Post Impressionism

Post Impressionism was a term that was used when speaking of Impressionistic painting that had changed from its original methods of painting light colors, real life subjects, and wispy brush strokes.  Although these methods were still used, the new color pallet emphasized more vivid and rich saturation.  The brush strokes were still broad and flowing, but they tending to become tighter to express shapes or in some cases were made by a series of small dots to create a larger image.  Some artist like Vincent van Gogh continued to use exaggerated brush strokes, only now he applied vivid and rich colors in swirling patterns to promote a feeling of emotions, as opposed to showing them through a subjects expression.  Post Impressionism was the first step in further exploration in the new forms of modern painting. Subject matter did not always have to be representational; an emphasis on emotions and feelings was more important.  Artistic work was similar or inspired by the teachings of Freud. The work was to show an inner reality or a possible emotional consciousness.  Much was happening at the turn of the century, such as revolutions in science, challenging political thought, expansion of the middle class, exploration and travel of new countries, and conflicts between traditional values and new ideas. Modernism, in the form of art, was set on challenging and exploring these new beliefs and changes that were happening in society.  


In the piece below, one can see starting changes in the techniques used by artist influenced by earlier Impressionistic works. This is from an artist who was part of the Nabi movement, which was closely connected to the Symbolist and Art Nouveau movements.  "They strongly opposed positivism and naturalism, movements that were aligned with the Impressionistic movement." The subject matter is not profoundly different then that of the Impressionist, but the artist's opinions about the interplay of shapes and colors were. 

Paul Serusier (French, 1863-1927)

Synchromy in Yellow, 1900-1913 or 1915

Oil on canvas

Emile Bernard (French, 1868-1941)

Brittany Landscape, c. 1888-1889

Oil on Canvas 

The Landscape, shows influences of exaggeration of color blending and elongated brushstrokes. 

Georges Lacombe (French, 1868-1916)

Autumn: The Chestnut Gatherers, 1894

Oil on Canvas

Here one can see use of dark, rich, provocative pigments. The shapes of the women are more pronounced and yet there is still soft blending that occurs in background of the forest floor. 

The Vincent van Gogh Gallery  feels that "his finest works were produced in less then three years in a technique that grew more and more impassioned in brushstroke, in symbolic and intense color,  in surface tension, and in the movement and vibration of form and line."   Although the Norton Simon is not home to many of Van Gogh's works, it does have two that spotlight his transition from Impressionism, to his more commonly known work of "emotional and imaginative" expressionism. 

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890)

Portrait of a Peasant(patience Escalier), 1888

Oil on canvas 

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890)

The Mulberry Tree, 1889

Oil on canvas

Van Gogh said his brushstrokes were"firm and interwoven

with feeling, like a piece of music played with emotion."

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919)

Reclining Nude, c. 1892

Oil on canvas 

Renior still used " sinuous, free flowing lines, and light pastel" colors of the Impressionistic style but focused back to romanticism, using soft and swirling brushstrokes. 

*Imagine curtsey of Norton Simon Museum 

Henri Rousseau (French, 1844-1910)

Exotic Landscape, 1910

Oil on canvas 

Vasily Kandinsky (Russian, 1866-44)

Sketch for 'Deluge I", 1912

Oil and charcoal on cardboard 

Kandisky, work starts to show a shift to abstraction. There is use vivid colors and excessive blending but there is no predominate form that emerges from the patterns. This style was to evoke emotion or feelings coming from ordinary perception. 

*Imagine curtsey of Norton Simon Museum

*All pictures were taken by me unless otherwise stated, additional links to Post Impressionist information are listed below 
The Nabis
The Vincent van Gogh Gallery
The Metropolitan Museum (Post Impressionism)