Claude Monet

Impression: Sunrise

1872

Impressionism

Is of a port in normandy. The subject matter is blurred and hard to play out. Painter focused on visual effects like the sun hitting things. No effort made to disguise brush strokes or blend pigment. 

Claude Monet

Saint-Lazare Train Station

1877

Impressionism

This painting focused on power and technology shown by the train and all the steam. Had a lot of modern aspects- reinforced steel, the skyline showing new apartment buildings. The quick brushstroke shows that it is spontaneous and new. The people are not really outlined because they just breeze by in a busy city. 

Gustave Caillebotte

Paris: A Rainy Day

1877

Impressionism

The fact that Paris is having a rainy day shows that the artist doesn't like the new paris. This painting gave an idea of what Paris was like- structured. The couple in the front are upper-class. She's standing behind the man as he protects her in public- women in public are seen as fair game to be looked at. She's wearing a veil which is used as a shield from dust and being looked at. There is a sense of monotony as everyone had the same umbrella and clothing.

Édouard Manet

Bar at the Folies-Bergère

1882

Impressionism

Friends, writers, prostitutes in mirror. The woman is placed as if in a still life and could show that she is seen as an object being purchased (she's a prostitute). She doesn't look happy to be there to show how you feel when you are a bartender. The man must be standing where the audience is. The mirror doesn't correspond to what we see- shes putting up a front in the mirror but is unhappy in real life.

Mary Cassatt

The Bath

1892

Impressionism

This is from a females point of view as men didn't really know this side of home life. This painting isn't about a bar or anything else because she couldn't go to one as she was a proper lady. Bathing wasn't done very often. She is shown as a good mother that understands the importance of good hygeine. Composition due to Japanese print- flat and doesn't really have demension.

Georges Seurat

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte

1884-1886

Post-Impressionism

The pixeling is seen more as a single mass of color the further you stand back. You would know that this is a sunday because people are out and about. There is a man out of place who is clearly working class but it sitting by a Flaneur couple. The shadows dont really work properly to keep you off guard. There is oddness like a monkey on a chain- the woman is a prostitute. The little girl is the only one painted in a regular brushstroke to show her innocence.

Vincent van Gogh

Starry Night

1889

Post-Impressionism

This painting was thought to be about death because of the darkness and the stars and letters to his brother. Another thought was that he felt happy and healthy so not about death. Minstal winds are bitter and cold and terrible but then afterwards there are beautiful clear skies. There was a letter found to the artists mother that talked about minstral winds in his life. Therefore the swirlies of the winds are the minstral winds because they actually make that motions. Cypress trees are usually placed at the entrance to graveyards but here are meant as a sign of protection.

Paul Gauguin

Vision after the Sermon or Jacob Wrestling the Angel

1888

Post-Impressionism

Shows Breton women in their sundays caps envisioning the sermon that they have just heard. Made the women larger and shrunk Jacob and the Angel to heighten the innocent faith of the questioning women. Abstracted the scene into a pattern using shapes and color. White caps, black dresses, field of combat.