Art history

Post-Impressionism

1) Cezanne “The Father of Modern Art”

Watch the video linked below and write a short paragraph explaining why you think Cezanne is referred to as “The Father of Modern Art.” Use at least one painting discussed in the video to support your argument. Do you think this “nickname” is apt? Why or why not?

Watch and Read the link below on Cezanne’s Mont-Sainte Victoire and write a brief paragraph explaining what is meant by tension between 2-d and 3-d in the work (aka flatness vs. depth). What is the formal property used by Cezanne that helps us read this abstracted version of the MSV as a landscape?

2) Seurat
After watching the video linked below, describe what Seurat meant when he claimed he was seeing “science” in his paintings. Include in your answer a definition of pointillism. One limitation of working in a pointillist style is the difficulty of showing movement in the painting. In what are three ways did Seurat attempt to show movement in his painting? What do you think might be another limitation to painting in a pointillist style?

3) Gauguin and Van Gogh:
Read both articles linked below and write a short paragraph wherein you explain two ways that Gauguin and Van Gogh share a similar approach in their paintings (Where. . What. . . Where? And The Starry Night) and then explain 3 ways they are different. Similarities and/or differences can include everything from subject, to expressive use of color, to application of paint (brushstroke), to how each of them viewed the world. . i.e. their particular view of utopia. Be bold and creative in your answer.

  • Cezanne “The Father of Modern Art” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsSd5jjITQA
  • Cezanne, Mont Sainte Victoire https://smarthistory.org/cezanne-mont-sainte-victoire/
  • Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon . . . https://smarthistory.org/georges-seurat-a-sunday-on-la-grande-jatte-1884/
  • Gauguin, Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? https://smarthistory.org/gauguin-where-do-we-come-from-what-are-we-where-are-we-going/
  • Van Gogh, The Starry Night https://smarthistory.org/van-gogh-the-starry-night/

Art of the Early 20th Century

1) Fauvism:
a) In what way was Fauvism radical? b) Which two artists founded Fauvism? c) How did the Fauve artists became known as Fauves and what does it mean? d) What art movements and/or artists inspired them? e) How did Matisse choose colors? f) What later movement did some of the Fauve artists contribute to?

2) Cubism
a) define “cubism” as it relates to the art produced by Picasso and Braque in the early 20th century; b) Explain the difference between Analytic Cubism and Synthetic Cubism; c) In one of the articles, Cubism is referred to as “higher truth.” What is meant by this? d) Describe the elements (painted and collage) Picasso incorporated in his Still Life with Chair Caning. How is Picasso fusing together “low” culture and “high” art in this collage painting?

3) Abstraction:
a)Define “abstract” as it relates to art. b) Who were two of the earliest artists to experiment with abstraction in painting? c) Do you like abstract art? Why or why not?

4) Futurism: Define Italian Futurism and its aims.

  • Fauvism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp0Y8Cgbg1o
  • Matisse, The Red Studio https://smarthistory.org/matisse-the-red-studio/
  • The Case for Abstraction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96hl5J47c3kKandinsky: https://smarthistory.org/kandinsky-improvisation-28-second-version/
  • Picasso Les Demoiselles d’Avignon: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/cubism-early-abstraction/cubism/v/picasso-les-demoiselles-d-avignon-1907
  • Cubism and Multiple Perspectives https://smarthistory.org/cubism-and-multiple-perspectives/
  • Picasso and the new language of Cubism https://smarthistory.org/picasso-guitar/
  • Georges Braque, The Portuguese https://smarthistory.org/braque-the-portuguese/
  • Picasso, Still Life with Chair Caning https://smarthistory.org/picasso-still-life-with-chair-caning/
  • Italian Futurism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAWjiWqPYR0