Monet & Cézanne: Impressionism to Neo-Impressionism
Impression, Sunrise
Author: Oscar Claude Monet
Date: 1872
Museum: Museum of Paris Marmottan
Features: 47 x 64 cm
Material: Oil on canvas
Style: Impressionism
In 19th-century France, the official channel for painters was the Paris Motor Show, linked to the School of Fine Arts. A prestigious jury selected the submitted works. The 1863 scandal, sparked by Manet’s Breakfast on the Grass, led to the creation of the Salon des Refusés, which gained popularity among young artists seeking to exhibit modern works.
Read More19th-Century Realism and Naturalism in Spanish Literature
19th-Century Realism and Naturalism
Realism
The 19th-century Realism movement championed the accurate and truthful depiction of reality. Its key features include reflecting reality as it is, employing investigative techniques, and using the novel as a primary medium. Realism often contextualizes the work within contemporary society, utilizes an objective point of view, presents believable character actions, and critiques the prevailing social situation.
Naturalism
Naturalism, an evolution of Realism
Read MoreAnalyzing Key Art Movements Through Iconic Paintings
The Shootings of May 3rd, Goya (Early 19th Century)
Spanish Painting, Neoclassical Period with Romanticism elements.
Goya anticipates contemporary art and expressionism, depicting the horrors of war. This painting, part of a series on the war of independence against Napoleonic France, portrays the execution of Spanish rebels on May 3, 1808. It’s a powerful protest against conflict and human suffering.
Composition: Four distinct groups – the firing squad, those awaiting death, the central figure raising
Read MoreThe Vicarage: A Glimpse into 18th-Century Spanish Life
The Vicarage
1. General Documentation
Title: The Vicarage
Artist: Mariano Fortuny (1838-1874)
Date: 1867-1870
Style: Realism
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 60 cm x 94 cm
Location: National Museum of Art of Catalonia, Barcelona
Subject: Genre scene depicting the signing of a marriage contract in a church office. Fortuny meticulously details the costumes, room decor, and ambiance.
2. Formal Analysis
Plastic Elements
Fortuny’s brushwork is characterized by freedom and preciousness. The vibrant colors,
Read MoreCanova’s Eros & Psyche: A Neoclassical Masterpiece
Eros and Psyche by Antonio Canova
The Sculptor
Antonio Canova (1757-1822) was an Italian sculptor introduced to the art form at a young age. His true learning blossomed under Senator Falier’s patronage, earning renown for his marble statues. Canova’s style, initially rooted in the Venetian Baroque, evolved into Neoclassicism. He actively promoted the resurgence of ancient Greek and Roman aesthetics, influenced by the discovery of Hellenic art. While he didn’t see the Elgin Marbles until 1815, museums
Read MoreAnalyzing Flemish and Renaissance Art: Van Eyck and Botticelli
Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck
We analyze one of the most emblematic paintings in art history, the portrait of the Arnolfini couple by Flemish painter Jan van Eyck. An oak panel painting, a work in oils, using a brush. The famous painting presents the couple at the time of contracting matrimony. Both characters, portrayed in the foreground, are placed in a room with a wooden floor, lit by a window that opens to the left. At the foot of the couple is a dog, and in the background, the corner of
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