Impressionism and Post Impressionism Art Movement

Name- "Wheat field with crows"

Artist- Vincent Van Gogh 

Period- Impressionism

Date- 1890

Type- Landscape Painting

Objective(Subject)- Auvers-Sur-Oise, Wheat

Impressionism is an Art movement of the 19th century which began during the mid and late 1800's. Impressionism paintings is based on what the eye see's rather than what the mind know's, In other words it's direct eye observation of everyday things, situations, events or life in general. Impressionist paintings are objective and less emotional, They are created Pictorially by the strokes of the paint which gives it a spatial effect. Usually when viewing an Impressionist painting; because of the color's, lighting, and brushstroke technique the painting itself expresses it's modernity. This time period allowed artists the show the world in their perspective such as this painting by van gogh. You can clearly see the crows, the sky, and grass with the wheat fields. This painting was created with the fluidity of brush strokes and the true bold pure colors such as that yellow that make up the wheat, the dark green to make up the grass and that dark blue sky also add on to that everyday life scenery. This painting is more focused on the light, the atmosphere and also the movements of the crows flying over the wheat fields as they truly are make this painting stand out as a Impressionist painting.

Name- "The Starry Night"

Artist- Vincent Van Gogh

Period- Post Impressionism 

Date- 1889

Like Impressionism the Post Impressionist Movement began during the mid and late 1800's. The artist's believed in the free interpretation of nature, not to see things as they are like the impressionist paintings but rather to see through them, to a significance in a reality deeper than superficial appearance like said in the lecture. Post impressionist paintings tend to have a symbolic meaning or content attached to them and they also have a sense of structure and formal order. The stars and waves which are the winds and clouds all seem to be put in a specific order rather than where they actually are viewed. The expressive use of color such as blue create the dark scenery of night and the significant bright yellow stars express that broader touch of the stars lighting up the night. Their are a lot of lines, and waves which create rhythm and that extraordinary insight swell as mysterious visionary. The form of structure, and formal ordering of the stars and scenery give this painting not only the Post impressionist feel but that artificial look as well. 

"Morning on the Seine near Giverny"

Artist- Claude Monet

Date- 1897

Period- Impressionism

Impressionism paintings are based on what the painter is observing, the painting is constructed on what is being viewed in its natural setting with no supernatural characteristics. The objective of Impressionist painters are on everyday events and situations of modern life naturally without any added superstition. Also the painting's itself have a more natural look. One of the main characteristics in the Impressionistic era was that the painters paid attention to the light and the atmosphere. As seen in the painting "Morning on the Seine near Giverny" this scenery is in seine of a river. It must have been raining or  cloudy because Claude emphasizes in the atmosphere with those grey and dull colors. If you pay close attention to the river you can actually see the sky/clouds reflected on the river. Claude uses the same color as the sky to show that reflection of light which was used in the Impressionism period quite often. Claude uses a very natural green to the trees which give it a more naturalistic view, overall this painting has a gloomy feel due to the colors.