Post-Impressionism: Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh
Post-Impressionism
The term “Post-Impressionism” describes a diverse group of artists who moved beyond Impressionism’s limitations. While not a formal movement, these painters, primarily French with the notable exception of Van Gogh, significantly influenced 20th-century art. Working in Paris between 1886 and 1907, they transitioned from Impressionism’s focus on light and color to emphasize form, personal expression, and symbolic content.
Gauguin’s Characteristics
- Symbolism: Exaggeration of prints for lyrical and poetic effect.
- Influence of Japanese and Egyptian art, initially inspired by Impressionist Pissarro.
- Painted in various locations for inspiration: Paris, Brittany, Martinique, Arles, Tahiti.
- Color over light: vibrant spot colors applied in large, uniform areas.
- Rejection of geometric perspective and shadows, favoring well-defined profiles.
- Exotic themes (Brittany, Tahiti) blending observation with imagination, using unrealistic colors.
- Well-defined colors, contrasting with Impressionism’s faded hues.
- Accurate forms and consistent color application.
- Lack of depth or distance.
- Stylized figures reminiscent of Egyptian art, particularly in his Tahitian subjects.
After Seurat’s death, three key artists spearheaded the evolution beyond Impressionism:
- Cézanne, foreshadowing Cubism.
- Gauguin, anticipating the Nabi movement.
- Van Gogh, preluding Fauvism and Expressionism.
Paul Cézanne (1839-1906)
Cézanne, son of a wealthy hatter, achieved artistic maturity after 50. His approach involved both the eye and the brain, leading to his famous quote: “In nature, everything is modeled on the sphere, the cone, and the cylinder.” This simplification of nature into geometric forms paved the way for Cubism. His notable works include The Bathers, Card Players, Still Lifes, and landscapes of Mont Sainte-Victoire.
Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)
Gauguin’s life was an adventure. After a career in the merchant marine and stock market, he embraced art. He moved to Brittany seeking primitivism, then traveled to Panama and eventually to the South Seas. Gauguin emphasized the inner world, using a decorative style with black outlines, reminiscent of stained glass. His masterpiece is Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Van Gogh, a passionate and mentally unstable artist, produced 879 paintings in just nine years. His work reflects his inner turmoil and emotional intensity.
Characteristics of Van Gogh
- Expresses personal imbalances and madness.
- Precursor of Expressionism, reflecting personal experiences in his art.
- Landscapes and figures with twisted, serpentine forms.
- Irregular, long, loose, and broken brushstrokes.
- Black lines enhance color and express feelings.
- Color is paramount, often loud and violent, with light, distorted drawing.
- Transforms reality, exaggerating and distorting deliberately.
- Uses pure, intense colors, especially red and yellow, for emotional impact.
Van Gogh’s style is defined by Japanese-inspired firm lines and color as a primary emotional driver. He painted portraits, landscapes, starry nights, wheat fields, olive trees, sunflowers, and self-portraits.