Fauvism

Kess Van Dongen’s painting entitled Modjesko, Soprano Singer, 1908

I choose to write on the topic of fauvism. Fauvism has always interested me because of the vivid colors patterns and textures. Fauvism falls under the category of modernism. The term ‘fauve’ means ‘wild beasts’. It was originally used in 1905 by a conservative art critic named Louis Vauxalles. The artists that he was criticizing took his word/ term and made it their own term to commemorate their own logic of artistic freedom. Modern artists have used wild color but the term ‘fauve’ is only used to describe a very small collection of artists, (most were friends), that were working in France between the years of 1898-1908. Some of these ‘wild artists’ include Andre Derain (1880-1954), Kees van Dongen (1877-1968), Henri Matisse (1869-19554), Georges Rouault (1871-1958), and Maurice De Vlaminck (1876-1958). Some descriptions that can be brought to mind when talking about fauvism are patterns of color, simplified scenes, flatness, intensity, and non-naturalistic. Fauves were heavily influenced by Vincent Van Gogh and Gauguin. Andre Derain, Kees van Dongen, Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault and Maurice De Vlaminck all exhibited together at the Salon d’ Automne of 1905. Their art work caused a sensation. It was at this art show that the term ‘fauve’ came from. Derain and de Vlaminck often painted with incredibly powerful colors with especially thick very heavy brush strokes that were reminiscent of Vincent van Gogh’s art work. The Fauves used strong colors straight from the paint tubes and then applied them directly to the painting canvas all without mixing or shading. An example of this technique is shown in Kess Van Dongen’s painting entitled Modjesko, Soprano Singer, 1908. The woman in the painting is shown as a flat yellow shape. She is not shown in a three dimensional human body form. She casts a red and orange shadow on a solid pink background thus the stark brightness of the yellow with the other blocks of color helps to show a brightness and intensity to the woman in the painting. This work of art is located in the Museum of Modern Art located in New York City.

Fauvism is all about bright vivid colors. In fauvism landscape and distant hills don’t look like landscape or distant hills; they are just patterns of bright beautiful intense colors. The Fauves were not tied down by the idea of the actual color of their subject matter, they would instead paint trees orange, sky pink, and a person’s face green. Shadows were mostly shown by using a different color rather that a darker color of the same. For example a shadow from the grass would be more like a navy blue or a red, rather than an expected green.

In closing I think that fauvism as well as art is about being creative, having fun, making things that no one has ever seen before, and as well as making people think and react/talk about as well as appreciate art!

Written by: Gutter Chic 2011

Source(s): …isms understanding art written by Stephen Little

Source Type: book

The human figure in art

An example of Greek art

The fact that women in the Stone Age were shown as child bearers and life givers. They may not have even wanted to be seen only as that. They may have wanted to be portrayed as beautiful women as well as mothers/ life givers. It seems that in this day and age that the beautiful woman is represented in a way that expresses her physical beauty as of that of being young and skinny. I feel that in our culture today that too much importance in given to the way people look and how much money that they make, rather than what is in their hearts. Our culture just seems to judge people without even giving them a chance. You see it in the tabloids, on TV, at school, at work, and even in our own homes. Our culture seems to have that “you have to look perfect” mentality. We as a culture are like picking favorites, making any people that look a certain “perfect” way feel special. When we all should feel special and worth something .We as a culture should be more supportive of one another rather than fighting about who is better than the next. It sure would make the world a nicer place to live! Don’t you think so?

In the Medieval Period of Greek and Roman art, the view for human beauty seemed to be very high. I did enjoy the marble sculpture called Head of an Old Man (25 B.C.E.-10 C.E.)the most because the Romans portrayed more of a realistic interpretation of the human figure. The Romans sculptures gave their art work careful physical details and imperfections which give character to the people’s faces. They did this by careful observation and recording these physical details and imperfections. Thus showing more of a realistic portrayal of the human figure.

The Role Of The Human Figure In Art

"Head of an Old Man"

For my second discussion question I choose to write about question 2 (discuss the role of the human figure in the periods studied in chapters 14 and 15).

In chapter 14 The Limestone Woman of Wiledorf (25,000-20,000 B.C.E.) is portrayed as a woman with big hips and breasts that seems to imply that women of that time were seen as child bearers or life givers. Prehistoric people may have given main credit to women for just that reason. Today in our time it does not seem like women are given much credit for that fact. You don’t really see that many pregnant models (or not so skinny women) on TV, movies, or in the magazines. Maybe pregnant women (or not so skinny women) back in the Paleolithic period were considered beautiful. Now in this day and age it doesn’t seem like pregnant (or no so skinny women) are given much credit or made to feel very beautiful or important. So it seems like our view of beauty has changed over the times. I feel that everyone should be made to feel good about them and feel important no matter what their size is.

Art in Egypt usually showed the human figure in a completely front view or in a profile view. Egyptian artists showed each object and each part of peoples bodies (carved or drawn) from what they saw as its most characteristic angle. Just like artists do now a days. They showed people and objects in their most characteristic angel to avoid causing random or chance angels of view. The Wall Painting from tomb of Nebamun is an example of avoiding random or chance angles or views and avoiding ambiguity. This painting shows a great deal of detail without making the painting confusing. This painting also shows a great deal of information. The nobleman in the paintings feet, head, hips, and legs and shoulders are shown from a front view. The family in this painting shows us what their day to day life was like. The nobleman hunted while the rest of his family (his wife and his daughter) were on a boat made from papyrus leaves with him. This painting also shows us how the people of the Egyptian times dressed and how they looked.

In chapter 15 it explains that Greece came into its classical period/phase in 480 and ended in 323 B.C.E. The Spear Bearer is one example of the Greeks classical art style. The Greek artists of that times main concern/goal was to only create the ideal individual (the “perfect” human being). The Spear Bearer shows this interpretation of the “perfect” human being form quite well. The Greeks classical interpretation of art empathized on simplicity, order, and restrained emotion. This classical style of art made human figures have more of a relaxed pose with a broad attention to detail of the human anatomy. This classical style of interpreting human beings gave sculpture almost a sense of movement and life while being ever so naturalistic. The Greeks gave their sculptures what they believed to be perfect proportions of the human form. They actually made observations and made mathematical calculations to figure out what they perceived to be perfect human form. Although the real Spear Bearer no longer exists there are later copies and documents to prove what the sculpture looked like. Which kind of reminds me of how the media and out culture thinks and shows us (well makes us believe) that we as human beings should look. For women we should have a very skinny waist, big hips, big breasts, dress however the media tells us to. This is just not realistic. We should be/ look like whatever we want to and no one should judge us. As for men they should by the medias standards be tall dark and handsome and have six pack abs. Also dress like however the media wants them to. This is also not realistic. But the Greeks most of their media still survives which depicts “perfect” looking people. I wonder did they ever make art work out of people that did not look exactly like that. I hope that some of our media does not survive as long as theirs because to me it shows that we as a human beings haven’t really evolved out of that “you have to look perfect” mentality. We as a culture are like picking favorites, making any people that look a certain “perfect” way feel special. When we all should feel special and worth something.

On the other hand the Romans portrayed more of a realistic interpretation of the human figure. An example of this is the Head of an Old Man in chapter 15. The Romans sculptures gave their art work careful physical details and imperfections which give character to the people’s faces. They did this by careful observation and recording these physical details and imperfections. Thus showing more of a realistic portrayal of the human figure.

Written By: Gutter Chic of Gutter Chic Inc. 2010

Sources: Preble's Artfroms

Source type: Text Book

Late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in art

"The boating party" by Mary Cassaties

I choose to write about late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in art.There were three revolutions. They were the Industrial Revolution (1760), the American Revolution (1716), and the French Revolution (1789). The Industrial Revolution made a huge change in the way that people lived since the Neolithic agricultural revolution (that was ten thousand years earlier).Much change and technological changes have happened at a fast pace since thanks to the Industrial Revolution. The late Eighteenth century has been called the Enlightenment (or the age of Reason).

In the late eighteenth century artists expressed and encouraged changes in technology, mixing of peoples and cultures. In the beginning of the French Revolution (1789) the daily luxuries life of the people of France suddenly ended which disrupted and transformed the people’s lives. This intern made the social structure and the values transform. This made peoples tastes in art change. Jacques Louis David thought / felt that the arts should “serve a political purpose in a of social and government reform.” He rejected the current style of art called Rococo. He used an austere style called Neoclassicism. Neoclassicism refers to the emulation of classical Greek and Roman Art. In his oil on canvas painting called “Oath of the Dorati” (1784). Jacques Louis David Neoclassicism style is shown by the rational geometric structure. The paintings background truly resembles a real stage set.

Very wrong but believed to be true views/feelings/thoughts were also expressed in art of that time as well. In the painting “Oath of the Horatii” by David shows that women were “unfit” for public life. At that time women were excluded from most professions as well as the art world/ profession. Much like today as women are really not accepted in the construction world and should be (if they can do the work). Angelica Kauffmann is a prime example of women being able to do the work (art work) as seen in her oil on canvas painting entitled “Cornelia pointing to her children as her treasures” (1785). Her painting is proof to the fact that women can do anything that a man can do if they just try and believe in themselves. In this chapter there is another example of neoclassical art. This time it is in architecture. Thomas Jefferson’s design for his home (Monticello) was done in the neoclassical style. It was done in the Neoclassical American architecture style (also known as Federal Style). This style is heavily seen in Washington D.C.’s architecture.

Romanticism is an opposite reaction to the Enlightenment (the power of reason). Romanticism is an emotional expression in Europe (from perhaps 1825 to 1850). Romanticism is an attitude that made way for and invited a multitude of styles. It is formed on the core beliefs that emotion and imagination are more important that reason. My favorite quote referring to Romanticism is that “nature is less corrupt than civilization” and that “human beings are essentially good.” Romantics struggle for human liberty. Which I believe is a good and fair cause. The style of romanticism is the total opposite of the fixation on classical forms. The term romanticism reflects the emphasis on feeling over fact. I think that that is a truly interesting way of thinking. Because it is easy to get caught up in the norm of things rather than looking at the beauty and uniqueness around our daily lives. I feel that a good example of romanticism is the oil on canvas painting called “Blue hole little Miami river” (1851). It was painted in the nineteenth century in America by Roberts Duncanson .He was one of the first African American artists. This painting shows exact realistic qualities and great attention to detail. This to me represents Romanticism style in the fact that it shows the struggle for human liberty by an African American making it in art when many were denied the opportunity.

Photography. Delacroix believed that photography was possibly to be of a wonderful/great benefit to artists and their art. Fe’lix Tournachon (Nadar) believed that photography was simply a mechanical process and that the photographer had to be smart and be creative in order to get a worthwhile work of art with a camera. An example of one of his photographs is called Sara Bernhart (taken in1855). Many different classes people wanted their portraits taken by Nadar. Such as the most notable artists, writers, accretes, and intellectuals.

Realism as a style of art and literature that shows plain existence without the use of idealism, exoticism, or nostalgia. Realism can be interpreted by people in a shown rejection of romantic and neoclassical art “formulas.” A great example of this is entitled “The stone brakers (1849) oil on canvas by Gustave Courber. It shows “ordinary” road workers in a new light (by not just painting things that people would accept as “beautiful”). He rather did the opposite by painting real things as they were actually seen in nature. He was even one of the first artists to finish his artworks outdoors rather than indoors using thus using inspiration from the outdoors to emulate through his paintings. Most other artists used to work from memory in a studio or just use reference materials from the outdoors like rocks and plants/flowers.

Impressionism was created by artists opposing academic doctrines and romantic ideals. They wanted to express the contempory life. Impressionism is thought to be “what the eye actually sees rather than what the mind knows.” Impressionists were misunderstood by their public many of the artists made very little or no money in their early years. This is because they rebelled against accepted styles. They did this by use artificial poses that the academy wanted them to use. Such an example of this rejection of the Academy’s rules is the oil on canvas painting entitled “The Boating Party” by Mary Cassaties. She used different colors for the man and different colors for the woman and child. This was to show that the woman was of a higher class than the man. This also shows that the woman was paying the man to take her on a boat ride. She also used “sweeping curves and almost flat shapes” according to this chapter.

Lastly I will discussed the art style of the post-impressionist period (painting starting about 1885). Painters that were post-impressionist did not share any one kind of style, but they did build on Impressionism. Although that some people felt that Impressionism didn’t really allow an artist to have his or her own personal expression or religious beliefs. One of my favorite paintings falls under the category of Impressionism and is an oil on canvas painting called “The Sower” by Vincent Van Gogh. My favorite quote about his paintings is “with Vincent Van Gogh late nineteenth century painting moved from an outer impression of what the eye sees to an inner expression of what the heart feels and the mind knows.” I do feel that anyone can do art if it is first in their heart and then in their mind. Art is a very fun way of expressing your feelings and what you know. It is also a way of expressing your insights/views.

Written By: Gutter Chic

Sources: Preble's Artforms

Source type: Text book

Animals in Art

I choose to write on the topic of why do animals play such an important role in ancient art? My first paragraph will discuss animals in history. Mainly discussing Paleolithic art. My second paragraph will discuss art in the Neolithic period. The third paragraph discusses my own feelings about what I have read from books about the topic of animals in art.

Animals in art history make animal history visible and accessible to people. It is a record of how people in the past lived, felt, and acted in different parts of the world toward animals. We are being told a story without using words. About 40,000 years ago, the first carvings and paintings of animals on cave walls that were deep in the earth were found. Hunter-gatherers followed animals that they hunted for food and carved/ painted images of what they saw. Which gives us an insight as to how they must have lived and what they did from day to day. It also gives us an insight into how they hunt and gathered what they ate. In central France the oldest known cave paintings were found. There were dozens of them. Among all of the paintings there were paintings done with charcoals and earthen pigments of animals. The paintings showed animals such as horses, rhinoceroses, tigers, and other large animals. The Cave paintings also showed animals that are now extinct. In southern France there are images of large and small animals. The depictions of animals were done so by careful observation of the animals as well as human contact with the animals. It has been believed by scholars “that the purpose of naturalistic Paleolithic art was to bring the spirits of animals into rituals related to the hunt.” It is now to be believed that the purpose was for sanctuaries where the children were initiated in ceremonies that were based on symbolic and metaphysical associations while the animals that are in the images/paintings. There are many paintings of animals that were found all over the world.

In the Neolithic period the motifs/dominant themes used were used on clay pots and were usually inspired from plant and animal forms. Unlike Paleolithic art Neolithic art was abstract. Paleolithic art was more naturalistic. For example Wall painting of animals is naturalistic and Earthenware beaker is more of an abstract art piece. Animals have also been portrayed in early medieval art. Like the bronze 5^th century art piece Scythian Animal made by the Scythians. This is an abstract animal form that influenced (according to books on the topic of animals in art) groups in the British Isles, Scandinavia, and China. This style has been seen later in woodcarvings, stone carvings, and metal work. I think that animals play such an important role in ancient art because it gives us a look at what kind of animals were around at the time that the art works were made. It also shows us which animals are now extinct and also what animals have survived. Animals in art also give us an insight as to how people interact with animals. It brings up questions like did they hunt them, eat them, worship them, or sacrifice them for spiritual rituals? Sometimes art shows you without words what happened in the past. Lastly I think that animals play such an important role in ancient art is the fact that they gave people inspiration for something to draw, paint, carve, or use as any other art depiction. Just the beauty of all the different kinds of animals makes some people want to depict them in art work.

Gutter Chic Inc. 2010