AIC: Galleries of European Art [Post Impressionism]

Continued from the above post on European Art [ Impressionism]..
This is on Post-Impressionism..
This is a broad term used to cover much art produced between 1880 and early 20th century. The term Post-Impressionism was coined by the English art critic Roger Fry for the work painters as - Paul Cézanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and others. They began as Impressionists; however each of them abandoned the style to form his own highly personal art..

Unlike Impressionist, who began as a close-knit group; Post Impressionists painted mainly alone, though they often exhibited together.
- Cézanne painted at “Aix-en-Provence” in Southern France..
- Van Gogh painted in “Arles”, a city in Southern France..
- Paul Gauguin took up residence in “Tahiti”, and depicted Polynesian culture..
- Henri de Toulouse Lautrec – stayed in “Montmartre” section of Paris. It was a centre of cabaret entertainment and bohemian life.

Impressionism was based, in its strictest sense, on the objective recording of nature in terms of effects of colour and light. The Post-Impressionists rejected this limited aim in favour of more ambitious personal expression..

Georges Seurat.. He is often termed as Neo-Impressionist. He is credited with starting “Pointillism” which greatly influenced painters like Van Gogh. Pointillism refers to using tiny dots of color, which create an effect from a distance. The method of using colors in distinct dots or strokes is called “Divisionism”.

Paul Cezanne.. He said to be the bridge between “Impressionism” and “Cubism” [Cubism is more associated with Matisse & Picasso]. Cezanne concentrated on few subject matters as still life, studies of bathers and the “Mont Sainte Victoire” [mountain near his home]. He was preoccupied with the structure of painting. His paintings of "still-life" show liberation from conventional methods that greatly influenced cubism.

Vincent van Gogh.. His initial paintings were very dark [like Potato Eaters]. But when he came to Paris [from Netherlands]; he was influenced by Impressionists and began using light colors. He was also influenced by Japanese art. However the most profound influence seems to be of Pointillism. He developed highly personal use of color and brush work – like use of complimentary colors esp. blue and orange in close proximity to enhance each-others brilliance... and ... the use of heavy brush strokes was very typical of his works.

Paul Gauguin.. He turned away from the sophisticated urban life of Paris and looked for inspiration from the rural communities of Tahiti. Gauguin retained use of intense light colors of Impressionists but reintroduced imaginative elements in paintings.

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec.. He was born in an aristocrat family but was very weak and was often sick. He broke his left leg at 12 and right at 14. But his bones failed to heal. But his body trunk grew a normal size but his legs were abnormally short. Deprived of normal life he lived wholly on art. He stayed in Montmartre section of Paris.

Referenced heavily from the book:
“ … isms" ... Understanding Art by Stephen Little.

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