Meta-Impressionism:
Post-Impressionism
starting page
Post-impressionism:
Sources state that “Post-impressionism” as a term was introduced by Roger Fry arranging an exhibition in London of modern French art in 1910 called “Manet and Post-Impressionists” (R55). But already in 1892 there was an exhibition in Montréal called “Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Paintings” (R22IV,p1017). It is used as a comprehensive term for the period ‘between the demise of Impressionism and the rise of Cubism, Expressionism and Abstraction’ (R516,p33). It did not represent one cohesive art-movement, but it combines several art-movements that emerged and distanced from Impressionism (R3,p689).
The main represents were Gauguin, Cézanne and Van Gogh. Others were Seurat, Sérusier, Denis, Vallotton, Redon and also Derain, Matisse, Picasso, Rouault and De Vlaminck. (R55,p9;iR22). Later on post-impressionism depicts (French) art from the late 1880s until 1905 when Fauvism and Cubism emerged, with Van Gogh, Seurat, Gauguin and Cézanne as the most important representatives (R55,p11;R173,p71). So, some include the Néo-Impressionism / Pointillism / Divisionism of Seurat, Signac and others as part of Post-Impressionism. And indeed it comes after Impressionism, but still I like to discern it as a clear, separate movement.
Paul Cézanne:
Paul Cézanne is seen as one of the most important predecessors of modern art. In his work he first flattened the perspective and later used in one painting different perspective views (R181II,p438;R299,p20). Cézanne reduced his motifs to geometric forms such as cube, cone and cylinder (R299,p23). He also thickened his line and distorted volumes (R181II,p459). Cézanne is seen as the forefather of Cubism, but also Symbolists and Matisse were much inspired by him.
Paul Gauguin:
Paul Gauguin is seen is the leader and the inspirator of the Pont-Aven school. But Dujardin in a review only mentions Louis Anquetin as the representative of Cloisonism. Many state that Gauguin in the summer of 1888 developed this into Synthetism, but others emphasize the influence of Émile Bernard on this. Some interchanges the terms Synthetism and Symbolism, others see Symbolism as a broader art-mouvement. For the art-groupe Les Nabis Gauguin was a great inspirator.
For more info on these art-movements and the related artists see the link to the seperate pages. See also the links to their exhibitions at Volpini in 1889, the Expositions Impressionnistes et Symbolistes from 1891-98, the Salon de la Rose+Croix from 1892-97.
Vincent van Gogh:
Vincent van Gogh arrived in 1886 in Paris. Before that used dark colours (many browns and blacks) and broad, vived, pasty brushstrokes. In Paris under influence of Guillaumin and Signac he lightend up his colouring. In 1888 Van Gogh had an intense contact with Paul Gauguin. Through the years he evolved his own caracteristic painting style with bright colours and ‘vibrant, swirling brushstrokes’ (iR22). He namely would influence the expressionist art-movements, like Les Fauves, Die Brücke and Der Blauwe Reiter.
In the future I want to dedicate an entire page to him.
Sources: Tilborgh (1988=R62); Walther (2001=R70); Leeman & Sillevis (2005=R219); Bleijenberg (1990=R281), Hardy (1988=R288).
1910/1911 expo “Manet and the Post-Impressionists:
From 1910/11/08 untill 1911/01/15 the Grafton Gallery in London held the exhibition “Manet and the Post-Impressionist”, organised by Roger Fry. The catalogue (under revision) rendered 155 paintings, 51 drawings (+aquarelles +pastels) and 22 bronze + pottery objects (aR1=iR19). There were 26 partakers. The most extended entries were of Gauguin (34 +10 drawings); Van Gogh (24); Matisse (3 +12 drawings + 9 bronze objects); Cézanne (21); de Vlaminck (8 +3 earthenware vases); Girieud (5 +3 drawings +2 earthenware vases); Manet (9) and Picasso (2 +7 drawings). Other partakers were (in alphabetical order: Cross (2); Denis (5); Derain (3+2); Flandrin, Jules (2+4); Herbin (4); Laprade, Pierre (4+3); Maillol (0+3+5); Manguin (3+1); Marquet (2+3); Puy (1); Raoult, George (6); Redon (3); Sérusier (5); Seurat (2); Signac 3+2); Valtat (1); Vallotton (4).
The preface of the catalogue was written by Roger Fry and Desmond MacCarthy (R516,p33).
It seems that Roger Fry, who organised the exposition, during the preparations once said: “Oh, let’s just call them Post-Impressionists; at any rate the came after the Impressionists.” (R516,p33;R227,p40)
Post-Impressionist:
Who were the most important Post-Impressionists?
As mentioned above these were Cézanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
The 1879/1980 exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London showed a very wide range of French and foreign artists, with works from the years 1880-1912. This included clear Naturalist and Fauvist works, thus making it a very broad movement. Gallery III was called the Great Masters of Post-Impressionism and included Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cézanne and also (some) works of Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Seurat, Signac and also Puvis de Chavannes.
Bowness includes the late works of Degas, Monet, Pissarro and Renoir (R55,p9).
Barras Hill adds Toulouse Lautrec and also Seurat (R96,p7).
At an exhibition in Den Bos (Holland) with the title ‘a feast of colour’ in 1990 many (French and foreign) artists were included (R227).
Walther includes Symbolism (with Redon, the Nabis and Munch), Art-Nouveau and Toulouse-Lautrec (R3,p689).
Wiggins adds Seurat, the Nabis, Henri Le Douanier, Munch and the late works of Degas, Monet and Renoir (R530,p5).
Raussmüller & Sauer also include Bonnard, Marquet, Matisse, Redon, Renoir, Rouault, Toulouse-Lautrec, Vallotton and Vuillard (R516,p7).
Characteristics of Post-Impressionism:
The personal experience became more central than the external appearance (R55,p11).
Sources:
House (1879=R55), Barras Hill (1980=R96); Leinz (1987=R299,p13-25); Sillevis et all (1990=R227); Walther (1992/2013=R3,p689), Wiggins (1994=R530); Raussmüller & Sauer (1995=R516);
On the internet: WGI (iR22);
Additional references (aRx):
- dn760100.eu.archive.org (PDF of the catalogue of the 1910/11 exhibition at Grafton gallery in London; =iR19)
- artchive.com//post-impressionism (article on Post-Impressionism; =iR202)
- magrasku.de/NA-03 (page in German on Post-Impressionism; =iR59)
- de.wikipedia.org//manet_and_the_post-impressionists (page in German on the 1910/11 exhibition at Grafton gallery in London)
- prints-online.com//23108040 (print with reproductions of exhibited paintings at the 1910/11 exhibition at Grafton gallery in London; =iR473)
Citation: Please do not quote from this webpage, which is under construction. The information is incomplete and maybe partly incorrect.