Postmodern art movements and characteristics

Post Modern Art

Impressionism was a reaction against the tight rules imposed by the Academicism and the Realism movements. The Realist school was centered on the human figure, and most of the representations were made inside the artist's studios.

Manet is considered the link between two styles, the Realism and the Impressionism. It is interesting to note that many of his most outstanding works are inspired on the masters of the past. Dejeuner sur l'Herbe is a very example of this, as it shows clearly the influence of Giorgione and the Renaissance school.

One interesting aspect of this painting is the presence of still nature (the various objects scattered over the blanket) that forms a small individual composition. The Impressionist style was characterized by its landscape perceptions and human figure representations, still nature having a minor role during that period. From this point-of-view this painting adds a different touch to the style that was hardly beginning to take shape at that time it was painted.

However, the Bar at the Follies Bergere shows another great portray of still nature composition, in the arranged bottles and glasses around the character. This way of mixing styles was typical of Manet and added great personality to his work and the influence he would have on other young artists that admired him.

As much as Olympia shows an admiration towards Goya's 'Maja Desnuda' and the Bar at the Folies-Bergere is considered to be influenced by Velazquez's 'Las Meninas' by the use of the mirror to include extra characters not presently featuring on the scene.

Manet transferred this magic of the world of mirrors to represent the world of glamour that characterized the Paris of his time, only seen through the eyes of the character standing at the other side, the working class, that sees only the reflection if high life.

Impressionism appeared as a combination of many circumstances that the modern world was offering to the artists as source of inspiration and experimentation. The appearance of photography on one hand, freed the painters from the constringent realism that had been imposed for many centuries. Now that the camera took over the task of copying reality of the world, the artist was free to play with his inner senses, perception, interpretation and changing effects.

On the other hand the industrialization, rapidly growing of the art world, that brought new approaches to paint, an oil colors. The new technology offered the artists more vivid colors than the ones the former painters had to prepare by themselves in their own studios, and this opened a gate to play with a new palette of bright colors and hues.

The industrialization brought more consequences than just the new paints and materials available.

The past-paced society gave a new sense of speed to everything. It seemed like an artist had to be fast-paced as well to keep up with the crazy rhythm of the mechanical society they lived in.

Painting became fast paced -or at least it seems that way in the resulting effect. Impressionism looks unfinished because of the free brush strokes that characterize this style. The texture of an impressionist work seems almost rushed. The final work resembles what in the past had been considered a sketch of the completed version.