The Road to Impressionism

The 19^th century brought about new styles of painting to the artist world in France. In the mid-19th century, the style known as Realism emerged. Realism rejected romantic emotionalism and sought to portray the daily life of real people accurately and truthfully. This movement was a reaction to romanticism and historical painting by taking out the emotionalism that the romantics so highly valued. Towards the end of the century, around 1870, a new movement began to make headway. Impressionists observed how realism had changed the perception of the ordinary and took that and built off of it. Impressionists moved out of their studios in an attempt to capture the real image and not just a copy. This technique would be known as plein-air. Impressionism focused realistic scenes of modern life. This exhibition traces the development from realism to impressionism, which was bridged by Jean–Frédéric Bazille. Bazille was a transitional figure from the realism art movement into the impressionism era. He incorporated the techniques of impressionism with the archetypes of realism to bridge the gap between the two styles. 

Jean-François Millet, Haystacks: Autumn, 1874

Oil on Canvas, 33 ½ x 43 3/8 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 60.71.12

 This painting, by Jean-François Millet portrays the mundane life of a shepherd and his flock. The shepherd is just standing by three huge haystacks watching over his flock. A shepherd was not an ideal career choice for French citizens during the 19^th century; shepherds were considered the lowest class of society. The haystacks are also a mundane object that Millet portrays to be a beautiful object. As the viewer observes the haystacks, the technique of shadows and light are evident.

Gustave Courbet, The Meeting (Bonjour Monsieur Courbet), 1854

Oil on canvas, 129 x 149 cm. Musée Fabre, Montpellier, France

http://www.wikiart.org/en/search/Jean-Frédéric%20Bazille/1#close

In this painting, there are three men conversing on a road; a very ordinary real life situation that would happen in basic every day life. The man on the left can be assumed to be a traveler of some sort holding conversation with two men who appear to be of a higher social class than the traveler. This painting successfully deconstructs the social class system; creating an equal space for the men to interact in. 

Jean-Frèdèric Bazille, Forest of Fontainebleau, 1865

Oil on Canvas, 23.62 x 28.81 in. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

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Jean-Frederic Bazille’s oil on canvas painting of the Fontainebleau Forest gives us a view of the outskirts of the forest. The experimentation of light is definitely noticed. The shadows creeping out of the forest come together in the spaces of light that escape through the canopy of trees, forming a trail of light that runs horizontal across the canvas. Bazille completed this painting using the technique of plein-air. There is not a lot going on in the painting, which gives the viewer the answer to what happens in nature when no one is around. This is the spot where artist would come and be influenced for their paintings of realism.

Jean-Frédéric Bazille, Porte de la Reine at Aigues-Mortes, 1867

Oil on Canvas, 31 3/4 x 39 1/4 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 1988.221

 Bazille wonderfully uses his knowledge of realism and his creativity with impressionism to paint this object. The casualness of the people outside of the wall are portraying the mundane, every day routine of some of the towns people from the city. He uses the light very well in showing the rays of sunshine shining through the open gate and spreading across the green grass. The shadowy castle wall front tells us that the sun is behind the wall.

Claude Monet, Regatta at Sainte-Adresse, 1867

Oil on canvas, 29 5/8 x 40 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 51.30.04

This painting by Monet displays what a day at the beach would look like on a French coastline in 1867. The people on the sand are shown to be of upper middle class or upper class. This painting also gives off the vibe of complete casualness. The sailboats look like they could move across the water at any moment. There is even a group of people preparing their small sailing boat to go out for a nice boat ride on the water. The brightness of the painting carried characteristics of impressionism.

Édouard Manet, Fishing, 1862-1863

Oil on canvas, 30 1/4 x 48 1/2 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 57.10

This 30 ¼ by 48 ½ inch oil on canvas painting shows common day laborers doing their every day job. The fishermen are preparing their boat for the day’s fishing trip. On the bank, we have an upper class couple with their dog taking a stroll admiring the scenery. These two actions that are in the painting, are not presenting a dramatic event, but that of the mundane, ordinary life. The use of the colors to erase the concrete lines give the painting the flowing realistic feeling to it that impressionists are being famously known for.