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| Paul Gauguin Day of the Gods, 1894 |
Assignment:
Describe the evolution of Modernism in nineteenth and twentieth-century art as you understand it so far. How would you describe the spirit of the Modern movement, in general? How does the Modern movement relate to the traditions of the Renaissance? Explain in detail how these two works, Manet's Luncheon on the Grass and Picasso's Demoiselles D'Avignon, contribute to this evolution of ideas and forms (be sure you address both important works).You may also include any other works from chapters 20 and 21 [Prebles' Artforms (10th Edition)] to support your statements.
Chapter 20-21 Study Slides
Post:
"Modernism" ...it's time to break the rules! But it wasn't just in the arts. Modernism can be seen in physics (Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity), industry (internal combustion engine), as well as social views and standards. What is reality? Dramatic changes in the way people saw the world around them began to happen, so then too artists would begin to question what art was. Artists of the time broke the barriers of what was being done. Making it very clear that the rules no longer applied. Art from the Renaissance strove for realism, art from the era appear's very structured. It was time to not just break the rules, but to shatter them. Forcing the very question "What is Art?"
Manet's Luncheon on the Grass was displayed at The Salon des Refusés, which was a french “exhibition of rejects”. To think that such a great piece was considered to be a reject should give you an idea of how the art world was changing. All the rules of naturalism were gone. Traditional methods for creating depth were also absent from the painting. The art has an almost "cut-out" look to it, which makes it much more approachable to me as I tend to like more graphic styled art then realism.
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| Manet The Luncheon on the Grass |
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| Picasso Demoiselles D'Avignon |
I like the way Modernism confronts the viewer. They aren't just breaking the rules, they are making you acknowledge the fact that they're breaking them. In the true sense of rebellion they didn't stop at exploring what else could be done. They went directly against what was being done in order to force the viewers to question what art could be.
I am also sharing a Picasso piece below for no reason other than to share :)
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| Picasso Portrait of Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, 1910 |
Resource Links Provided by Khan Acadamy:
David's Oath of the Horatii, Delacroix's The Death of Sardanapalus, Cole's The Oxbow, The Stonebreakers, Manet's Le déjeuner sur l'herbe, Monet's Gare St. Lazare, Gauguin's Vision After the Sermon: Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, Kandinsky's Composition VII, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Three Futurists: Balla, Severini and Boccioni