Pre-Modernism: Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism & Symbolism

KEY IDEAS

• Realism was based on theory of positivism (information derived from logical and mathematical treatments, empirical evidence --> can be PROVEN!)
• Japanese art had profound impact on late 19th c. painters (JAPONISME)
• Impressionist art is all about painting in "plein-air" - captures fleeting, shifting atmosphere of nature --> COLOR, LIGHT & THE MOMENTARY
• Post-Impressionists gave Impressionist ideals structure (back to picture making instead of recreating nature)
• Symbolist painters seek to portray mystical personal visions - INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION, making the invisible visible
• Skyscraper is new type of building due to technological advances (ferroconcrete, steel & the elevator)
• Art Nouveau unifies painting, sculpture and architecture with lines and organic forms and motifs (twining plants and vegetal patterns)
• Artists were inspired by the past but rejected traditional subjects
• Almost ALL art was purely secular, very little religious symbolism or intent 

HISTORY

• Europe was in shift from aristocracies to democracies = REVOLUTION! 
• Franco-Prussian War of 1870
• Concept of Positivism promoted by Comte (knowledge must come from proven ideas based off science)
• Darwin & Marx --> human evolution and social equality, influential radical ideas
• Invention of telephones, bikes, cars, motion pictures! 
• THE AVANT-GARDE (art movements are constantly breaking away and reinventing previous groups)

RESOURCES:
REALISM:

• SmartHistory's background information on REALISM 
• Explore Courbet's Burial at Ornans and The Stonebreakers
• Millet's The Gleaners
• HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: SmartHistory's explanation of Manet's Le Dejeuner sur l'herbe

JAPONISME:

• Great resource for miniature Japanese woodblock printing 
• The Met's great explanation of Japonisme

IMPRESSIONISM:

• How did the Impressionists get their name?
• Explore SmartHistory's Impressionist Resources (watch clips about Monet, Cassatt, Caillebotte and Renoir)
• A somewhat silly but helpful lesson on Impressionis & Post-Impressionism 

BBC Special about the Impressionists, watch if you have the time! There are 3 installments.


Post-IMPRESSIONISM:

• Explore Van Gogh's life in this National Gallery Van Gogh Exhibit
• SmartHistory Post-Impressionist Resources
• Explore the Art Institute of Chicago's Impressionist & Post-Impressionist Collections

SYMBOLISM:

• Explore the work of Odilon Redon (The Cyclops)
• The Met's explanation of Symbolism