ImpressionismImpressionismControversial ArtControversial Art

End of the 19End of the 19thth century century

FranceFrance

What was going on at the What was going on at the timetime To be recognized as an artist To be recognized as an artist

you had to display your work you had to display your work at the at the Salon des Beaux- ArtsSalon des Beaux- Arts huge exhibition centre on the huge exhibition centre on the Champ-Elyees in Paris. This Champ-Elyees in Paris. This was the social event of the was the social event of the year, they lined up to see art year, they lined up to see art piled high to the ceiling. A jury piled high to the ceiling. A jury would select those artists as would select those artists as they deemed appropriate- who they deemed appropriate- who was In and who was outwas In and who was out

The jury also decided where to The jury also decided where to place their art:place their art:

MARKETING 101 –Placement on MARKETING 101 –Placement on the shelf is keythe shelf is key

This Year, Venuses Again... Always Venuses! (1864) - Honore Daumier

The Académie was the upholder of traditional standards for French painting, both in content and style. Historical subjects, religious themes, and portraits were valued (landscape and still life were not), and the Académie preferred carefully finished images which mirrored reality when examined closely. Colour was somber and conservative, and the traces of brush strokes were suppressed, concealing the artist's personality, emotions, and working techniques.

1n 1863 the 1n 1863 the Salon des Beaux- Arts Salon des Beaux- Arts jury decision were out-many artist jury decision were out-many artist were rejected. Of the future were rejected. Of the future Impressionists-only Renoir had a Impressionists-only Renoir had a painting accepted. The Emperor painting accepted. The Emperor hearing people complain decide he hearing people complain decide he would let of all Paris judge the works would let of all Paris judge the works and after the official Salon opening and after the official Salon opening there would be a there would be a Salon des Refuses Salon des Refuses for rejected painters- held in for rejected painters- held in adjacent roomsadjacent rooms

Salon des RefusesSalon des Refuses

70,000 came the first day to the 70,000 came the first day to the Salon des Refuses- they exploded in Salon des Refuses- they exploded in indignation, hooted in laughter and indignation, hooted in laughter and jeered at the paintingsjeered at the paintings

SHOCK….SHOCK….

HERE’S WHAT THEY HERE’S WHAT THEY SAWSAW

Le Dejeuner sur L’Herbe- Le Dejeuner sur L’Herbe- ManetManet

Inspired by Giorgioni’s Pastoral Inspired by Giorgioni’s Pastoral SymphonySymphony

The painting looked too realThe painting looked too real obsceneobscene The fact that they were dressed made her The fact that they were dressed made her

seem more naked (juxtaposition)seem more naked (juxtaposition) Provocative tauntProvocative taunt Ordinariness (the model was actually a Ordinariness (the model was actually a

“working-class women” and the men his “working-class women” and the men his brothers) did not fit the themebrothers) did not fit the theme

Too modernToo modern ““Brusque and sharp contrasts of the Brusque and sharp contrasts of the

colours”colours” ““No sense of harmony, light or shadow”No sense of harmony, light or shadow”HE BECAME A REBEL—OUR YOUNG HE BECAME A REBEL—OUR YOUNG

PAINTERS LIKED THAT…something to PAINTERS LIKED THAT…something to aspire to..aspire to..

Next year’s Salon- Olympia, Next year’s Salon- Olympia, ManetManet

THE BAD BOY’S BACK IN TOWN

Based on….Based on….

A naked courtesanA naked courtesanbrazenly arranged on a bed brazenly arranged on a bed with a black servant with with a black servant with some flowers from one of some flowers from one of her clientsher clients

Black cat is a symbol of Black cat is a symbol of lewdness in art- tail suggestively raisedlewdness in art- tail suggestively raised ““Olympia was pale, scrawny and empty-Olympia was pale, scrawny and empty-

headed. She stared cynically at the headed. She stared cynically at the viewer, outrageous awesome, dangling viewer, outrageous awesome, dangling one mule from her left foot, her other one mule from her left foot, her other shoe abandoned on the bed. This was shoe abandoned on the bed. This was clearly a clearly a professionaprofessional, she had no need to l, she had no need to be alluring, she was simply doing her job”be alluring, she was simply doing her job”

Info: there was 5,000 registered and Info: there was 5,000 registered and 30,000 unregistered prostitutes in Paris at 30,000 unregistered prostitutes in Paris at that timethat time

She was all true real- many men had She was all true real- many men had mistresses in Paris at this timemistresses in Paris at this time

Jump ahead- 1869Jump ahead- 1869The Impressionists plan The Impressionists plan

their own showtheir own show They called themselves Societe Anonyme They called themselves Societe Anonyme

Cooperative (joint stock company) des Cooperative (joint stock company) des Artistes, Peintres.- no jury selection for their Artistes, Peintres.- no jury selection for their showshow

Definition of their style- “to model forms by Definition of their style- “to model forms by capturing they rhythms of light and air capturing they rhythms of light and air rather than being tied to ‘accurate’ rather than being tied to ‘accurate’ drawing”.drawing”.

“ “A blond light pervades them, and A blond light pervades them, and everything is gaiety, clarity, spring festivals, everything is gaiety, clarity, spring festivals, golden evenings, or apple trees in blossom”golden evenings, or apple trees in blossom”

Goals of the Goals of the ImpressionistImpressionist Hung out on Hung out on

the Left Bank- the Left Bank- ‘La Bohemian’ ‘La Bohemian’ and formed a and formed a group of group of artist that had artist that had similar ideassimilar ideas

They felt it was They felt it was important to important to paint an paint an ordinary view of ordinary view of public life, this public life, this was unheard of was unheard of at this timeat this time

Renoir

Emphasis on light Emphasis on light in its changing in its changing qualities (often qualities (often

accentuating the accentuating the effects of the effects of the

passage of timepassage of time

They would They would escape to the escape to the countryside to countryside to paint paint en plein en plein airair (in the (in the open air)open air)

visible brush visible brush strokes, open strokes, open compositioncomposition

the inclusion the inclusion of of movementmovement

The Show- 1873The Show- 1873IndependentsIndependents

they were aghast, screamed in horrorthey were aghast, screamed in horror There was pandemoniumThere was pandemonium They wanted art they could understand, not They wanted art they could understand, not

taunt them with feelings of inadequacytaunt them with feelings of inadequacy Some seemed unfinished and Some seemed unfinished and

incomprehensible to the audienceincomprehensible to the audience Why on earth would they pay good money to Why on earth would they pay good money to

see this subject matter…some demanded a see this subject matter…some demanded a refundrefund

The torrents of abuse went on and on and on..The torrents of abuse went on and on and on.. LETS SEE WHAT WAS SO UPSETTINGLETS SEE WHAT WAS SO UPSETTING

The Cradle by Berthe Morisot

Paul Cézanne. A Modern Olympia. c. 1873

Edgar Degas. Dance Class. 1874.

The Laundress

After the Bath- Degas

Monet- Boulevad des Capucines

Renoir- La Loge

Pissarro Hoar Frost

Pissario-Chestnut trees at Osny

Monet Impressions: Sunrise –Note the Title

REVIEWSREVIEWS This work was” neither tiresome or banal. It is This work was” neither tiresome or banal. It is

lively, it is vivid, it is delicate; in short it is lively, it is vivid, it is delicate; in short it is ravishing”ravishing”

Others thought it was a work of practical jokersOthers thought it was a work of practical jokers There was a long spoof on it painting to painting There was a long spoof on it painting to painting

overusing the word Impression : “What does the overusing the word Impression : “What does the catalogue say? ‘Impression: Sunrise’ catalogue say? ‘Impression: Sunrise’ “Impression! Of course. There must be an “Impression! Of course. There must be an impression somewhere in it. What freedom. what impression somewhere in it. What freedom. what flexibility of style! Wallpaper in its early stages is flexibility of style! Wallpaper in its early stages is much more finished that that”much more finished that that”

…….The name Impressionism stuck…the artists did .The name Impressionism stuck…the artists did not like it.not like it.

Wait until they’re deadWait until they’re dead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

List_of_most_expensive_paintingsList_of_most_expensive_paintingsRenoir-Bal au moulin de la Galette Sold in 1990 for 78.1 million dollars (122.8 million adjusted dollars to today)

Paul Cezanne 1990- 65.5 million (74.6 million

adjusted dollars to today)