Impressed with Impressionism? Romantic about Art Nouveau?

Romantic

In the Romantic era, ah, we have finally reached the point in time of love, compassion, and joy. But, wait for a second, the 'Romantic era' for which we speak of was not just purely romance? 

Beginning approximately around the late 18th century and ending mid-19th century, the world was developing in a variety of ways. With the industrial boom of the 18th century, it was evident that the Romantic era was a time where individuals had improved their lives in being able to wander, explore, and flourish. From the industrial revolution, the 'July Revolution in France, rise in Abolitionism in Europe and America, and growing knowledge of the origins of humanity from Darwin. The Romantic era was an influential period in society-at-large. The widening job market, exploration of faraway places by a means of colonialism, and scientific knowledge all benefited the artists of this time. It can be said that the Romantic era was not a singular style, rather a collection of countering, combining, and influencing of styles. The three major ones include Romanticism, Realism, and Impressionism. Other forms included Photography, Art Nouveau, and even Post-Impressionism.

New Art = Art Nouveau

Of all the styles within the Romantic era, it was the Art Nouveau style that stood out to me the most. The long, curving and decorative design of Art Nouveau artists like Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha, Aubrey Beardley, and others were pioneering artists. This style is a reaction to the academic forms of art in which idealizing figures, learning about form and lines, and similar notions to them was 'rubbish'. Art Nouveau broke this boundary, by defining art as not a study of science or math but rather flows from the soul, twists through the consciousness, and decorates the beauty of life. Beginning in 1890 and ending in 1910, focused on the flowing lines of nature.

Art Nouveau is the combining of natural forms with idealized senses. As the French translation of Nouveau, it is essentially 'New'. In this case, Art Nouveau is new. The few artists mentioned before including Mucha and Klimt are the two artists I will be presenting here.

Firstly, there is Alphonse Mucha with his piece Reverie painted in 1898 as a lithograph intended to illustrate the Champenois company calendar but then popularized by the magazine feature in 'La Plume' a French literary and artistic review source. The location of the painting is unknown. Art Nouveau I evokes an emotion of beauty, serenity, and the combining of the natural and human into one. I am awed by the symmetrical shapes, flowers, and gentleness of the art as it seems to rise from the painting into reality. Mucha's work here namely Reverie is indicative of the Art Nouveau style. Art elements such as the bold green and white swirling patterns overlaying the frame with botanical flourishment surrounding the featured woman. The curvature of the piece is rounded as if the woman is arising naturally above giving us the feeling of centered focus on the woman by the curving lines guiding us to her face. Finally, Mucha brings out the Art Nouveau color palate filled with this brighter side of colors. It is a sort of fragrant color filled with bright red, orange, yellow, green. This gives a distinct sense that it is different from the previous artistic eras of the Baroque and Classical wherein the dark somber feeling is replaced.

Reverie Mucha (1898) Source: http://www.muchafoundation.org/en/gallery/browse-works/object_type/decorative-designs/object/78

 

Secondly, I present Gustav Klimt. Klimt like Mucha were both a part of this Art Nouveau movement for which they present artistic depictions of the ideal. In this case, the best piece that I found notable and representative even in mass media of Art Nouveau is Klimt's piece Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer painted in Vienna 1907 using oil, silver, and gold on a canvas. This painting is so distinctly Klimt as you may have heard of a film reproduction of the story of this painting in the film Woman in Gold describing the struggle of Maria Altmann to reclaim the Klimt piece as her family possession. Go check it out if you are curious here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu9JeTX6Sdw Back on the subject of the painting itself. Take a look.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer (1907) Source: https://www.neuegalerie.org/content/adele-bloch-bauer-i

 This portrait is unique in that it brings out similar forms as described in the Mucha piece. Where the form of it draws your attention once more the subject of the painting. In this case, Adele is off-centered but the surrounding gold, silver, and oil painting evoke the beauty of the colors but also Adele. By using a mixture of colors and forms the Art Nouveau comes out in this Klimt piece through the flowing lines, the 'whiplash curves of the dress that Adele wears. The distinctness between the sections shows a various methodology that Klimt uses to portray a nature but wealth of human spirit. By combining the sleekness of the artistic expression and the exotic usage of gold and silver Klimt provides the audience with much curiosity in this portrait. To me, this painting was my introduction to Art Nouveau. By seeing the piece, watching the film, and re-visiting it here in this blog I begin to wonder the influence it had on modern forms of 'modern' art in the color, shape, and elaboration of patterns.

Sort of not impressed by Impressionism

Unlike Art Nouveau, the artistic style of the Romantic era that I do not favor as much or am still struggling to comprehend is Impressionism. Impressionism found its origins in Paris during the last quarter of the century. It was primarily focused on how the painter worked more than the content itself. The style of the 'impression' was more important in terms of its fleeting momentary component. Impressionism is characterized by its sketched lines, loose brush strokes, and dabs of color blending. Common themes of light and weather, entertainment past-times of the middle and upper class, and a focus on the traditional subject matters of history and classic antiquities.

When considering Impressionism, the word itself came from a negative review of a painting by Louis Leroy a French satirical newspaper writer and art critic who coined the term the 'impressionists' in Le Charivari (French magazine) in 1874. From there the term stuck with artists beginning in 1874 at the group exhibition of works by Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Paul Cezanne. Impressionism is uniquely focused on the lighting for which to me seems mundane in comparing reality to art. I guess, to me art is not the technique but Monet and Degas would disagree.

Firstly, let us turn our attention to Claude Monet and his piece Haystacks painted in Giverny, France 1891. Haystacks is an indicative piece of the Impressionist artistic style consisting of loose brushstrokes of the hay and snow in the surrounding background, the dabs of color between the shadows and the subject of the haystacks, and finally, the blending of colors seem to transition seamlessly between the haystacks, the sun, and the background. This Monet piece is uniquely focused on the traditions of the weather and lighting both in full effect. This specific painting Haystacks is a part of a collection wherein there is a variety of weather of these two singular haystacks. From fall, winter, spring, and summer Monet attempts to delineate the forms of the impression of two haystacks temporally painted dependent on the weather and time. This collection of haystacks painted by Monet was a difficult task in attempting to render the varieties of color, sunlight, and affect the natural world has. The impressionist side of Monet is entirely focused on technique and form. From my perspective, this Monet piece is mundane, simple, and an impression of reality. Unlike Art Nouveau that awes and wows the crowd, Impressionists are focused entirely on the content of the drawing. The usage of paint, the direction of brushstrokes, and the balance of light and weather.

Haystacks (1891) Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437122

The second piece from the Impressionism style of art that I will share is that of Edgar Degas. Degas another Impressionist artist presents a moment in time in the painting with two ballet dancers and a watering can. The watering can on the left which is a standard in ballet rehearsal rooms helped to keep the floor clean from dust. If one notices the Impressionist form of shape mimicking or that of a pun is the watering can and the ballet dancers. The directional movement of the spout upwards and the outstretched legs of the ballet dancers upwards are both the same. Degas provides this pun as an impression that the past-time of ballet dancing is rather comparable to a watering can and that both can do the same movement. Degas uses the lighting as the shadow of the ballet dancers is along the wall and the ground marked with darker tones to the notion of the indoor room containing large windows that bring light into the room. Degas and the Impressionists unlike Art Nouveau do not engage in the beauty of the subject or the humans rather focus on the movement and usage of the colors. The placement of the ballet dancers, watering can, and wall are all impressions of a distinct fleeting moment in time. One dancing moment that Degas an Impressionist attempts to portray. To me, this painting is beautiful in the pun that Degas makes of the watering can and ballet dancers but the simplicity of engaging light. It may seem mundane and not interesting compared to Art Nouveau but has its unique impression.

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Dancers Practicing at the Barre (1871) Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436139

What is this Romantic style all about? Truthfully...from my perspective.

One cannot help but wonder, what is all so romantic about this style? There are so many styles that came about it paving the way for influential art forms of all types. The two I have highlighted today in this blog are indicative of the times where industrial technology, understanding of science, and a movement towards a more open society came about in the form of the Art Nouveau and Impressionists. The impressionists though still a bit confusing to me is truly a style that focuses on the art methodology, whereas Art Nouveau about true serenity and beauty. Two different styles with two different agendas. I guess that is truly what is 'romantic' about the Romantic art period. Differing forms of art each influenced by the times and needs of the people.

Sources:

Foundation, Mucha. Mucha Foundation, www.muchafoundation.org/en/gallery/browse-works/object_type/decorative-designs/object/78. 

Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436139.

Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437122. 

Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/artn/hd_artn.htm. 

“Reverie.” Reverie by Alphonse Mucha, www.alphonsemucha.org/reverie/. 

Tate. “Impressionism – Art Term.” Tate, www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/i/impressionism.

York, Neue Galerie New. “Neue Galerie New York.” Adele Bloch-Bauer I | Neue Galerie NY, www.neuegalerie.org/content/adele-bloch-bauer-i.