
• Artists like Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Seurat developed highly distinctive approaches to color, form, and content, showcasing the importance of individual creativity within the movement
• The personal experiences and beliefs of Post-Impressionist artists often played a significant role in shaping their artistic choices and the themes they explored (Gauguin's travels to Tahiti, Van Gogh's mental health struggles)

Pioneering Techniques and Ideas

• Post-Impressionist artists pioneered new techniques and ideas that would have a lasting impact on the development of modern art
• Cézanne's analytical approach to form and space, breaking down subjects into basic geometric shapes, paved the way for Cubism and abstract art (Cézanne's "Still Life with Apples and Oranges")
• Seurat's Pointillism, applying small dots of pure color to create optical mixing, represented a scientific approach to color theory that influenced later artists (Seurat's "The Circus")
• Van Gogh's expressive brushwork and use of color to convey emotion laid the foundation for Expressionism and the exploration of subjective experience in art (Van Gogh's "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear")

Post-Impressionism's Lasting Impact

Influence on Subsequent Art Movements

• Post-Impressionism laid the foundation for many of the major art movements of the early 20th century, including Fauvism, Cubism, Expressionism, and abstract art
• The expressive use of color and form pioneered by Post-Impressionist artists had a significant influence on Fauvists like Henri Matisse and André Derain (Matisse's "Woman with a Hat", Derain's "The Dance")
• Cézanne's analytical approach to form and space directly influenced the development of Cubism by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque (Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon", Braque's "Violin and Candlestick")

Legacy in Modern and Contemporary Art

• The emotional intensity and expressive brushwork of Van Gogh and Gauguin had a profound impact on Expressionist artists like Edvard Munch and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (Munch's "The Scream", Kirchner's "Street, Berlin")
• The Post-Impressionists' emphasis on individual expression, subjectivity, and the symbolic potential of art paved the way for the development of abstract art by artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian (Kandinsky's "Composition VII", Mondrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie")
• Post-Impressionism's legacy continues to resonate in the work of contemporary artists who explore themes of personal expression, emotion, and the symbolic power of color and form (Neo-Expressionism, Outsider Art)