James Mayhew’s Katie Meets the Impressionists is a nice introduction to Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas for children 4 to 6 years old.
It’s Katie’s grandmother’s birthday and Katie wants to give her grandma a gift. The two visit the museum and as Katie explores, she finds the perfect thing: a lovely bouquet of flowers. Katie closes her eyes and finds herself in Monet’s The Luncheon. She paints a picture in Monet’s studio and then picks a bunch of flowers for her grandmother.
But when Katie leaves the painting, the flowers begin to wilt. She can’t give her grandmother wilting flowers! She enters Renoir’s Girl with a Watering Can and picks new flowers but she is chased from the painting, flowers scattering into the museum. Next she finds herself in Monet’s Field of Poppies, then Renoir’s Her First Evening Out, and finally Degas’ Blue Dancers, all in search of the perfect bouquet of flowers.
Return to main page.
Showing posts with label impressionism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label impressionism. Show all posts
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir is one of the most well-known and beloved Impressionist painters. He painted Luncheon of the Boating Party (the first painting shown below), which hangs at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. He also painted Girl with a Watering Can (the second painting shown below) which can also be found here in D.C., at the National Gallery of Art, but which I remember best from the print that used to hang in my aunt’s entryway. The third painting shown below is one of Renoir’s most famous, Moulin de la Galette.
Renoir was born in 1841. His family moved to Paris when he was 3 years old. Even as a child Renoir showed a talent for art and began painting porcelain when he was 13.
He worked a few jobs but decided quickly that he wanted to be a painter. He went to school at the Ecole de Beaux-Arts and studied the master paintings that hung at the Louvre Museum. He learned to paint polished, realistic paintings which he displayed at the official Salon beginning in 1864.
You may remember that artists who wanted to show their work at the Paris Salon had to send their work in to be accepted by a group of judges. The judges decided whose work was good enough to be displayed. For this reason, Renoir showed his most realistic paintings at the Salon. That was what was popular at the time.
Renoir met many of the painters who would become Impressionists. He and Claude Monet painted together several times. They would find a nice scene outside, set up their canvases, and paint quickly. They needed to capture the most important parts of the scene before the light changed. That’s why Impressionist paintings always look like they were painted quickly with fast brushstrokes and few details.
In 1870 France and Prussia went to war. Most artists of the time did not go to war, but Renoir did. When he returned, he moved into a studio in the center of Paris. He spent the next 10 years painting scenes of Paris life.
The first Impressionist exhibition opened in 1874. The Impressionist decided together which pieces would be shown. They hung the paintings at one level so each piece could be seen. They let visitors decide which paintings were the best, instead of telling them the way the Impressionists felt the Salon had. People liked the show and critics said good things about the Impressionists. Most of the paintings did not sell, though.
The Impressionists showed their work at their own exhibitions over the next few years, anyway. The style grew in popularity.
After the first exhibition, some collectors began asking Renoir to paint for them. This gave him money to continue painting in the Impressionist style. He used some of the money to travel. The collectors also helped make him even more famous.
In 1882, Renoir painted with Gauguin in the south of France. Over time Renoir split off from the other Impressionists. He did not show his work in the final Impressionist exhibition in 1886.
From 1885 and 1901, Renoir married and had three children. When his third child was born, Renoir was 60 years old. He continued to paint but many of his paintings from this time showed children and family life, like the painting shown above, Girls at the Piano.
In 1919, Renoir died. He was 78.
Return to main page.
Renoir was born in 1841. His family moved to Paris when he was 3 years old. Even as a child Renoir showed a talent for art and began painting porcelain when he was 13.He worked a few jobs but decided quickly that he wanted to be a painter. He went to school at the Ecole de Beaux-Arts and studied the master paintings that hung at the Louvre Museum. He learned to paint polished, realistic paintings which he displayed at the official Salon beginning in 1864.
You may remember that artists who wanted to show their work at the Paris Salon had to send their work in to be accepted by a group of judges. The judges decided whose work was good enough to be displayed. For this reason, Renoir showed his most realistic paintings at the Salon. That was what was popular at the time.Renoir met many of the painters who would become Impressionists. He and Claude Monet painted together several times. They would find a nice scene outside, set up their canvases, and paint quickly. They needed to capture the most important parts of the scene before the light changed. That’s why Impressionist paintings always look like they were painted quickly with fast brushstrokes and few details.
In 1870 France and Prussia went to war. Most artists of the time did not go to war, but Renoir did. When he returned, he moved into a studio in the center of Paris. He spent the next 10 years painting scenes of Paris life.
The first Impressionist exhibition opened in 1874. The Impressionist decided together which pieces would be shown. They hung the paintings at one level so each piece could be seen. They let visitors decide which paintings were the best, instead of telling them the way the Impressionists felt the Salon had. People liked the show and critics said good things about the Impressionists. Most of the paintings did not sell, though.The Impressionists showed their work at their own exhibitions over the next few years, anyway. The style grew in popularity.
After the first exhibition, some collectors began asking Renoir to paint for them. This gave him money to continue painting in the Impressionist style. He used some of the money to travel. The collectors also helped make him even more famous.
In 1882, Renoir painted with Gauguin in the south of France. Over time Renoir split off from the other Impressionists. He did not show his work in the final Impressionist exhibition in 1886.
From 1885 and 1901, Renoir married and had three children. When his third child was born, Renoir was 60 years old. He continued to paint but many of his paintings from this time showed children and family life, like the painting shown above, Girls at the Piano.In 1919, Renoir died. He was 78.
Return to main page.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Berthe Morisot
Berthe Morisot was born in 1841 to a wealthy government official. When Morisot was 11, her family moved to Paris. Because her father was important, and because the family had money, Morisot and her two sisters received proper education. They had tutors for many subjects including art.
Berthe Morisot and her sister Edma both showed artistic talent and decided to become painters. Though very few women became professional painters in the 1800s, the sisters were encouraged by their family.The young women painted side-by-side until Edma got married and decided to become a fulltime mother.
Berthe Morisot showed her work at the Paris Salon each year for nine years. She met Manet. She posed for him and the two painters learned many things from each other.Morisot then made friends with several Impressionist painters and became an Impressionist herself. Morisot showed her work with the Impressionists until the final exhibition in 1886. She missed only one of the eight Impressionist exhibitions.
When she was 33, Morisot married Edouard Manet’s brother, Eugene. They had a daughter, Julie, who became Morisot’s favorite subject to paint. After Eugene died, Julie and her mother painted side-by-side.
Morisot died in 1895.
Berthe Morisot, like Mary Cassatt, painted a lot of family scenes. Most of her paintings show women and children. She used quick brush strokes, in the Impressionist style, and preferred light colors. You won’t see black in Morisot’s paintings, though there are sometime touches of dark grey, dark blue, or dark green.The paintings above, in order, are The Cradle, Reading, and Lady at her Toilette.
Return to main page.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mary Cassatt
In celebration of Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 11), I thought I would tell you about a female American Impressionist who is known for her paintings of family life: Mary Cassatt.
Cassatt was an extraordinary woman. Born in 1844, she painted in a time when there were very few professional women painters. In fact, she worked in a time when women of wealthy families usually did not work. Cassatt wanted to paint. She wanted to be respected and admired for her talent as an artist. And she wanted to be able to live on the money she earned painting. These goals were difficult to achieve.
Mary Cassatt was born in Pennsylvania. She began school when she was six. Her family believed that travel was important for her education and so she lived in Europe for five years when she was a child. She visited many important cities including Paris, France and London, England. Sounds like a nice way to get an education.
Cassatt studied art at the Pennsylvania academy of Fine Arts but she was not taken seriously. There were not many women at the school and those who did study were not treated equally to the men. She left the academy and moved to Paris where she hired a painter to teach her privately.
While in Paris, Cassatt went to the Louvre everyday to copy the works of the masters. You’ll remember the picture I showed you of someone painting at the great museum.
In 1868, Cassatt showed a painting at the Paris Salon. The Paris Salon was a huge exhibition of all the most impressive paintings of the day. The art was chosen by a jury (the way the contestants on American Idol are chosen). During this time, the Impressionists were struggling in Paris. The Salon did not recognize their art and did not allow them to show at the exhibition.
Her painting did not sell at the Paris Salon and Cassatt returned home to Pennsylvania. She was frustrated and worried that she would never earn a living as an artist. But she was bored at home and itched to return to Europe to view the art and to create her own. Cassatt’s big break came when the Archbishop of Pittsburgh asked her to create copies of two paintings in Italy. He paid for her travel and supplies. When the paintings were finished, he purchased those, also.
When she was Italy, she had time to create some original paintings as well. Her painting, Two Women Throwing Flowers During Carnival, was accepted at the 1872 Paris Salon. This painting sold! The money allowed her to travel some more before settling in France.
Cassatt continued to show at the Paris Salon when her work was accepted by the jury. As a woman, though, she was not treated fairly and could not depend on being allowed to show her art. Finally, in 1877, Cassatt joined the Impressionists. She stood out as a fine artist and became well known throughout Paris.
One Impressionist had a huge impact on her. Edgar Degas, whose ballerina sculpture you’ll remember, taught Cassatt to use pastels. She became a master pastel artist.
Cassatt showed her work with the Impressionists for more than ten years. She was part of the first Impressionist show in America. In 1886 her style grew and changed. New styles were taking shape in the art world and Cassatt went in her own direction.
It was after her years as an Impressionist that Cassatt painted the pieces she is most known for today. Her paintings of family life and the private lives of women are realistic but the scenes are tender and loving. See for yourself:
Cassatt was an extraordinary woman. Born in 1844, she painted in a time when there were very few professional women painters. In fact, she worked in a time when women of wealthy families usually did not work. Cassatt wanted to paint. She wanted to be respected and admired for her talent as an artist. And she wanted to be able to live on the money she earned painting. These goals were difficult to achieve.
Mary Cassatt was born in Pennsylvania. She began school when she was six. Her family believed that travel was important for her education and so she lived in Europe for five years when she was a child. She visited many important cities including Paris, France and London, England. Sounds like a nice way to get an education.
Cassatt studied art at the Pennsylvania academy of Fine Arts but she was not taken seriously. There were not many women at the school and those who did study were not treated equally to the men. She left the academy and moved to Paris where she hired a painter to teach her privately.
While in Paris, Cassatt went to the Louvre everyday to copy the works of the masters. You’ll remember the picture I showed you of someone painting at the great museum.
In 1868, Cassatt showed a painting at the Paris Salon. The Paris Salon was a huge exhibition of all the most impressive paintings of the day. The art was chosen by a jury (the way the contestants on American Idol are chosen). During this time, the Impressionists were struggling in Paris. The Salon did not recognize their art and did not allow them to show at the exhibition.
Her painting did not sell at the Paris Salon and Cassatt returned home to Pennsylvania. She was frustrated and worried that she would never earn a living as an artist. But she was bored at home and itched to return to Europe to view the art and to create her own. Cassatt’s big break came when the Archbishop of Pittsburgh asked her to create copies of two paintings in Italy. He paid for her travel and supplies. When the paintings were finished, he purchased those, also.
When she was Italy, she had time to create some original paintings as well. Her painting, Two Women Throwing Flowers During Carnival, was accepted at the 1872 Paris Salon. This painting sold! The money allowed her to travel some more before settling in France.
Cassatt continued to show at the Paris Salon when her work was accepted by the jury. As a woman, though, she was not treated fairly and could not depend on being allowed to show her art. Finally, in 1877, Cassatt joined the Impressionists. She stood out as a fine artist and became well known throughout Paris.
One Impressionist had a huge impact on her. Edgar Degas, whose ballerina sculpture you’ll remember, taught Cassatt to use pastels. She became a master pastel artist.
Cassatt showed her work with the Impressionists for more than ten years. She was part of the first Impressionist show in America. In 1886 her style grew and changed. New styles were taking shape in the art world and Cassatt went in her own direction.
It was after her years as an Impressionist that Cassatt painted the pieces she is most known for today. Her paintings of family life and the private lives of women are realistic but the scenes are tender and loving. See for yourself:
The Child's Bath
Two Children at the Seashore
Mother Combing Her Child's Hair
Cassatt became sick but didn’t stop painting until she was nearly blind. When she couldn’t paint anymore, she worked for women’s right to vote. She died in 1926.
I'm off to New York City for the weekend to visit some friends. 'Tis the season for travel, it seems (and I love it). But not to worry. Blogger has a great new feature that posts automatically! So you can look forward to a Mother's Day project tomorrow.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Linnea in Monet's Garden
Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Cristina Bjork is a long (56 pages) picture book, meant for ages 9-12. Depending on the child, it is also an excellent read-aloud for younger children.
Bjork invites you to travel with Linnea and her elderly friend, Mr. Bloom, to Paris and Giverny where Monet lived and worked. Stroll through Monet’s garden with Linnea as she discovers the source of the great artist’s inspiration for his water lily paintings. View the river Seine in Paris as Monet saw it. And visit a museum with Linnea to more about Impressionism and Monet’s paintings.
Gorgeous water color illustrations of Linnea’s adventures compliment the text. The book also includes black and white photos of Monet and his garden, as well as pictures of his paintings.
The book was also made into an animated movie. I have not seen it but it looks good. If you’ve seen the movie, Linnea in Monet’s Garden, please post a comment and let me know what you thought!
Return to main page.
________________________________________
Current NaNoEdMo Hour Count: 7/50hours
You'll notice that I'm still a little behind...
Bjork invites you to travel with Linnea and her elderly friend, Mr. Bloom, to Paris and Giverny where Monet lived and worked. Stroll through Monet’s garden with Linnea as she discovers the source of the great artist’s inspiration for his water lily paintings. View the river Seine in Paris as Monet saw it. And visit a museum with Linnea to more about Impressionism and Monet’s paintings.
Gorgeous water color illustrations of Linnea’s adventures compliment the text. The book also includes black and white photos of Monet and his garden, as well as pictures of his paintings.
The book was also made into an animated movie. I have not seen it but it looks good. If you’ve seen the movie, Linnea in Monet’s Garden, please post a comment and let me know what you thought!
Return to main page.
________________________________________
Current NaNoEdMo Hour Count: 7/50hours
You'll notice that I'm still a little behind...
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Claude Monet
It’s terrible that I wrote nearly 150 posts before I said anything much about Claude Monet. If he wasn’t the first impressionist, he at least gave us the word for the movement, and that's a big deal. He also created some of the greatest examples of impressionism as he experimented with light and color and learned to portray subjects with quick brush strokes.
Monet was born in Paris in 1840 but his family moved to Normandy when he was 5. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be an artist rather than go into the family grocery business, and so he went to school to learn technique. When he was 16, Monet met Eugene Boudin who taught him to paint outdoors, “en plein air.” When he went to Paris, many painters cooped themselves up in the Louvre and copied the works of the masters, as you’ve read about already on this blog, but Monet chose to develop the methods taught to him Boudin. He worked outdoors, painting scenes as he saw them rather than the way they were seen by artists who came before him.
Monet served briefly in the armed service until he became ill and had to return home. He met several budding artists, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and they began experimenting with the new style that would become impressionism.
During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), Monet lived in England and studied works by great landscape artists such as John Constable.
In 1873 he painted Impression, Sunrise (shown above), the painting for which the entire Impressionism movement was named. The term “Impressionism” was originally meant as an insult by an art critic but the painters liked it and used the name to describe their style of painting.
After his wife died in 1879 (shown above on her death bed), Monet began in earnest to produce. He continued in the Impressionist style and tried to create a portrait of France with his paintings. In 1883 when he moved to Giverny and, over the next 10 years, planted his grand garden. He loved to paint the garden and the lily ponds. He painted his many series during this time, which showed the same subject at different times during the day. You’ve seen some of these series already, including Water Lilies, Rouen Cathedral, and Etretat.
Toward the end of his life, Monet developed cataracts in his eyes which affected the way he saw colors. He continued to paint anyway, but you can tell which paintings were created when his eyes were bad.
In 1926, at the age of 86, Monet died and was buried in Giverny.
Monet was born in Paris in 1840 but his family moved to Normandy when he was 5. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be an artist rather than go into the family grocery business, and so he went to school to learn technique. When he was 16, Monet met Eugene Boudin who taught him to paint outdoors, “en plein air.” When he went to Paris, many painters cooped themselves up in the Louvre and copied the works of the masters, as you’ve read about already on this blog, but Monet chose to develop the methods taught to him Boudin. He worked outdoors, painting scenes as he saw them rather than the way they were seen by artists who came before him.
Monet served briefly in the armed service until he became ill and had to return home. He met several budding artists, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and they began experimenting with the new style that would become impressionism.
During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), Monet lived in England and studied works by great landscape artists such as John Constable.
In 1873 he painted Impression, Sunrise (shown above), the painting for which the entire Impressionism movement was named. The term “Impressionism” was originally meant as an insult by an art critic but the painters liked it and used the name to describe their style of painting.After his wife died in 1879 (shown above on her death bed), Monet began in earnest to produce. He continued in the Impressionist style and tried to create a portrait of France with his paintings. In 1883 when he moved to Giverny and, over the next 10 years, planted his grand garden. He loved to paint the garden and the lily ponds. He painted his many series during this time, which showed the same subject at different times during the day. You’ve seen some of these series already, including Water Lilies, Rouen Cathedral, and Etretat.Toward the end of his life, Monet developed cataracts in his eyes which affected the way he saw colors. He continued to paint anyway, but you can tell which paintings were created when his eyes were bad.
In 1926, at the age of 86, Monet died and was buried in Giverny.
Monet's Japanese Bridge at Giverny.
I'd like also to note that you can now visit Monet's garden. I have never seen it but I hope to someday!
________________________________________
Current NaNoEdMo Hour Count: 6.25/50hours
Yes, I'm a little behind. But I had to take a really long test.
That's my story.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Gustave Caillebotte
Gustave Caillebotte’s story is different than many of the other Impressionists you’ve read about here. He was not a struggling artist. In fact, his family was wealthy enough to own a house in Paris as well as property just outside of the city on the Yerres River where they spent summers. They made their fortunes in textiles and then, as Haussmann rebuilt Paris, in real estate. When his parents died, Caillebotte inherited a large sum of money. During his life, he was better known for the money he pumped into the Impressionist movement than for his paintings.
Caillebotte was born in 1848. He began to paint around the time when his family bought the property on the Yerres River in 1860. Caillebotte went away to fight in the Franco-Prussian War and when he returned he began to really study painting. He met a collection of young painters, including Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Auguste Renoir, and became interested in Impressionism.
After his father died in 1874 and then in mother in 1878, Caillebotte funded exhibitions for each of these artists. He also purchased their paintings and by the time he died he had an impressive collection of Impressionist works. He tried to leave the collection to the French government if only it would hang the paintings in the Luxembourg Palace but it refused most of the art. Impressionism was still not the prominent and accepted artistic style in 1894. When in the late-1920s the French government changed its mind, it was too late; the widow of Caillebotte’s son said no.
He also helped fund four of the Impressionist exhibitions. It was at the second Impressionist exhibition (not one to which he contributed money) that Caillebotte’s art was first shown.
Unfortunately, this article is too long already. You have just read a short biography on Caillebotte and tomorrow I’ll post the second half which is all about his art. And to tide you over until then, Paris Street, Rainy Day:
Caillebotte was born in 1848. He began to paint around the time when his family bought the property on the Yerres River in 1860. Caillebotte went away to fight in the Franco-Prussian War and when he returned he began to really study painting. He met a collection of young painters, including Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Auguste Renoir, and became interested in Impressionism.
After his father died in 1874 and then in mother in 1878, Caillebotte funded exhibitions for each of these artists. He also purchased their paintings and by the time he died he had an impressive collection of Impressionist works. He tried to leave the collection to the French government if only it would hang the paintings in the Luxembourg Palace but it refused most of the art. Impressionism was still not the prominent and accepted artistic style in 1894. When in the late-1920s the French government changed its mind, it was too late; the widow of Caillebotte’s son said no.
He also helped fund four of the Impressionist exhibitions. It was at the second Impressionist exhibition (not one to which he contributed money) that Caillebotte’s art was first shown.
Unfortunately, this article is too long already. You have just read a short biography on Caillebotte and tomorrow I’ll post the second half which is all about his art. And to tide you over until then, Paris Street, Rainy Day:
EDITED TO ADD: Gustave Caillebotte, Part 2
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Impressionists by the Sea
This will be just a quick post because I’m deep into writing the novel. I’m almost back on track to finish in time!
If you live in the Washington D.C. area there is a great exhibit going on right now at the Phillips Collection called Impressionists by the Sea. This is a collection of paintings down mostly in France in the late 1800s. Some of the paintings you’ll see were done by impressionists that you’ve read about on this blog such as Monet.
In the painting shown above, La Plage de Trouville by Monet, you can actually see the sand that was blown into the paint by the wind while Monet worked (en plen air) on the beach. That alone is worth the trip if you ask me.
If you happen to live near Hartford, Conn., this exhibit next travels to the Wadsworth Atheneum and will show from February 9-May 11, 2008.
Return to main page.
My Current NaNoWriMo Word Count:
21012 / 50000 words. 42% done!
If you live in the Washington D.C. area there is a great exhibit going on right now at the Phillips Collection called Impressionists by the Sea. This is a collection of paintings down mostly in France in the late 1800s. Some of the paintings you’ll see were done by impressionists that you’ve read about on this blog such as Monet.
In the painting shown above, La Plage de Trouville by Monet, you can actually see the sand that was blown into the paint by the wind while Monet worked (en plen air) on the beach. That alone is worth the trip if you ask me.If you happen to live near Hartford, Conn., this exhibit next travels to the Wadsworth Atheneum and will show from February 9-May 11, 2008.
Return to main page.
My Current NaNoWriMo Word Count:
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Winslow Homer
Born in 1836 in Boston, Mass., Winslow Homer became an important American painter. He began his career painting illustrations for magazines such as Harper’s Weekly. During the Civil War, Harper’s Weekly sent Homer to sketch battle scenes and capture artistically the daily lives of soldiers. When we returned to his studio he continued creating war-related scenes.
During the early part of his career as a painter, Homer mainly painted images of rural life. He began working in oil paint and focused on painting things exactly as they appeared: he was a realist. He lived in Paris France for a year among the Impressionists but was not directly influenced.
In 1873 Homer began to use watercolors. He fell in love with watercolor and after this time rarely left home without watercolor paints and paper. His loose style influenced many painters after him including N.C. Wyeth and Edward Hopper. (I’ll post on these artists at a later date.)When Homer began traveling in 1875, he found that he loved the sea. He spent much of the rest of his life painting seascapes. It is his seascapes that are the most popular and famous of Homer’s works.
Tomorrow I’ll post a book review on a book featuring Winslow Homer.(The paintings shown from top to bottom are The Adirondack Guide; Long Branch, New Jersey; Waiting for an Answer; The Gulf Stream)
Return to main page.
My NaNoWriMo Word Count:
Monday, October 8, 2007
Monet Painting Damaged
I have written only briefly about French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet but I thought I should say something about the events of the weekend. Early yesterday morning (Oct. 7, 2007) a group of people broke into the Orsay Museum in Paris, France. When they heard the alarm go off the group left, but on the way out someone punched through one the Monet paintings and left a four inch hole in the canvas.
I remember seeing the beautiful Le Pont d’Argenteul when I visited this museum and it makes me sad that someone would destroy it. Above, you can see a picture of the painting before it was damaged yesterday. Click here to see the damage done to Monet's painting. The tear is in the middle of the painting, just right of center, and runs horizontally. Cross your fingers that Monet’s Le Pont d’Argenteul can be fixed.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Artist Profile: Vincent van Gogh
During his early life, van Gogh tried a lot of professions. He worked as an art dealer, a teacher, a bookseller, a minister’s assistant, and a missionary before he became an artist.
Van Gogh was Dutch and remained in the Netherlands from his birth in 1853 until 1886 when he moved to Paris. His brother, Theo, was an art dealer in Paris and tried to help van Gogh sell his paintings but they were too much darker than the art that was popular in Paris at the time. You can see an example of van Gogh’s early style in the painting shown here, The Potato Eaters. It is much different from his later paintings as you can see below. In 1886 van Gogh moved so he could learn about the style of art that was being practiced in Paris.
In Paris van Gogh was surrounded by impressionists who used a lot of color and preferred to paint natural subjects outdoors. Click here for more information about impressionism. He also met many painters including Paul Gauguin who would later live with van Gogh in southern France.
When he had had enough of living in the city, van Gogh left Paris for the more peaceful Arles in southern France. Here, he lived in the Yellow House that became the subject of a painting shown here. Compare this painting with The Potato Eaters shown above and you can see the effect of the impressionists on van Gogh’s style.
It was in the Yellow House that Paul Gauguin came to live with van Gogh. The two painted almost without break for two months but they did not get along well as roommates and Gauguin moved out after a bad fight. Van Gogh was growing ill and beginning to see things that were not there so he, too, moved out of the Yellow House, but he remained in southern France. Though he never stopped painting, doctors cared for him for the rest of his life.
Van Gogh and his brother, Theo, were very close. Van Gogh and Theo wrote many letters to each other and van Gogh often sent ink sketches of paintings he’d done. It is because of these letters that we know so much about van Gogh’s life. He painted hundreds of works of art and we know exactly when and where most of them were completed. Theo cared about his brother so much that he even sent van Gogh money so he could pay his rent and buy art supplies. When van Gogh became ill, Theo made sure he was well taken care of by doctors.
Bellow are a few more of van Gogh’s paintings. Notice the colors and the thick paint.
Van Gogh was Dutch and remained in the Netherlands from his birth in 1853 until 1886 when he moved to Paris. His brother, Theo, was an art dealer in Paris and tried to help van Gogh sell his paintings but they were too much darker than the art that was popular in Paris at the time. You can see an example of van Gogh’s early style in the painting shown here, The Potato Eaters. It is much different from his later paintings as you can see below. In 1886 van Gogh moved so he could learn about the style of art that was being practiced in Paris.In Paris van Gogh was surrounded by impressionists who used a lot of color and preferred to paint natural subjects outdoors. Click here for more information about impressionism. He also met many painters including Paul Gauguin who would later live with van Gogh in southern France.
When he had had enough of living in the city, van Gogh left Paris for the more peaceful Arles in southern France. Here, he lived in the Yellow House that became the subject of a painting shown here. Compare this painting with The Potato Eaters shown above and you can see the effect of the impressionists on van Gogh’s style.It was in the Yellow House that Paul Gauguin came to live with van Gogh. The two painted almost without break for two months but they did not get along well as roommates and Gauguin moved out after a bad fight. Van Gogh was growing ill and beginning to see things that were not there so he, too, moved out of the Yellow House, but he remained in southern France. Though he never stopped painting, doctors cared for him for the rest of his life.
Van Gogh and his brother, Theo, were very close. Van Gogh and Theo wrote many letters to each other and van Gogh often sent ink sketches of paintings he’d done. It is because of these letters that we know so much about van Gogh’s life. He painted hundreds of works of art and we know exactly when and where most of them were completed. Theo cared about his brother so much that he even sent van Gogh money so he could pay his rent and buy art supplies. When van Gogh became ill, Theo made sure he was well taken care of by doctors.
Bellow are a few more of van Gogh’s paintings. Notice the colors and the thick paint.
Starry Night Over the Rhone
Self Portrait 1889
Van Gogh painted many self portraits. To do so he used a mirror so the details are shown in reverse.
Want to paint the way van Gogh did when he was living in the Yellow House? Van Gogh painted quickly, dashing thick globs of paint onto his canvas. Oil paint had only recently become available in tubes so he didn’t have to make his own paints like artists before him. He could just squeeze the paint from the tube onto his canvas.
Van Gogh didn’t have to paint every little detail for the viewer to understand what he was trying to create. Try using quick, short brush strokes to create the idea of an object. For instance, if you decide to paint a tree, don’t paint each leaf, just use many dashes of green paint where the leaves should be. Use acrylic craft paints for this project. They will be thick enough to paint the way van Gogh did, but will be less expensive than buying many tubes of oil paint. Remember to paint on thick paper so the paint doesn’t soak through. Posterboard would be perfect. Just cut it to any size you want.
EDITED TO ADD: Vincent van Gogh by Eileen Lucas, book review
EDITED TO ADD: The Yellow House by Susan Goldman Rubin, book review
Friday, September 7, 2007
Impressionism
Impressionism is a style of painting that began in Paris, France in the mid-1800s. Unlike artists before them, the impressionists painted most of their paintings outdoors and liked to portray natural subjects like trees, fields, and oceans. Impressionists would often take their materials outdoors and paint what they saw. This is called painting “en plein air.”
When impressionists painted pictures of people, they made them look like people you would see everyday. Rather than painting religious figures or royalty, impressionists painted people like the local tavern owner, a girl eagerly awaiting the beginning of a play, or workers resting in bales of hay. They often used their own family and friends as subjects in their paintings.
Before the impressionists, painters usually placed the main subject of their painting in the center. It was the first thing the viewer looked at and the background was not nearly as important. Before the impressionists, the main focus was, more often than not, placed in the middle of the painting. Impressionists often put more emphasis on the scene than on the person or main subject of the painting. To do this, they painted the main subject off to the side rather than in the center of the painting. An impressionist painting looks more like a photograph in this way. A photograph captures not only the main subject, but everything around the subject and everything in the photo is important. Photography was just becoming popular in the mid-1800s and influenced the way the impressionists looked at things.
The style was called impressionism because the artists were not as exacting about painting a realistic picture. They used many short brush strokes, applying paint thickly, to create the idea, or impression, of a subject. Vincent van Gogh is a good example of this technique. The paint on his canvases is often so thick it looks 3D. Look at this painting, Starry Night Over the Rhone, and notice the short brush strokes. Also, the painting is so thick that you can see the shadows from the paint. Because of the quick, short strokes, if you stand very close to an impressionist painting and look at it, often the painting won’t look like anything but a bunch of paint blobs. When you back away from it, though, you can see the whole picture.
Another characteristic of impressionist painting is the study of light. The way light changed the shadows and colors of subjects was of much interest to impressionists. For example, Claude Monet often painted in series, making many pictures of the same subject at different times throughout the day and in different seasons to see how the lighting affected his paintings. Look at these paintings of the Rouen Cathedral and see how the lighting changed the colors Monet used.
Return to main page.
When impressionists painted pictures of people, they made them look like people you would see everyday. Rather than painting religious figures or royalty, impressionists painted people like the local tavern owner, a girl eagerly awaiting the beginning of a play, or workers resting in bales of hay. They often used their own family and friends as subjects in their paintings.
Before the impressionists, painters usually placed the main subject of their painting in the center. It was the first thing the viewer looked at and the background was not nearly as important. Before the impressionists, the main focus was, more often than not, placed in the middle of the painting. Impressionists often put more emphasis on the scene than on the person or main subject of the painting. To do this, they painted the main subject off to the side rather than in the center of the painting. An impressionist painting looks more like a photograph in this way. A photograph captures not only the main subject, but everything around the subject and everything in the photo is important. Photography was just becoming popular in the mid-1800s and influenced the way the impressionists looked at things.
The style was called impressionism because the artists were not as exacting about painting a realistic picture. They used many short brush strokes, applying paint thickly, to create the idea, or impression, of a subject. Vincent van Gogh is a good example of this technique. The paint on his canvases is often so thick it looks 3D. Look at this painting, Starry Night Over the Rhone, and notice the short brush strokes. Also, the painting is so thick that you can see the shadows from the paint. Because of the quick, short strokes, if you stand very close to an impressionist painting and look at it, often the painting won’t look like anything but a bunch of paint blobs. When you back away from it, though, you can see the whole picture.Another characteristic of impressionist painting is the study of light. The way light changed the shadows and colors of subjects was of much interest to impressionists. For example, Claude Monet often painted in series, making many pictures of the same subject at different times throughout the day and in different seasons to see how the lighting affected his paintings. Look at these paintings of the Rouen Cathedral and see how the lighting changed the colors Monet used.
Return to main page.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
