POST IMPRESSIONISM

19TH CENTURY

                 
 
 
 
BOGNÁR  ALEXANDRA  
 
ART  HISTORY  
 
ANALYSIS  AND  CRITIQUE  
Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

POST IMPRESSIONISM - 19TH CENTURY

This essay is about two artist (Vincent Van Gogh and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec) who were
active at the same time – during the post impressionism - although Van Gogh was even
thought to be the forerunner of Expressionism.

Post impressionism represents those artworks on which it is clearly seen that they derived
from impressionism, but the artist improved the piece in a different way. That is why
pointilism, the Nabis and the Hungarian Gresham Group also belonged to it. Artist broke with
the tradition of showing the nature for its own sake. They rather focused on the balance of the
content and the form, they were looking for „law” or „statutory existence” of artpieces. When,
at the end of the 19th century, the public almost accepted the impressionism, in its hometown
artists had already been working on finding out something new instead of the „outfashioned”
spectacle painting ot visual art. Postimpressionism itself suggests the term that it was after the
impressionism, it refers to the time period.

Van Gogh died at young with his rugged life and harassed mind it was inevitable. He did not
learn painting at art schools, universities or academies, his interest towards art appeared
relatively late. Until the age of 30, he was just an art dealer, than became a teacher and he
acted as a preacher. Finally, he became a painter but he had such a short period left for art
until his death. Because of the subject, the storn, brownish colour usage they even belong to
the critical realism. But he soon shoved off this trend. He met the French impressionism,
namely Seurat's tiny brushstrokes of contrasting colours he started to use „living” colours as
well. He painted vigorous coloured shapes into thick lines. He also changed the shapes of
objects and people and formed it according to his fantasy. The choice of colours that reflects
his emotional state and a style of drawing that pulsates with energy that anyone can feel his
internal „crisis” made him unique. (Artner Tivadar, Évezredek művészete)

Van Gogh squirmed between styles and traditions. As time passed, he tried newer and newer
things according to his mind state and the environment in which he temporarly lived. He was
touched by a lot or artists even by his contemporaries. From 1879 he started first with
drawing and he begin painting with copying Millet's paintings.

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

First steps

Later, Van Gogh said about Millet's artworks, that they involve both reality and symbolism.
But he stated that no one is capable of representing the village life will only joy. He started to
respect Rubens's works and he became interested in colours. He turned to a new direction, he
wanted to make remaining artworks, he wanted to show the real life of „peasants” with their
problems. He got fed up with „lies” and tried to show the reality.

Peasant woman sweeping the floor

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

He travelled to Paris and spent 2 years there. Here he met the impressionism.

Vase with Myosotis and Peonies

It was in 1886 when he decided to study painting and in April he applied to Atelier Cormon,
who was a master in painting historical scenes. It was here when the baron Lautrec and Van
Gogh met. They soon became friends (with the help of reveller lifestyle) and realized that
Cormon does not satisfy the expectations and they both quited.

He was interested in neoimpressionism, pointilism, symbolism and Gaugain's art.

Restaurant de la Sirène at Asnières

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

That time the Japenese art also came into fashion in which he was also interested.

Bridge in the rain (After Hiroshige)

It was in 1888 when was so bored that he invited Gauguin to his villa. He accepted the
invitation and when he arrived he found Van Gogh totally exhausted. The joy of a common
life did not last for a long time, Gauguin tried to „force” his lifestyle, painting style, he tried
to manage their finances in a common budget. They argued, quarreled frequently when one
night Van Gogh throwed a glass into Gauguin's face. Gauguin complained about their
relationship in his letters towards other painters and when he realized that he fed up, he
packed. When he went out, Van Gogh with a razor in his hand was running after him.
Gauguin „escaped” to a hotel while Van Gogh, with the fully collapsed mind state cut his left
ear. Later, he sent it to his girlfriend Rachel and asked to protect it. Van Gogh rememberred
nothing a day after it. This could be true because Gauguin and Van Gogh at that time were
drinking all the time. Art historians still argue that it was not Van Gogh but Gauguin who cut
that ear off. Finally, Gaugain went back to Paris without saying goodbye and Van Gogh was
put into an asylum. (Asztalos Zsófia Noémi, látnivalók Amsterdamban)

Some people say that the best of his paintings were born while his was in the asylum in Saint-
Rémy.

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

Starry Night

Pissarro late after Van Gogh's death (he finally committed suicide) said that he was either
insane or he was ahead of his time but it may have happened that he was both.

Just like Van Gogh, Henry de Toulouse-Lautrec also died at young, he was only 37 years old
when the huge amount of alcohol and uncontrolled lifestyle, pubs, cathouses, infinite nightlife
in which he was rather a spectator than part of, had their last effect. He was a descendant of
an aristocratic family, he was short with sharp eyes and talented hands. He was not interested
in the nature at all, just people especially those who were special or „different”. Characters of
his artworks were the newly rich snobs who were enjoying their life with prostitutes, drinks.
Fat bankers, slim artists who filled places like the Moulin Rouge or Maxim appeared on his
paintings and drawings. He wa also famous for colourful posters which with its eccentric and
bizarre curves, lines, they show relationship secession. He was highly affected with the
actually popular Japanese art as well as with the plein art. (Artner Tivadar, Évezredek
művészete)

Last third of the 19th century – Paris is an increasingly important centre of technology, trade
and tourism. Its most famous were the Universal Exposition (in 1889) to which Paris owes its
"temporary" display of architectural engineering prowess. Paris, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge,
artists, poets, musicians and many more bohemian people. Where can you find more
similarities between kitchen and arts if not there?

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

It was in 1884 when Lautrec broke with his earlier life to start a new one, he chose Montmart
and freedom. He did not have enough money for renting a flat so he moved into the house of
Rene Grenie painter right into the neighborhood of Degas and Renoir. His studio was always
opened to models and friends. He said that a painting can be valued after drinking at least one
cocktail. He was as good at cocktail making as a bartender, he was in love with the mixture of
different alcoholic drinks. He always took care that the precise „toxic of Parisiens”, absinthe
always made part of the dinner table. He was a master in the kitchen, a perfect and quite
creative cooker, he served spicy and special dishes. Sometimes he even made „chef
presentations” to his friends. He was in love with both painting and cooking, and his love
comes from the infinite joy of life. He was famous for disappearing for some days but he
always answered when asked by friends that he just visited a cathouse. He has become
famous as the bohemian artist of the Moulin Rouge, he designed the first poster of it. „When
the Moulin Rouge opened on October 5, 1889, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec had already gained
much popularity within the bohemian community and was one of the invite-only guests at the
opening night party. The Moulin Rouge, which means "red mill," was just that: a huge
windmill painted red. It became a landmark, and a symbol of the joie de vivre — the joy of
life — in Paris at the time. The Moulin Rouge was the "rendezvous du high life." It was a
theater, a concert hall, and a dance hall — all at the same time. People came from all over to
dance, to watch the dancers, and to watch each other watching the dancers. And Lautrec was
there, at the same table every night, drinking and sketching everything which caught his
fancy, particularly the dancers.” (Chris Whitten, www.lautrec.info)

Moulin Rouge: La Goulue

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

He tried to make a memorable thing which shows the not night full of music pubs, coffees and
halls, he captured the spirit and emotion of the beautiful era in Paris. He excelled at capturing
people in their actual environment, with the colour and the movement as well with night-life
present. In the works of Toulouse-Lautrec can be seen many parallels to Manet which tells his
respect towards impressionist artists.

Lautrec - La Goulue arriving at the Moulin Rouge Manet - A Bar at the Folies-Bergère

Moulin Rouge meant everything that Lautrec loved. It is in Paris and he followed the
„Bohemian revolution taking hold of the city's drug and prostitute infested underworld. And
nowhere is the thrill of the underworld more alive than at the Moulin Rouge, a night club
where the rich and poor men alike come to be entertained by the dancers.” (Moulin Rouge
film, IMDB)

He painted stimultaneosly the joy and tragedy of 19th century. It is obvious that he chose his
models from the pubs, circuses, nightclubs or dance halls in Montmartre. The area developed
into a centre of free-wheeling and decadent entertainment at the end of the 19th century and
the beginning of the 20th century. There were popular cabares besides the Moulin Rouge,
(like Le Chat Noir), where artists, singers and performers regularly appeared. He liked to sit at
a crowded club's table, laughing, drinking, and at the same time he made swift sketches.

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

Au salon de la rue des Moulins

When Japanese art came into vogue in Paris, it influenced his use of sharp usage of lines,
asymmetrical composition and flat areas of color. This Japanese influence and even Lautrec's
influence can be seen in case of Van Gogh.

Le divan japonais

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

What else happened in the 19th century? The American civil war took place between 1861
and 1865. In 1863 the International Red Cross was formed. The first railroad was finished in
the USA. In 1866 war broke out between Prussia and Austria. Compromise of 1867 took
place in Hungary (which led to the Dual Monarchy between Austria-Hungary). In 1869 the
Suez Canal was finally opened after 10 years work. From 1870 the second industrial
revolution began. The Prussian- French was lasted from 1870 to 1871 resulted in the creation
of a unified Germany and Italy and Prussia gets the territory of Alsace-Lorraine (which later
plays an important role in unleashing the I. World War). A war triggered off between Russia
and Turkey (1877-1878) which resulted in the independence of the Serbia, Montenegro,
Bulgaria and Romania. In 1885 The Berlin Conference takes place, where the territoeis of
Africa were split. The Statue of Liberty in New York was dedicated on October 28, 1886. In
1889 the Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance arch for the 1889 World's Fair. In France from
1894 anti-semitic efforts began to take shape. Olympic Games were revived in Athens in
1896. It is clearly seen that major changes occoured throughout the world, but still, artists
were dealing with just carousal.

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Post  Impressionism  –  19th  century                                                          Bognár  Alexandra  –  Art  History  

REFERENCES:

Chris Whitten's page about Lautrec, accessed 3 April 2010,

<http://www.lautrec.info/Moulin-Rouge.html>

Artner Tivadar, Évezredek művészete, Gondolat, (1968)

The Internet Movie Database about Moulin Rouge, accessed 3 April 2010,
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/>

Asztalos Zsófia Noémi, Látnivalók Amszterdamban, accessed 2 April 2010,

<http://balog.hu/amszterdam/index.php?page=Van-Gogh-muzeum-Amszterdam>

The Moulin Rouge film (2001)

Száray Miklós, Történelem III, Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó, (2008)

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