Welcome to the World Beyond the Surface!
In our last look at art, we saw the Impressionists trying to capture the fleeting effects of light. But what happens when artists want to paint more than just what the eye sees? In this chapter, we explore Post-Impressionism and Symbolism. These artists took the bright colors of Impressionism but added deep personal emotions, structure, and mysterious "unseen" meanings. Don't worry if these paintings look a bit "weird" or "abstract"—that’s exactly what the artists intended!
What is Post-Impressionism?
Think of Post-Impressionism as the "sequel" to Impressionism. While they liked the bright colors, they felt Impressionism was too messy and lacked "soul" or "structure."
There are two main "vibes" in Post-Impressionism:
1. The Emotional Path: Using color and brushstrokes to show how you feel (like Van Gogh).
2. The Structural Path: Using shapes and logic to organize the world (like Cézanne).
120. The Starry Night
Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Date: c. 1889 ce
Materials: Oil on canvas
Van Gogh painted this while staying in an asylum at Saint-Rémy. He wasn't just painting a night sky; he was painting his internal state.
Visual Analysis: Notice the impasto (thick, chunky paint) and the swirling, rhythmic lines. The giant dark shape on the left is a cypress tree, which was often a symbol of mourning or death.
Context: Van Gogh used "arbitrary color"—choosing colors based on emotion rather than what was actually there. This work is a bridge toward Expressionism.
121. The Coiffure
Artist: Mary Cassatt
Date: 1890–1891 ce
Materials: Drypoint and aquatint
Mary Cassatt was an American in Paris. This work shows a woman adjusting her hair.
Visual Analysis: This isn't a painting; it's a print. It uses flat areas of color and simple lines.
Did you know? This work is a prime example of Japonisme. Artists in Paris were obsessed with Japanese woodblock prints, which featured tilted perspectives and "cropped" compositions. Cassatt wanted to make art accessible to more people by making prints instead of expensive one-of-a-kind paintings.
125. Mont Sainte-Victoire
Artist: Paul Cézanne
Date: 1902–1904 ce
Materials: Oil on canvas
Cézanne is often called the "Father of Modern Art." He didn't care about "fleeting light"—he wanted to find the permanent geometry in nature.
Visual Analysis: Look closely! The mountain and trees are broken down into small "patches" of color. He uses cool colors (blues) to make things look further away and warm colors (ochre/yellow) to bring them forward.
Key Takeaway: Cézanne’s focus on geometric shapes directly led to the birth of Cubism (think Picasso). He wanted to make Impressionism something "solid and durable."
What is Symbolism?
If Post-Impressionists were experimenting with how to paint, Symbolists were experimenting with what to paint. They turned away from the real world and looked into dreams, myths, and the human psyche. They believed that art should represent absolute truths that could only be described indirectly.
122. The Scream
Artist: Edvard Munch
Date: 1893 ce
Materials: Tempera and pastels on cardboard
This is one of the most famous images in the world! It isn't a portrait of a person screaming; it represents a "shriek" felt through nature.
Visual Analysis: The bridge creates a harsh, straight diagonal that contrasts with the wavy, curving lines of the sky and water. This creates a sense of tension and anxiety.
Context: Munch was part of the Symbolist movement, focusing on themes of life, death, and dread. The figure is "de-individualized" (it looks like a ghost or a skull) so that anyone can relate to that feeling of panic.
123. Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?
Artist: Paul Gauguin
Date: 1897–1898 ce
Materials: Oil on canvas
Gauguin left his family and his job in France to move to Tahiti, searching for a "primitive" or "pure" life.
Visual Analysis: This is a massive, mural-like painting. It should be read from right to left (like a sacred scroll). On the right is a baby (Where do we come from?), in the middle is a young adult (What are we?), and on the left is a dying old woman (Where are we going?).
Meaning: It is a philosophical meditation on the cycle of life. Gauguin used flat, bright colors and stylized figures to create a dream-like, mythic atmosphere rather than a realistic depiction of Tahiti.
Quick Review: Comparing the Styles
Impressionism: Capture the moment. "What does the light look like?" (Focus: Eyes).
Post-Impressionism: Structure and Emotion. "How do I feel about this?" or "How is this built?" (Focus: Mind/Heart).
Symbolism: The Unseen. "What does this dream or feeling mean?" (Focus: Spirit/Psychological state).
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Don't call them "Abstract" yet: While they are moving away from realism, they aren't doing "Abstract Art" (which has no recognizable subject) quite yet. Use terms like stylized or expressive.
2. Mixing up the "Pauls": Remember, Paul Cézanne is the "Logic/Shape" guy (Mont Sainte-Victoire). Paul Gauguin is the "Island/Dream" guy (Tahiti).
Study Tip for the Exam:
If you see an unknown work that has very thick paint and swirls, it’s likely a Post-Impressionist attribution to someone like Van Gogh. If the work feels like a nightmare or a mysterious vision with flat colors, think Symbolism.