Impressionism in the 21st Century

Olin College of Engineering
DigitalCommons@Olin
2014 AHS Capstone Projects
AHS Capstone Projects
Spring 2014
Impressionism in the 21st Century
Patrick Varin
Olin College of Engineering, Patrick.Varin@alumni.olin.edu
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Recommended Citation
Varin, Patrick, "Impressionism in the 21st Century" (2014). 2014 AHS Capstone Projects. Paper 18.
http://digitalcommons.olin.edu/ahs_capstone_2014/18
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Impressionism in the 21st Century
Synopsis
Impressionism as an artform has a rich history, beginning in the 1860’s after the advent of photography. The impressionism movement allowed artists to move away from realist ideals and focus on capturing the feeling of a scene rather than the details. Because impressionism was such a radical movement in art history, truly understanding the impressionist movement involves a familiarity with the history and ideals of the more influential impressionist painters. The works presented here have been inspired by painters such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Cezzane. Artist’s Statement: Impressionist Collection
The impressionist movement began as a reaction to the advent of photography. It was a time in which artists began to explore the role of art beyond painstaking realism. The photographic standard of paintings was discarded as artists adopted for a more fluid style of painting. In a time when photography could depict a scene with perfect detail, painters began to redefine the role of painting. The impressionists developed an incredible ability to depict light, movement, and emotion through their paintings. They could place their viewers in the midst of their paintings, allowing their audiences to feel the warmth of their sunrises or the chill of the wind as it whips through their open fields. They used a variety of techniques to elicit truly visceral reactions from their audience. Throughout the course of the semester I have explored these various aspects of the impressionist style, especially the role of light, it's effect on the overall composition, and how to depict it in a minimalist yet convincing manner. Throughout this process I have been inspired by a variety of impressionists' work that I have encountered in online galleries and the Wellesley Art Library as well as an exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston dedicated to impressionist paintings. The artists that I have found most inspirational have been Monet, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne. Each of the paintings in this collection have been either painted from life or from photographs that I took specifically for the purpose of source material. Artist’s Statement: Teapot
It was very much like the impressionist painters to move away large intricate paintings full of allegorical and mythological content towards subject matter that is more grounded in day to day life. Impressionist subject matter varied from landscapes to paintings of dancers to a variety of still lifes. The subject of an impressionist still life was often a composition of mundane or everyday objects organized in a composition that spoke something greater. In this painting of a teapot I explore the impressionists’ ability to give intrigue to everyday objects. Against a background of playful but ambiguous markings, resting on a stool depicted in a similar quality, the change in the quality of brushstrokes in the teapot gives the object a calm, unmoving appearance. Backlit by an unseen light source, the shadow that it casts on the stool grounds the object in space while the stark contrast in color against the stool together with the earthly color palette gives the teapot the impression of weight. Although the painting is not by any means finished to photographic quality, each of these visual cues together give the teapot a true sense of presence in the composition. Artist’s Statement: Winter Cabin
One of the strengths of the impressionists over their predecessors was the ability to incite emotion through their art. Impressionist paintings has the ability to place the viewer inside the painting, not by depicting a photorealistic world, but by portraying light and movement. The viewer can practically feel in the wind against their face in Monet's “Woman with a Parasol” or the chill of the early morning in Monet's “Grand Canal”. The monochromatic palette and heavy use of mid­tones used in this piece alludes to the cold winter night, while stark contrasts in the lighting on the house portrays the harshness of the light that spills over the ice covered field. The composition encourages the eye to enter the painting at the cabin, where the shape of the trees in the background, the shadows on the snow, and the wandering branched in the foreground draw the eye throughout the remainder of the painting. Artist’s Statement: A Study Of Berries
The painting was used as a study for the painting "Frozen Berries". This piece was painted from photographs taken in the winter when this particular bush was bearing berries. At the time the photograph was taken, there were no leaves on the bush, so artistic interpretation informed the green background that hints a foliage. The focus of this study was to create the illusion of dimension with a minimal impressionist style. Heavy use of a atmospheric perspective indicates a depth between the foreground to the background. The reflective nature of the berries in the foreground both gives them form and indicates the source of light which in turn informs the viewer how to interpret the rest of the painting. Artist's Statement: Frozen Berries
Impressionist still lifes are notorious for their vibrant color. Renoir's “Fruits of Midi” or Cezanne's “Still Life with a Plate of Cherries” depicting an arrangement of fruit represent the quintessential impressionist still lives. The impressionists' ability to create intrigue from mundane subject matter through composition and color was a trademark of the artistic movement. Although not the canonical still life of fruit, this pieces is inspired by the vibrant use of color characteristic of impressionist still lifes. The color of the red berries is amplified by the muted green hue that pervades the space in the background, giving a sense of wonder to these small gems of life growing in the dead of winter.