This is a continuation of the previous post, focusing on impressionist painters.
'Impressionists found that they could capture the momentary and transient effects of sunlight by working quickly, in front of their subjects, in the open air rather than in a studio. This resulted in a greater awareness of light and colour and the shifting pattern of the natural scene.'
(Impressionism – Art Term | Tate, 2022)
My main reason for visiting the gallery was to see Monet's paintings as I've always wanted to see them in person. His paintings were in an exhibition space entitled 'Towards Modernity: Cezanne, Money, Sorolla and Bellows'. The aforementioned artists all created work in the early 20th Century, focusing on landscapes and incorporating an atmosphere. The first painting I came across was Bathers at La Grenouillere (Monet, 1869). It portrays Monet and Renoir's summers spent working at a cafe and bathing on this bank next to the Seine, taking in the atmosphere while sketching in preparation for this larger piece.
These paintings pioneered the Impressionism movement, as Monet leaves many aspects unfinished as blobs of colour with expressive brushstrokes being used for the trees and water. While this was technique was avant-garde for the time, this use of mark making gives the artwork movement; you can sense the wind rustling the trees and the waves gently lapping the shoreline. I love this painting and hadn't seen it prior to visiting.
It was interesting to see the difference in scale between artists; for example, artists like Rembrandt create huge panoramic scenes whereas Monet's paintings were much smaller. Possibly this was a contrast due to timeframes and location- smaller canvases were much more manageable and could've been transported to various locations to paint from real life.
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'Bathers at La Grenouillere', Claude Monet, 1869
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| 'Water-Lilies', Claude Monet, after 1916 |
Much later in his career, Monet painted Water-Lilies, a huge painting more than two metres high. I was curious about the time difference between these two paintings, figuring out that he painted Water-Lilies when he was around 75. Monet lived until he was 86, which is surprising for a time when people barely lived to 70 years old. It shows how his style evolved through his career, with the first example being a lot looser and more expressive. I admire both paintings for different reasons.
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| 'The Water-Lily Pond', Claude Monet, 1899 |
John Russell
There is little information about this painting or the artist but I loved how it stood out in the gallery. Created in around 1889, it's thought to have been painted during a stay in Cassino, south of Rome. On display next to the likes of Van Gogh and Seurat, the colours were so striking with bold use of pinks and purples to reimagine the landscape. It's almost dreamlike, paired with the impressionist style and use of mark-making it helps create a romantic atmosphere.
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| 'Les Terrasses de Monte Cassino', John Russell, 1889 |
Paul Cezanne
In the late 1800s, Cezanne was working alongside Pisarro when he returned to the South of France when he grew up. The painting was possibly inspired by a fishing village near Marseille, with beautiful warm tones to connote the warmer Mediterranean climate. Cezanne's paintings are recognisable for their distinctive viewpoints; usually framed by a window frame or foreground vegetation.
The rich greens against the blue of the sea and terracotta roof tiles create a striking landscape. I love how flat the colours are while creating depth through shades of colour and light.
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'The Sea at L'Estaque', Paul Cezanne, 1876
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| 'Forest Path', Paul Cezanne, 1892 |
In conclusion, I loved visiting the gallery. I've never had the opportunity to look at impressionist painters in much detail so it's been interesting learning more about them and creating a mental timeline for each movement. In addition, it's interesting to see how an artist's style evolved through their career; it's easy to think that they were all created around the same time but looking at people like Monet, his work was created over 60 years. It makes you realise that you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself to produce your best work now as the likelihood is it'll only get better with time and experience.
Bibliography
Tate. 2022. Impressionism – Art Term | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/i/impressionism> [Accessed 24 January 2022].
Monet, C., 1869. Bathers at La Grenouillere. [Oil on Canvas].
Riopelle, C., 2008. Manet to Picasso. London: The National Gallery.
Nationalgallery.org.uk. 2022. Claude Monet | Water-Lilies | NG6343 | National Gallery, London. [online] Available at: <https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-water-lilies> [Accessed 24 January 2022].
Monet, C., 1869. Bathers at La Grenouillere. [Oil on Canvas].
Monet, C., 1916. Water-Lilies. [Oil on Canvas].
Monet, C., 1899. The Water-Lily Pond. [Oil on Canvas].
Russell, J., 1889. Les Terrasses de Monte Cassino. [Oil on Canvas].
Cezanne, P., 1876. The Sea at L'Estaque. [Oil on Canvas].
Cezanne, P., 1892. Forest Path. [Oil on canvas].
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