Art 101 Painting Styles

Painting Styles When we look at art and different art work some of us have trouble seeing more than what meets the eye. I myself tend to get caught up in how I feel rather than giving any thought at all to the history and details of the moment in time when the piece was created. As I have read more about different periods of art I see that there is much to be learned about the art that is beyond the surface of the piece. In the painting The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries is a piece that is categorized under neoclassical art. Neoclassical art is deeply enriched by Greek and Roman influences. The movement began in the mid 1700’s; it was known for its portrayal of subject matter in a more serious light. The painting of Napoleon shows us how regal he is and how morally just he was. This can also be seen in the formal aspects of the piece as he is obviously the center of the painting, making him the center of attention and by the fact that the light is focused on him, casting what appears to be a glow. The majority of the neoclassical art contained clean backgrounds and architectural details from Greece and Rome. Impressionism was developed in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These pieces of art were painted as if someone just took a quick look at the subject of the painting. The paintings usually were in bold colors and did not have a lot of detail. Paintings in this style were usually outdoor scenes like landscapes. The pictures were painted to look like they were shimmering. Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir is a perfect example of Impressionism and is quite beautiful. It gives me the impression of light heartedness and fun. Abstract Expressionism is a movement that became popular is the post-World War II era in the late 1940’s it is a movement of art that is highly emotionally charged. It can be said that it is an approach that involves complete freedom from all traditional aesthetic and social values and favors spontaneous, free personal expression. The work is usually loud in color and large in scale. It appears to be free in form with lines that move freely within the piece. Even though it looks very sloppy and messy there is not a single mistake or accident on these pieces. There are intentional strokes. As we see in the piece Autumn Rhythm it looks like there is just paint thrown all over the canvas at random but there is much feeling behind this piece. In this piece there are symbolic elements of nature in the rientation and color schemes that it portrays even if we do not immediately see it. It is a very emotional piece as well as a very emotional movement in art. Out of all the movements I personally like this one the best. In conclusion, these movements are all important to art, both individually and collectively. They tell stories of the time period that they belong to and about the people of these time; stories that go deeper than any history book or personal recollection of that time. I think that this is why it is so important to look at these pieces and see what lies beneath the surface or the canvas. They are all different in so many ways and the artists that belong to these movements could not be any more different either but they are all important to the story of our history. This all creates the beautiful diverse quilt that is American art. References: Sayre, H. M. (2009). A world of art (6th ed. ). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall http://www. nga. gov/collection/gallery/gg56/gg56-45831. 0. html http://www. phillipscollection. org/collection/boating/index. aspx http://www. metmuseum. org/Collections/search-the-collections/210009206