What makes modern art fascinating is its historical evolution that transitions from traditional to nontraditional art between the mid nineteenth century and the year 1970. This exhibition will examine art from some of the most famous artists in history, including Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso, who all differ in their artistic strengths and styles. The work of other lesser-known artists will also be examined, such as Franz Marc and Vasily Kandinsky, who’s art reflects more abstract concepts as well as fauvism. Throughout this modern exhibition, various art movements like Impressionism, Post Impressionism, Expressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, as well as Suprematism, will be explored. The underlying theme of modern art is conveyed through its progression towards experimentation, invention, as well as abstraction. Modern art, like all forms of modernism, is a response to the diverse political, economic, and cultural pressures of modernity prompted by industrialization (Mansfield, 3). Modernism was a period of experimentation that challenged traditions following World War one. The global adoption of capitalism, rapid social change, and advances in science resulted in artists searching for new modes of expression (Kuiper, 2009). As the world adopted new forms of architecture and expanded through urbanization, inspired artists felt compelled to grow with a dramatically changing world through their art, leading to the creation of several iconic avant-garde artworks.
Claude Monet, Impression: Sunrise, 1872. Oil on canvas, 17¾ × 21¾” (45.1 × 55.2 cm). Musée Marmottan, Paris. Impressionism
The captivating oil on canvas painting Impression: Sunrise by Claude Monet beautifully captures aspects of a changing moment, illuminating a sense of movement as well as the continuum of time (Mansfield, 30). The unity within the complementary blue and orange colors dominating this painting draws viewers into this leisurely moment, as they watch boaters float under an orange sun during a hazy early morning sunrise. This Impressionism painting is credited with starting the Impressionist art movement in the 1870’s (Wikipedia contributors, 2023c). Impressionism emerged in France and portrayed overall visual effects instead of details, where artists used short “broken” brush strokes of mixed as well as pure unmixed color- not blended smoothly or shaded, as was customary to achieve an effect of intense color vibration (Wikipedia contributors, 2023h).
The free-flowing organic form of Monet’s painting depicts the serene port of Le Havre in France, where the current of the water and the mistiness of the sky evokes a sense of tranquility. A contrast between light and shadows depicts the form of the boaters floating down the port dotted with silhouettes of what looks to be trees or smokestacks from steam ships in the background. The orange glimmering water reflecting the sun rising in the backdrop creates a sense of space and distance between the foreground and background of this painting. This plein air style artwork symbolizes the awakening of Impressionism as it connects viewers to the peacefulness of nature.
An idealized sense of charm was produced by Monet in 1872 when he painted Impression: Sunrise on canvas with oil paints. Impressionists like Monet faced harsh opposition from the conventional art community in France as radical early Impressionists violated the rules of academic painting (Wikipedia contributors, 2023h). The public, at first hostile, gradually came to believe that the Impressionists had captured a fresh and original vision, even if the art critics and art establishments disapproved of this new style (Wikipedia contributors, 2023h). The style in which Monet paints the light of the tangerine sky melting into the blueness of the sea water below conveys a sense of oneness or wholeness with the outdoors. The development of the camera was heavily influential to the Impressionist perspective, as many Impressionist artists sought to mimic this effect as they explored the optical effects of light (Artincontext, 2022).
Impressionism was a response to France’s makeover and renewal under Napolean’s rule during the mid nineteenth century, when many buildings were renovated in Paris, new parks were created, and several new trees were planted (ClickView, 2015). As Impressionist artists in France started to see their landscape dramatically improve, they eagerly sought to mirror these attractive changes through their art. Impressionist painting techniques included short, thick strokes of paint that quickly captured the essence of the subject, rather than its details (Wikipedia contributors, 2023h).
The impressionist art movement supports the evolution of modernism in art as a pillar of fresh perspectives and visual harmony. Impressionist painters explore visual rhythms with their brushstrokes, creating movement as well as texture within paintings like Impression: Sunrise by Claude Monet. Monet’s Impression: Sunrise symbolizes new beginnings that are slowly emerging out of the sun’s warmth, for both France and modern art.
Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889. Oil on canvas, 29 × 36¼” (73.7 × 92.1 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Post-Impressionism
Bursting with movement, Van Gogh’s painting of The Starry Night echoes a sense of soulfulness surrounding the flowing movement of a bright night’s sky illuminating a sleepy village below. Van Gogh aimed to emphasize the drama of nature in this painting, illustrating its great influence and power over the villagers who are graced by its beauty. The Starry Night is an intimate oil on canvas painting that romanticizes our human connection with nature. Although this painting is now one of the most well-known paintings of all time, Van Gogh sadly wrote a letter to painter Émile Bernard in late November of 1889, referring to his painting The Starry Night as a “failure” (Wikipedia contributors, 2023k).
It’s certainly evident that Van Gogh’s paintings are regarded as Post Impressionism, which focuses on art’s emotional as well as symbolic aspects (M, 2011). Post Impressionism works were considered a more methodical process than impressionist artwork, as it involved more geometrical form and detail (M, 2011). A presence of a strong moving breeze within the rolling waves of the sky is seen within this painting as the intense orbs of the moon and stars suggests that Van Gogh might have had an astigmatism in his eye that caused him to see more of a glare when observing light at night. Van Gogh’s depiction of light gives The Starry Night dimension, depth, and illuminates a sense of unity amongst its smooth curved lines that mirror the painting’s soft rounded landscape. A unity between colors is also present within this painting, as the light and dark blues mix harmoniously with organic green, brown, and yellow hues. Faint strokes of white as well as outlines of a deep blue or black are also present in The Starry Night. This painting is symbolic of a dream-like world that is far beyond reality, which reflects how Van Gogh might have preferred to see the world during his stay at a mental asylum in France.
After self-mutilating his own ear during a mental breakdown, Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole lunatic asylum in 1889, which catered to the wealthy and was less than half full when Van Gogh arrived; allowing him to occupy not only a second-story bedroom but also a ground-floor room for use as a painting studio (Wikipedia contributors, 2023k). Van Gogh painted The Starry Night from his ground-floor asylum room in which he exaggerated the size of the trees he painted and completely made up an imaginary village of homes (Wikipedia contributors, 2023k). Van Gogh’s Post Impressionism painting style emphasizes broad abstract qualities and was a reaction against Impressionists’ concern for the naturalistic depiction of light and color (Wikipedia contributors, 2023a).
Van Gogh would never know the world-wide success of his painting The Starry Night because he sadly took his own life only one year after painting what is now known to be one of the most iconic paintings in art history. The cypress tree positioned in the foreground of The Starry Night might have been Van Gogh’s way of subtly foreshadowing his own death, as cypress trees were once known to symbolize death when seen in dreams. A sense of safety is illuminated through the darkness of night within this painting, which may suggest that Van Gogh felt comfort from the shadows of night that shaded him from the reality of his dark thoughts. Today, Van Gogh is widely regarded as one of the greatest artists of all time. His participation in the Post Impressionism movement paved the way for the exploration of abstraction by other artists, furthering the evolution of modern art through the inspiration of his unforgettable work.
Pablo Picasso, Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny Tellier), late spring 1910. Oil on canvas, 39½ × 29″ (100.3 × 73.7 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Cubism
The geometrically fragmented woman in Girl with Mandolin exudes power, strength, and style as she stands proudly holding her Mandolin, gazing in a focused trance down at her hands moving across the strings of her instrument. Pablo Picasso’s oil on canvas painting of Girl with Mandolin beautifully abandons artistic concepts of realism and traditional art, while still maintaining a firm sense of respectability. This painting from Picasso illustrates the early analytical phase of Cubism, which was led by Picasso and Georges Braque. Cubism seeks to depict space in unique ways that are often times monochromatic, form multiple viewpoints, and remain two-dimensional. The earth toned color palette of Girl with Mandolin unites this fragmented musician with her instrument and background, creating harmony as well as a sense of depth.
What makes Cubism so revolutionary is that artists collectively abandoned the tradition of naturalism that had guided visual arts since the Renaissance (Mansfield, 136). Revolutionary artists sought to trigger emotional as well as spiritual experiences through Cubism, which inspired associated artistic movements in music, literature, and architecture. A calming and serene sense of movement is felt within Girl with Mandolin from Picasso, as the music from the Mandolin seems to flow through this fragmented woman’s essence. The woman and her Mandolin almost appear to sway with a fluid motion together, despite their geometric form. What makes Cubism so significant is that its style is reflective of a subconscious reality within its abstracted form, seemingly defying a sense of time. The cubist movement illuminates how artists wanted to part ways with normality or reality to create moods or to evoke feelings through abstract objects.
In 1910 Picasso spent a summer vacation in Cadaques, a coastal town in eastern Spain, which is where Girl with Mandolin originates (Girl with Mandolin, 1910 by Pablo Picasso, n.d.). This cubist portrait of Fanny Tellier otherwise known as Girl with Mandolin, is a valuable peek into the intentions and practice of Avant-garde representation and experimentation (Girl with a Mandolin (Portrait of Fanny Tellier), n.d.). This painting symbolizes peace and transparency, with this girl’s exposed figure gracefully strumming her Mandolin in hopes of continuing her surrounding vibrations of tranquility.
What made Picasso such a rarity during his time was the fact that he was an artist who painted works that were cherished while he was still alive (typically, an artist is dead before the weight of their work is appreciated by the public (Mafi, 2018). Picasso was a rare child prodigy who grew to become recognized as the inventor of Cubism. Girl with Mandolin inspires relaxation and wonder amongst its viewers who can feel the elegance exuding off a delicately beautiful girl playing her instrument. Surprisingly, Picasso considered Girl with Mandolin to be an unfinished work of art, making audiences wonder how much more could be added to such an already stunning painting.
Franz Marc, Stables, 1913–14. Oil on canvas, 29⅛ × 62¼” (74 × 158.1 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism
A sense of excitement and personality emerges out of Fanz Marc’s oil on canvas painting Stables. Unlike Marc’s sleepy and somber painting of The Large Blue Horses, this Expressionist painting is mixed with concepts of Cubism as well as Futurism, making viewers eyes linger over its abstract shapes and colors with anticipation. Intense but light-filled colors of blue, red, green, violet, and yellow flicker over the structurally and spatially unified surface of Marc’s painting to create a dazzling illusion (Mansfield, 127). The Cubism Marc incorporates into this painting allows the structure of the stables to melt into the figures of the horses, uniting them with both motion and sensation.
The Expressionism art movement developed in the early twentieth century, mainly in Germany, as a reaction to the dehumanizing effect of industrialization and the growth of cities, while the movement strongly rejected the ideology of realism (Wikipedia contributors, 2023e). Expressionism is known for being subjective, with artists like Marc applying colors he felt were purely emotional representations of his subjects rather than implementing more natural or realistic colors into his work. In the painting Stables, audiences are first drawn to Marc’s subjectiveness within the details of the blue mane of the two horse’s tails, as both swish in the air with attitude. Marc adopted Cubism into his painting Stables by illuminating fragmented and overlapping planes that surround the figures of the horses. Futurism is seen in how the traditional qualities of the horses in their stables are garbled through abstraction.
The painting Stables is a dramatic visual experience that exudes a vibrant energy within the stables of the standing horses. A sense of ambivalence is felt in how Marc painted the form of the horses with their backs turned to his audience, leaving another horse’s torso only partially visible in the upper left-hand corner as its brawny physique alludes to a sense of good health. A red torso and front leg of another horse strangely appears centered in this painting with a lesser presence of movement compared to the other horse figures. It looks as though Marc painted the horses in their stables through the lens of a kaleidoscope, which reflects different lighting and colors through tilted mirrors. The figures of these horses look almost tangled within the fragmented layers of coloration in their stables, which unites them together through a sense of pandemonium. The separation and mixture of both warm and cool colors in this work, with green being the most commanding, creates a dream-like world that illustrates an imbalance between temperatures. Nevertheless, these horses symbolize powerful forces of energy in their natural environment, while their painted tails dance musically or rhythmically in unison. Marc’s art illustrates his interest in animals, especially horses, which he uses to connect viewers to the spirituality of nature.
Marc’s painting of Stables symbolizes the light we often cannot see, which illuminates off people, animals, or memories we encounter. As a leading figure in the German Expressionist movement, Marc helped redefine the nature of art with his interest in Primitivism (Franz Marc Paintings, Bio, Ideas, n.d.). Ultimately, Marc turned to the Fauves, who appealed to him for a number of reasons (Franz Marc Paintings, Bio, Ideas, n.d.). Not only did Fauvists use vibrant and distorted colors, but they also sought to record primitive life and depict the relationship between man and nature, a goal that would become ever more important to Marc (Franz Marc Paintings, Bio, Ideas, n.d.). Marc’s newer style of Fauvism was not well received by critics or the public until after his death in 1916. Marc is now admired as one of the most historical avant-garde figures of the Expressionism movement, inspiring countless artists to advance modernism while redefining modernity.
Vasily Kandinsky, Composition VIII, 1923. Oil on canvas, 55⅛ × 79⅛” (140 × 201 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Suprematism
Spirituality beams through Vasily Kandinsky’s abstract oil on canvas painting with geometric shapes and lines bursting with visual interest. This painting’s comforting cream-colored background provides the perfect backdrop for Kandinsky’s creative development of landscape, wind, light, as well as a sense of chaos that mixes with unity. The title of this painting, Composition 8, suggests an association with music (Composition 8 | Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, n.d.). A non-conforming sense of rhythm is seen within the movement of this painting throughout its colorwork, shapes, lines, and layering, forming a peaceful non-harmonic sound, much like a wind chime.
The Suprematism development in artistic expression came about when Russia was in a revolutionary state, ideas were in ferment, and the old order was being swept away, paving the road for more abstract art (Wikipedia contributors, 2023i). In this Suprematism painting from Kandinsky, viewers are engulfed by the supremacy of ordinary shapes becoming extraordinary, as vibrations echo off each shape’s unique form and placement. This dominantly angular painting conveys a sense of growth through its colorful shapes and lines that connect abstractly in a sense of commotion. Each geometric shape or line within this painting communicates either power or fragility, depending on the depth or saturation of color within these forms. There is almost a cosmic radiance to be seen in this painting within a light emanating outside a few of the circular shapes, much like that of a star. This may have been Kandinsky’s way of connecting audiences to his views of nature and how his interpretation of nature conveys his own spirituality with the universe. Tiny circular orbs float freely over this canvas, also suggesting a presence of spirits or spirituality. The blue upright triangle in this painting appears to symbolize a mountain while the connecting half circles beneath the mountain look to symbolize cloud cover resting peacefully below. A lively landscape appears before viewers upon further observation into these shapes and lines created by Kandinsky in this painting.
Kandinsky taught basic design class for beginners and a course on advanced theory at the Bauhaus school of art in Germany; he also conducted painting classes and a workshop in which he augmented his color theory with new elements of form psychology (Wikipedia contributors, 2023m) Geometrical elements took on increasing importance in both his teaching and painting, particularly the circle, half-circle, the angle, straight lines and curves (Wikipedia contributors, 2023m). Kandinsky’s Composition VIII painting illuminates his progressive abstract use of geometrical elements as subjects which effectively symbolize musical notes within nature. The dark black circle in this painting may symbolize a deep baritone sound whereas the lighter pigmented elements might symbolize a higher pitched or distant sound. Kandinsky would hear tones and chords as he painted, theorizing that yellow was the color of middle C on a brassy trumpet; black is the color of closure, while these combinations of colors produce vibrational frequencies, akin to chords played on a piano (Wikipedia contributors, 2023m). He intended his geometric forms to resonate with the observer’s soul while simultaneously illuminating the workings of his inner life (Wikipedia contributors, 2023m).
Kandinsky was a respected painter who was well received by audiences of his time, yet he was also considered a progressive art and spiritual theorist. His art was being praised by newspaper journalists even before painting Composition VIII, and during this time he also formed the Blue Rider Group, with whom he held two exhibitions with. Among the members of this group was an artist by the name of Albert Bloch. Bloch had an insightful way of summarizing art that Kandinsky surely admired while they worked alongside one another in their newly formed group. Bloch boldly defined art as: “offering a retreat from the materialism and corruption of the modern world, bringing us to a profounder feeling of our inextricable union with the infinite”. As influential as Bloch was, many consider Kandinsky to be the father of abstract art with his geometric experimentation reflecting the inner feelings of the soul.
The paintings in this exhibition have been sequentially ordered as they ascend in time, starting with the oldest painting by Monet, and ending with the most recent painting from Kandinsky. Ordering these paintings sequentially is for your convenience, as you may be able to better observe the advancement in techniques or experimentations of these artists throughout the evolution of modernism. Experimentation, music, industrialization, landscapes, vacation destinations, women, wars, and animals, all influenced these artists tremendously. As time progressed, these artists naturally created more unique detail within their work while learning to express themselves through moods or emotions in various forms. These artists learned to appreciate and embrace rapid changes in the world’s perspective of art even though the advancement of their own techniques led them to sometimes not be received well. Without the imaginations of these brave artists, it would be difficult to define the pulse of modernism within arts evolvement today.
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