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Art History 101

Portraits,  from  Romanticism  to  Impressionism  

La  Salle  College  Major  Movements  in  Arts  502-­‐CH3-­‐AS  By  Maria  M  Ramirez    

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Bibliography  page  11  

Table of Contents

lorem  ipsum  

Insane  Woman  by  Gericault  Page  3  

Self  Portrait  by  Courbet  Page  4  

 

Intro  to  Impressionism    Page  6    

Marie  Therese  Durand  Ruel  sewing  by  Renoir  Page  7  

The  Artist’s  Gardener    

By  Carolus-­‐Duran  

Page  8  

Self-­‐Portrait  

by  Monet  

page  9     Impressionism    

in  a  nutshell  

page  10    

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They are all the same, right? Editor’s  note:  

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At   first   when   looking   through   a  museum   like   the   Metropolitan   Museum  of  Art  in  New  York,  Musée  des  beaux-­‐arts  de   Montréal,   Musée   du   Louvre,   etc.,   the  viewer   will   encounter   many   portraits  and   self   portraits.   At   first   all   this  paintings   might   look   he   same   a   person  normally  posing  portrayed  in  a  canvas.  

 What   many   persons   walking   in  front   of   this   canvases   every   day   don’t  realize   is   that   the   artist,   when   doing   a  portrait,   tries   to   capture  more   than   just  the  pretty  face  of  a  girl,  the  artist  tries  to  capture   the   personality,   the   ambient  mood,   the   society   and   so  much  more   in  just   that   picture   of   a   girl.   Every   little  detail   was   an   artist   decision   even   if   the  viewer   does   not   realize   it.   The   way   the  model   poses,   how   the   hair   falls,   the  cloths   and   the   environment   can   tell   the  viewer   so   much   information   about   the  period   where   the   painting   was   made,   if  you  know  how  to  decode  it.  

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In   this   edition   of   “Art   History  101”   we   are   going   to   explore   different  portraits   for   the   Romantic   Era   to   the  Impressionism   and   try   to   unlock   the  meaning  behind  the  details  and  the  artist  choices  in  each  portrait.    

The  selection  was  made  carefully  picking   some   of   the   most   influential  artist   of   each   period   like   Renoir   for   the  Impressionist,   Courbet   for   the   Realist  and   Gericault   for   the   Romanticist.   This  issue   and   the   next   one   will   work   as   a  “Decoding  Portraits   for  Dummies”  series  where  we  will  study  portraits  to  help  all  of   our   readers   to   enjoy   museum   more  vastly.      

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  Romanticism  The  revolt  against  rationality  

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The   Romantic   Era   was   the   time   period   between  1800   and  1840.   Just   after   the  Enlighten   period,   the   French  Revolution  and  in  the  midst  of  the  Industrial  revolution.  This  period   was   surrounded   by   a   big   number   of   important  changes   in   the  world.  The  artists  were  revolting  against  the  Neoclassicism,   and   focused   of   the   feeling   and   emotions  rather   than   the   reality   in   front   of   their   eyes.   The   romantic  era  is  all  about  how  the  artist  feels  and  his  perception  of  the  events.   This   period   both   the   visual   arts   and   literature  exhibited   an   amazing  development.   In   literature   the  horror  genre  was  created  (Edgar  Allan  Poe).  In  general   this  period  was  truly  remarkable  in  art  and  it  helped  develop  a  number  of  recognized  artists  and  techniques.  

This   painting   represents   the   revolt   against   the  Neoclassicism   perfection.   In   this   painting   you   see   an   old,  wrinkled   lady   with   repulsive   features,   staring   into   the  distance.   She   is   dressed   with   simple   wrinkled   and   dirty  clothes   that   probably   mean   she   is   a   peasant.   This   also   is  reinforced  by   the   colors   of   the  piece   that   are   brown,   earth  tones   and   yellows   that   make   the   lady   look   old   and   dirty.  Besides   the   texture   in   this   painting   enforces   the   idea,  wrinkled  clothes  and  face,  messy  hair,  etc.  the  texture  allows  the   mood   to   come   across,   given   the   fact   that   this   is   a  romantic   painting   the   mood   is   one   of   the   most   important  aspects,  in  this  particular  painting  because  of  the  colors  and  

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texture  it  has  a  grimy  mood  uncomfortable  to  look  at  feeling,  because   of   the   unpolished   look   of   the   painting.   The  composition   is   the  basic   “Rule  Of  Thirds”  where   the   face   is  located   in   the   center   of   the   picture   and   the  headpiece   that  frames  the  head  in  the   focus  points.  This  makes  the  eyes  go  from  the  headpiece   to   the  black,  blood  shot,  eyes  down  the  nose   and   to   the   clothes.   The   picture   is   balanced   the   nose  being  at   the  middle  of   the  painting,  which  makes   it  balance  and  steady  in  contrast  with  the  literally  crazy  subject  matter.  This   painting   doesn’t   have   a   lot   of   contrast   it   uses   mostly  dark  colors  except   for  the  yellow  face  and  white  headpiece.  The   artist   takes   up   most   of   the   space   so   the   viewer   feels  close   to   the   insane  woman   and   trapped   and   scared   to   this  woman.    

This  picture  represents  the  insanity  and  oldness  of  the   woman   and   does   not   mask   it,   transmitting   a   lot   of  emotion,  what   the  Romantic  era   is   all  about.  At   first  glance  the  viewer   can   realize   that   this  woman  has   a   psychological  disorder   and   the   repulsion   of   the   artist   and   the   society  against   her.   This   picture   through   the   colors   and   the   lines  makes  the  viewer  stare  at  the  woman’s  face  and  deconstruct  it   every   flaw   and   detail.   Also   suffering   the   struggles   of   the  lady.   For   me   is   a   really   emotional,   ground-­‐shaking   piece  where  the  viewer  gets  engaged  with    this  insane  lady  and  her  emotions.  

“Insane  Woman”  

Théodore  Gericault  

1822  

Oil  on  canvas  

Musée  des  Beaux-­‐Arts  de  Lyon,  Lyon  

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  Realism  Truth  can  be  discovered  through  the  senses  

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During   the   Realist   era   (c.1840-­‐1880)   the   artists  once  again  went   again   the  previous  style.   In   the   realism  all  the  imagination  and  the  emotions  of  the  romantics  and  only  painted   the   reality   as   seen.   This   for   French   was   a  “Rollercoaster   Period”;   the   nation   went   through   different  political   upheavals   during   this   period.   Actually   most   of  Europe  was  going  through  revolutions  c  1848.  With  all  these  chaos   the   artist   started   representation   their   reality   mostly  close   to   home.   Using   mostly   direct   observation   and   real  objects,   not   their   imagination   as   a   lot   of   romanticist   artist  did.  

This  is  one  of  the  earliest  paintings  by  the  master  of  the  Realism,  Gustave  Courbet.   This   is   a   self-­‐portrait   known  as  “The  Desperate  Man”,  the  painting  contains  a  young  men  looking   into   the   viewer  while   holding  his   hair   in   its   hands.  What  is  most  striking  of  this  painting  is  the  mood;  because  of  the  realism  in  the  artwork  the  viewer  feels  as  it  is  in  the  art  studio   with   Courbet   when   he   was   feeling   desperate   as   he  describes   it.   Thanks   to   the   way   the   eyes   are   represented  open  and  with  the  pupil  dilated,  and  also  the  way  the  hands  grab  his  hair   look  as   is  he  is  so  desperate  and  stressed  that  he   just  wants   to   ripe  his  hair  out   .  The   colors  used   and  the  contrast  between  them,  a  lot  of  different  tints  and  shades  of  whites,   beiges,   and   blues   help   this   mood   develop.   The  

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contrast   between   the   wrinkles   in   both   the   hands   and   the  sleeves   gives   this   painting   different   intricate   texture   (hair,  wrinkles,   skin,   etc.).   The   composition   of   this   artwork   is  triangular   having   the   apex   above   the   forehead   near  where  the  hands  meet,   this  make   the   eye   of   the   viewer   to   stay   in  that   zone  mostly.   Following   the   line   created   along  the   face,  left  arm,  apron  and  left  arm  back  to  the  face  given  the  eyes  a  chance  to  go  through  out  all  the  painting.  The  detailing  in  the  hands  creates  movement  as  if  Courbet  is  scratching  his  head  or  moving  his  fingers  across  his  hair,  specially  the  left  hand.  This   painting   has   a   perfect   balance   and   it   looks   almost  symmetrical   if   a   line   is   drawn   right   down   the  middle,   even  the  facial  hair  is  almost  symmetrical  in  both  sides.  

This   painting   represents   the   realism   movement  because   it   looks   as   if   someone   found   Courbet   in   his   studio  worrying  about  something  and  took  a  photo.  Every  detail  of  his   face  looks  real;  at   first  sight   the  viewer  could  mistake   it  for   photography.  Thanks   to   the   little   details  as   the  paint   in  the  apron  the  messy  hair,  the  bear  that  could  use  a  shaving,  the   open   nostrils   because   of   the   emotion,   the   holes   in   the  wrists,  etc.    You  realize  that  the  artist,  in  this  painting,  was  a  young   probably   struggling   artist   for   the   atmosphere   of  desperation  and  of  course  the  tittle.  

The  Desperate  Man  (Self-­‐Portrait)  

Gustave  Courbet  

1843-­‐1845  

Oil  on  Canvas  

Private  Collection  

 

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Claude Monet. Self-

Portrait. 1886. Oil on canvas. Private collection, Paris, France

 Impressionism  

Impressionism   first   started  being   known   to   the   public   in   1863.   It  started   after   the   work   of   Manet   was  rejected  by   the  academy  and  could  not  participate   in   the   “Salon   of   Paris”.  Napoleon   III   decided   that   the   public  must   see   this   artwork   and  did   a  mock  salon  called  “Salon  des  Refusés”,  where  the   artwork   was   exhibited.   Mostly  people  wanting   to   laugh   and  mock   the  artwork  attended  this  salon.  But  at   the  end   it   attracted  more   viewer   than   the  regular   salon   and   the   public   now   was  aware  of  the  new  style.  

The   impressionist   era   was  surrounded   by   technological   and  cultural   changes.   Thomas   Edison   had  invented  the  electrical  light  bulb.   Japan  started   commercializing   to   the   world.  The   cameras   started   being   improved  from   the   Camera   Obscura.   All   this  changes   influenced   the   Impressionist  current,  specially  the  cameras,  painting  were   not   used   to   remember,   photos  replaced  them.  

 

“The  subject  matter,  my  dear  good  fellow,  is  the  light”            Claude  Monet  

 

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Claude Monet. Selate e  The  Artist  Gardener  

This   portrait   represents   an  unpolished  man,   probably   lower   class,  with   a   jacket   that   looks   as   if   the   artist  gave   to   him   and   he   took   it   with   some  doubts.  The  man  is  looking  just  slightly  off   the   viewer.   The   composition   is  remarkable   it   has   a   triangular  composition   and   also   the   eyes   align   to  the   “Rule   of   Thirds”,   That   makes   the  eyes   stay   in   the   face   of   the   man   and  really  focus  also  in  the  body  language  it  shows.     The   lines   follow   the  men   from  the  eyes   to  his   left   arm,   the  hand,   blue  shirt   and   finally   the   face   again,   that  cycle   helps   the   viewer   really   discover  the  details  of  the  painting.  This  portrait  colors   are   interesting   because   of   the  lack   of   an   extensive   color   palette,  mostly   browns  and  ochre.   This   creates  a   dark,   mysterious   mood   helped   with  the  way  the  eyes  are  depicted.  Also  the  lack   of   contrast   gives   the   painting   a  uniform  look.  Also  the  treatment  of  the  texture   is   quite   rare   the   hair   and   the  jacket   are   filled   with   it   only   if   the  viewer   stands   further   away.   This  texture   creates   the   illusion   as   is   the  model   is   trying   too   hard   to   stand   still  without   changing   his   pose,   helped   by  the   position   of   the   hands.   Therefore  creating  a  stillness  and  it  does  not  .  The  picture   is   balanced   towards   the   right  were   most   of   the   foreground   appears  causing   the   men   to   appear   slanted  toward  that  side.  

 

Carolus-­‐Duran  

 1893  

Oil  on  canvas  

Sterling  &  Fancine  Art  institute,  USA  

 

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Claude Monet. Selate e

 “Marie  Therese  Durand  -­‐Ruel  sewing”  

 In   this   portrait   appears   the  

daughter   of   Renoir’s   art   dealer   (Paul  Durand-­‐Ruel).  She  was  a  young  wealthy  high-­‐class   girl  sewing   in   the  midst   of   a  floral   garden.  The   colors   in   the  picture  are   really   vibrant,   saturated   and  pigmented   a   very   large   palette   of  different   colors.   Thanks   to   the   colors,  the  mood  of   the  painting   is  playful  and  joyful,   also   is   calming   because   of   how  the   girl   is   concentrated   in   sewing  peacefully.   Also   because   of   the   lack   of  contrast   in   colors,   mostly   light   colors  except   for   the   background.   The  background   has   dark   undertones   with  lots  of  vegetation,  so  it  does  not  appear  to  have  much   free   space;  which  makes  the   viewer   feel   trapped   and   immersed  in   the   artwork.     The   picture   is   slightly  balanced   to   the   right  where   the   girl   is.  That   makes   the   lines   go   from   the   red  hat   through   the  hair   then   to   the  hands  and   the   flowers   in   the   low   left   in   a  spiral   form.   The   composition   in  addition   to   have   the   spiral   is   also  triangular   made   by   the   hat,   hair   and  hands.   The   texture   as   in   the   other  painting   is  created,  as   the  viewer   looks  the   painting   from   farther   away   by   the  thin  brushstrokes  with  a  lot  of  different  tints   of   the   same   color   close   to   each  other,  in  places  like  the  flowers,  the  hair  and  the  dress.     Pierre  August  Renoir    

“Marie  Therese  Durand  -­‐Ruel  sewing”  

 1882  

Oil  on  canvas  

Sterling  &  Fancine  Art  institute,  USA  

 

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Claude Monet. Selate e  Self  Portrait  

This   self-­‐portrait   done   by   Monet   was  done  in  the  later  period  of  his  life.  After  he  moved  to  Giverny,  where  he  painted  most   of   his   masterpieces.   This   is   a  simple  shoulder  lenght  portrait  that  has  a   lot  of  contrast  between  the   light  blue  background,  that  at  first  glance  appears  to   be   empty,   and   the   figure   being  darkened  by  the  dark  brown  beard  and  dark   grey   jacket.   The   colors   used   are  mostly   tints   and   shades   of   blue   and  grey  mostly   in   the  background  and  the  clothe  of  the  artist  with  the  exception  of  the  pink  for  the  skin.  Thanks  to  this  the  artwork   looks   almost   monochromatic.  Thank  to  the  mostly  light  colors  and  the  perception  of  monochrome  the  painting  has   a   light,   calm,   reflexive   mood;   also  thanks  to  the  expression  of  Monet,  who  appears   to   be   meditating.   This   is  accentuated  by  the  lack  of  movement  in  the   painting   Monet   appears   to   be   still  gazing   into   the   infinity.   The   triangular  composition   and   the   free   space,   make  the   eyes   to   stay   in   the   face,   following  the   line   from   the   eyes   to   the   tie.   The  texture,  as  for  most  of  the  impressionist  artworks,   is   subtle   and   is   given  by   the  light   brush   strokes   and   use   of   the  different   tones   for   the   same   color   in   a  close   space,   in   this   artwork   in  particular  the   texture  is  light  and  extra  subtle,   not   the   first   thing   the   viewer  picks   out   when   seeing   the   painting.  Latly   as   mentioned   before,   it   can   be  really   appreciated   if   the   viewer   stands  further  away.        

Claude  Monet.    

“Self-­‐Portrait.  “  1886.    

Oil  on  canvas    

Private  collection,  Paris,  France  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Impressionism    In  a  nutshell    

 [Street  Address]  [City],  [State][Postal  Code]  

[Web  Address]  

    In  the  Impressionist  era  the  portraits  were  mostly  depicted  close  persons  to  the  artist.  All  of  the  persons  illustrated  above  are  close  to  

the  artist;  his  gardener,  the  daughter  of  his  art  dealer  and  himself.  It  was  based  on  the  direct  observation  and  this  can  be  noted  when  you  

study  the  treatment  of  the  light  by  the  artist  and  the  facial  expression  the  viewer  could  tell  that  they  are  close  to  the  artist.  Furthermore  

the  painting  doesn’t  seem  posed,  excepting  the  first  one  as  a  mockery  of  high-­‐class  portraits.  Especially  the  Renoir  where  it  seems  that  

he  saw  the  girl  sewing  for  a  couple  of  minutes  and  started  working  right  away  to  capture  that  impression.    

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• http://www.writedesignonlin

e.com/history-­‐

culture/impressionism.htm  

• http://artyfactory.com/art_ap

preciation/timelines/modern

_art_timeline.htm  

• http://www.artilim.com/artis

t/renoir-­‐pierre-­‐auguste/  

• http://www.enotes.com/reali

sm/historical-­‐context  

• http://www.wikipaintings.or

g/en/gustave-­‐courbet/the-­‐

desperate-­‐man-­‐self-­‐portrait-­‐

1845  

• http://www.the-­‐art-­‐

world.com/history/realism2.

htm#.ULdoZKVZX7I