Impressionism & Post Impressionism Critiques

Francie Fernandes
Monet – Rouen Cathedral
I see several paintings of cathedrals painted at different times of the day. The artist was
trying to portray how the Rouen Cathedral looked at different times of the day and year.
The artist did a great job using colour to indicate what time of the day it was. He value of how
light or dark the colour was indicates what time he was trying to capture in his work. These
paintings have a lot of texture to them in the brush strokes. The texture is not sharp and accurate
but more grainy and vague looking. The lack of solid lines adds to this textured feel, as it is the
use of value, which defines the contours of the buildings.
Monet was exploring how a single unchanging subject appeared differently at different
times of the year. He explored how the lighting and surroundings of changing times and seasons
affected the appearance of the Rouen Cathedral. From the images displayed in the textbook I
think that Monet has done a very effective job of portraying the visual differences of this
Cathedral through the seasons.

Manet- Gare Saint Lazare

I see 2 young girls outside of a fence. The youngest girl is holding on to the bars of the
fence, her back turned to the viewer. The eldest subject appears to just be looking up from her
book and looks almost as if she is making eye contact with the viewer of the painting.
The subtle palette of colours creates a calm and casual feel which accents the snapshot feel of the
piece. The vague and undefined lines of the painting also add to the sense of the painting being
done at a first glance. The composition appears to be a-symmetrical as the focus is heavier on
the left side where to 2 subjects of the painting are, which most of the focus being on the elder
girl reading the book.
The artwork evokes the casual feeling of a rather ordinary moment being captured. The 2
girls appear to have been waiting for a train to leave which is indicated by the cloud of smoke
left in its wake. I really like this piece. I think that it is very representational of the the
impressionism period because it is just like a snapshot. The moment is so well captured by the
artist that it feels as though it is actually a spontaneous photograph.

Degas- The Rehearsal on Stage

In this painting I see many ballerinas practicing on stage.
Degas uses varying forms of line. Some lines are softer and more blurred than others indicating
action and movement, most often in the fabric of the dancers skirts. This is contrasted by the
more sculpted and defined lines present in the structures of the wings of the stage. A drab colour
palette creates a sense of unity throughout the piece. The disorderly a-symmetrical composition
of the piece creates a sense of chaos and movement portraying the spontaneity and action being
captured in the piece.
I enjoy this piece because it is very elegant and simple. Even though the artist is trying to
capture the action and movement of a ballet rehearsal the muted colours and soft lines add a
demure and calming effect to the piece.

Degas- The Absinthe Drinker

I see a couple sitting at a table with drinks set in front of them with very glum
expressions on their faces. The colours of the paiting are all tinged a sickly jaundice green. The
careful asymmetrical composition of the piece makes it seem as though you, the viewer, are
spying on the couple from where you sit and observing their actions. There are few defined lines
in the piece; it is only the dim light of the painting that defines the contours of the forms. The
focus appears to be on the women in the middle of the painting as she stares down at her glass of
greenish liquid.
I like Degas’ work because it has a very candid look to it, but upon further examination it is
actually well thought out compositionally. The expressions on the faces of the subjects are so
real. They seem genuinely down, and inebriated, looking as though they are experiencing a low
period in their lives.

Renoir- Dance at the Moulin de la Galette

I see many people gathered in a park/café setting. Some are dancing and others are
seated and dining.
Not unlike many of the other impressionism pieces that I’ve studied the use of line is very
faint and undefined. The composition seems a-symmetrical, and looks as if the composition has
not been carefully planned. Although this may be a subjective assumption, my eye is drawn to
what I assume is the focal point in this piece, the woman in the front and centre leaning onto a
table. The colours are very cool tones of blues and soft beiges this very calm and suble colour
scheme creates unity throughout. The shapes and forms of the people out of focus in the
background are very vague and undefined, perhaps to draw more focus to the people in the
foreground.
This is a beautiful painting, and it does an excellent job portraying a lovely afternoon
spent dancing, eating, and socializing. The purpose of this work was to do just that, and the
happy and carefree feelings it evokes in the viewer prove that it was successful in its purpose

Casset- Sleeping Baby

I see a mother holding her baby in her arms, as her child rests its head on her shoulder.
The uses of primarily soft pastel shades in this piece evoke feelings of comfort and
innocence in the reader. The absence of harsh lines adds to the soft feel of the work. Because of
the lack of harsh contours the forms and shapes present in the composition are defined and
lifelike without being severe and perfectly anatomically correct. Though not perfectly balanced,
the composition seems to be weighted rather symmetrically on both sides. This balance adds to
the sense of calm solidarity in the piece. When I look at this piece my attention is immediately
drawn to what I believe is the focal point, the faces of the mother and the child.
The meaning of the artwork was to convey the simple soft comfort and love between a
mother and child. Through the delicate pastel strokes and calming colour palette, this is
successfully achieved.

Rodin-The Thinker
I see a scupture of a man sitting on a rock. He is hunched over, with his hand to his chin,
with a pensive expression on his face.
The form of this sculpture is true to the human body, yet not quite as accurate as that of
the sculpture of David. The monotone colour of the sculpture creates unity throughout. The
sculpture has an interesting texture to it. It is not quite smooth as one would imagine a sculpture
of the human body to be, but this just adds to the qualities of this being a work of the
impressionism period.
 Rodin created this sculpture to be part of a much larger design, which was left unfinished.
Though I am not aware of the purpose of The Thinker in the grand scheme of its intended setting,
I believe what the sculpture alone portrays is rather simple. The Thnker is conveying thought.
Everything from the hunched expression of his form, to the pensive expression on his face tells
the viewer that The Thinker is struggling with some hard decisions or thoughts.

POST IMPRESSIONISM

SEURAT – A Sunday on la Grande Jatte

I see many people out on a sunny morning or afternoon enjoying a park. Some people
are walking, while others lounge and look at the river.
One of the most fascinating things about this piece is that there are in fact no lines. Only
dots placed closely together to form lines. The pointillism creates a powdery soft texture. The
bright cheery colours ad to the happy and light feel of the painting. The use of value also creates
very effective shadows beneath the trees. The composition seems more balanced and thought
out than that of the impressionism period, yet there is not one defined focal point in this very
busy painting.
The point of this artwork was to portray a leisurely Sunday, also the artist put much effort
into planning out this painting so that it would be compositionally pleasing to the viewer. I think
he did a very good job on both fronts, because the colours and composition so an excellent job of
representing his goal.

Van Gough- The Starry Night

I see a night sky filled with stars over a village. In the foreground are trees and other
greenery.
This work has a vibrant yet calm colour scheme. The cool blue tone that washes over the
sky and city indicates that it is night, but the bright light of the stars in the sky liven up this night
time scene. The use of line is very prominent in this piece. Line is used everywhere, short lines
of colour create all the forms of the painting. The painting is well balanced, the large tree on the
left, the focal point, is balanced off by the city and moon in the upper right corner.
Van Gough was trying to portray what he saw when he looked outside in the night. The
curious shapes and mysterious feel of the painting get the audience to start thinking what exactly
he was trying to convey about the night time.

Munch- The Cry

I see a man on a bridge cupping his face in his hands and seemingly crying out. Behind
him is a background of swirling lines.
The use of line is definitely present in this piece. It is the use of flowing lines and
dramatic, loud colours which create the sense of urgency and panic that the artist is trying to get
across to the audience. The composition of this piece is well thought through, the bridge, which
comes from a vertical vanishing point, leads the viewers’ eyes straight to the focal point of the
screaming man. The curves in the form of the man’s body create movement and add further to
the sense of dramatic urgency.
I think that this painting is really fascinating. Its purpose was to convey sound through a
painting, which is completely unique and somehow successful. When you look at this piece the
lines, colour and expression of the man just scream out at you in an almost audible way.