The Post-Impressionist period in art history has a special place in my heart. Seeing Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night (1889) and the Night Café (1888) at the Yale Art Gallery at a young age is where I developed a love for art history. I believe that this is proof of the impact this art period had on society; Back in the late 19th century and now today in the 21st century, it continually inspires individuals.
Van Gogh and other artists of his time experimented. The Impressionists already created a gateway toward untraditional works, and it was the new generation of artistry that completely stretched outside of the box. Bright colors and different perspectives became popularized more than ever before. The Post-Impressionists were artists during an inventive time in history, known as the Industrial Revolution. They surrounded themselves with creativity, engineering, and hard work, forming a generation of ambitious artists. These painters found a new outlet of self-expressionism amidst the rise in technology and engineering; It was a revolutionary time in history, both creatively and societally.
Three artists stood out to me during the readings and presentations on Post-Impressionist art: Paul Cézanne, George Seurat, and Vincent van Gogh. These artists had different perspectives and color schemes while contributing together to formulate the Post-Impressionist art period. “Of all the nineteenth-century painters who approached their medium as a means for endless experiment, the most significant was Paul Cézanne (1839–1906).” (Arnason, H. and Mansfield, E. 2012). Cézanne created a level of composition perspective that was unique to his artistry style and became visualized as almost flat or compressed. His work exemplifies various angles and subjects to see a still life or landscape in a new light.
Artists such as George Seurat created the idea of pointillism and were the gateway to Surrealist art expanded during the early 20th century. The softer colors vary from Cézanne and Van Gogh’s bold choice of colors and attribute to cooler tones. Lastly, Vincent van Gogh was an artist widely known during the Post-Impressionist era for the expressive use of texture, colors, and spiritual contribution. Van Gogh’s work combines various artists of this period that he knew and learned from, such as Claude Monet and Paul Gauguin. However, Van Gogh’s style is his own, expressing the vast difference and similarities between artists during the Post-Impressionists. The artist experimented and embraced the differences between one another, creating a door toward an acceptance of Art Nouveau and Modernist artwork.
Viewing the Post-Impressionist and Art Nouveau art periods from a Christian perspective symbolizes how each individual is different. Each skill, talent, and plan that God has created for everyone was made differently and wonderfully. As explained in Scripture, each individual is beautiful in the eyes of the Father. “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14, ESV Bible). Today, artists, individuals, and creatives alike can witness the wonderous and adventurous works of the Post-Impressionists to see how they interpreted God’s creation.
For more articles on Impressionism and Post-Impressionism please visit:
Impressionism: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/i/impressionism & https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/imml/hd_imml.htm
Post-Impressionism: https://www.britannica.com/art/Post-Impressionism & https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/poim/hd_poim.htm
Hannah J. Pasquini © 2022
References:
Arnason, H., H. and Elizabeth C. Mansfield. History of Modern Art. Available from: Liberty University Online Bookshelf, (7th Edition). Pearson Education (US), 2012. Chapter 3, pp. 45. https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9780205953233/pageid/62
The English Standard (ESV) Bible Psalm 139:14
