What an Impression

Claude Monet, Impression Sunrise, 1872, France

Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines, 1849, France

After learning about the Impressionism era, I quickly found out that I didn’t like the artwork at all. I really enjoy the meaning and excitement behind the brush strokes the artists used when creating their pieces, but the final products don’t seem to excite me nearly as much. The idea behind Impressionism focused on the way the painters worked. The movement of the brush across the canvas was that of happiness. Painting out in the open air and starting on light canvas, forced the artist to layer the colors to achieve the desired darkness. It was completely opposite of the way previous artists had achieved their final pieces. For example, when comparing Claude Monet’s painting with Rosa Bonheur’s painting, there is a noticable difference in styles.

Because of the loose, happy brush strokes the Impressionists worked with, the outcome was a very loose image. This is visible in Impression, Sunrise where there is no real definition to the objects in the painting. The background seems to be filled with trees and brush, but it appears to be misty or foggy because of the loose gestures. Same is seen in the image of the boat in the middle of the painting. On the other hand, Plowing in the Nivernais has a very defined layout of the objects in the painting. This Realist painting is so specific with the defined brush strokes that it almost looks like a photograph rather than a painting.

It is the ellusive images of the Impressionist paintings that make me unable to relate to the artists. I enjoy definition and specificity, and that is exactly what Impressionism lacks. However, Realism (which happens to be one of my favorite genres of art) has all the definition and specificity that I like in artwork. Indeed, it is supposed to replicate reality.

Sources: Benton, Janetta Rebold and Robert DiYanni. Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities. Third Edition. Volume 2. 2008.

2 comments October 24, 2009

Haydn’s “Farewell” to Middle Class Oppression

Franz Joseph Haydn served as a court musician in Vienna for almost thirty years, and in 1772 he composed one of his most famous symphonies, “Farewell” no. 45.  The clips of the symphony are only two of four movements that make up the entire composition. However, each movement is just as compelling as the others. During the time that “Farewell” was written, musicians that worked for the courts were unfairly treated.

Court musicians were forced to live 30 miles away from Vienna where the palace was located in an isolated area. They weren’t allowed to visit their families very often, and their families weren’t allowed to visit. There were so many court musicians forced to live in such small areas, that they were extremely cramped and felt oppressed by the upper class (in this case, royalty).

The “Farewell” Symphony is seen as a protest against the musicians’ living arrangements mainly because of how it is formatted. The most critical part to understanding Haydn’s protest lies within the last movement. The second clip is the last movement, and one can eventually start to notice the number of instruments dropping down until there are only two left. Not only is this unusual, but Haydn had the musicians slowly stop playing and leave the stage during the symphony. Even though this kind of thing wasn’t heard of, this was part of Haydn’s plan. It was in an effort to get the king to see just how much the musicians didn’t appreciate the way they were being treated.

I find this piece so interesting because not only is it unique and original for its time in order to get a point across, but the first movement makes me think of an argument. It is as though I can hear the musicians pouring their hearts out to the king about how sad they are. Then almost as a response, I can hear the king standing firm in his decisions about how he dare not change his ways. The music isn’t at all sad, but I can’t help but picture both sides of the story through Haydn’s music.

This symphony was not only popular because it helped the musicians get what they wanted by standing up for themselves, but it also gave others the courage to stand up for themselves too. The middle class deserved to break away from the oppressive barrier they had always been under. Using Haydn as a stepping stone, the middle class could easily start to stand up for themselves to say “Farewell.”

2 comments October 14, 2009

Velazquez and Baroque

Maids of Honor (Las Meninas), painted in Spain by Diego Velazquez around 1656, is truly a masterpiece of the Baroque era. As the king of Spain, Phillip IV strived to make his reign the most prominent in European history. Because of this, Phillip appointed Velazquez the royal painter, sponsoring any and all paintings. Eventually, Velasquez was knighted for his work and named the Order of Santiago.  This title was well-deserved from the resulting Las Meninas.  

The painting depicts three dimensions (points of view) that no other artist had ever accomplished succesfully. The painting shows the perspective of the people being painted (the king and his second wife). It is as though the viewer is the king and queen themselves. One can see the reflection of those being painted in the mirror directly across the room.

Velasquez also depicts this painting as a genre scene from the perspective of himself simply because it shows the everyday lifestyle of the royal family. The princess is being waited on and surrounded by servants, a pet, and a dwarf; just as it would have been during that time.

The third view is the space the extends from the plane of the painting. This is apparent with the ascending set of stairs in the back of the room where the man appears to be leaving. Brilliantly placed, the set of stairs adds to the three-dimensional aspect.

The biggest reason I always find this painting so intriguing is because a viewer is forced to really ponder which perspective they would like to focus on. Is the viewer the king and queen? Is the viewer witnessing the life of the royal family from the perspective of Velazquez, or are they a bystander ascending the stairs in back of the room? Much like abstract paintings, the viewer is forced to think and evaluate on a different level. Had it not been for the support of King Phillip IV, Las Meninas may have never been such an inspiring masterpiece for so many artists that followed behind Velazquez.

4 comments October 3, 2009