POST IMPRESSIONISM Meaning and
Definition
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Post-impressionism is an art movement that emerged in the late 19th century as a direct response to impressionism. It encompasses a diverse range of artists and styles, characterized by a departure from the naturalistic depiction of light and color that defined earlier impressionist art. Instead, post-impressionist artists sought to explore the subjective and emotional aspects of their subjects, employing techniques such as bold color choices, fragmented forms, and distorted perspectives.
One of the key figures associated with post-impressionism is Paul Cézanne, whose work marked a transition from impressionism to the more abstract and geometric style that would later define early 20th-century art. Other prominent post-impressionists include Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat. These artists each developed their own unique style, with van Gogh's expressive brushwork and vivid colors, Gauguin's fascination with exoticism and symbolism, and Seurat's pointillism, a technique in which tiny dots of color are used to create an overall image.
Post-impressionism was not a unified movement with a clear set of principles or objectives, but rather a loose term coined by art critics to encompass the diverse range of artists who came after the impressionists. Despite its variety, post-impressionism collectively pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, paving the way for later art movements such as fauvism and cubism. Through their innovative techniques and exploration of subjective emotions, post-impressionist artists broke free from the constraints of mere representation, leaving a lasting impact on the development of modern art.
Etymology of POST IMPRESSIONISM
The term "Post-Impressionism" was first used in 1910 by the art critic Roger Fry to describe a new artistic movement that had emerged after Impressionism. Its etymology can be broken down as follows:
1. Post: The prefix "post" comes from the Latin word "post", meaning "after" or "behind". In this context, it refers to the idea that Post-Impressionism emerged after the movement of Impressionism.
2. Impressionism: Impressionism referred to the 19th-century artistic movement that originated in France. It was coined from the title of Claude Monet's painting, "Impression, Sunrise". Impressionism aimed to capture the fleeting nature of light and its effect on the perception of colors and shapes. Artists like Monet, Renoir, and Degas were among the prominent figures associated with Impressionism.
