PRE-HISTORIC ART

1. Salient Point about Pre-Historic Art

 In order to talk about prehistoric art, there is a need to situate them within the context of the three
periods of the Stone Age culture (which roughly span the 14,000-2,000 BCE): Paleolithic (the late
years of the Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), and the Neolithic (New Stone
Age).
 The stone Age has witnessed how humans were able to lead more stable lives and eventually come
up with permanent shelters and tools for survival. To complement this stability and sense of
permanence, early humans also turned to the creation of paintings and sculptures that depict humans,
animals, and their natural habitats. It would seem that there were attempts to record the kind of lives
they led within that period of time. Central to the representation of early civilizations would be the
establishing of possible linkages among art, religion, and life.
 The concept of new stone age is central to this era because people learned to grow their own crops
rather than foraging for wild berries and grains. Agriculture is the cultivation of plants and animals.
The New Stone Age people also learned how to train animals to be useful to humans. Domestication
refers to the training of crops and animals.
 The exact meanings of the images remain unknown, but some experts think they may have been
created within the framework of shamanic beliefs and practices.

2. Characteristics of Art
 In the Paleolithic Period animal figures always constituted the majority of images in caves . It is
because hunting animals is their main work then.
 In the Mesolithic Period hunting scenes were the most common, but there are also scenes of
battle and dancing, and possibly agricultural tasks and managing domesticated animals.
 In the Neolithic Period, the term "Neolithic art" describes all arts and crafts created by societies
who had abandoned the semi-nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering food in favor of
farming and animal husbandry. It developed especially when life for the early humans has
become more stable.

3. Art Forms
 The Paleolithic Period mostly consisted of cave paintings and some rock carvings. Neolithic artwork
consists mostly of pottery, terracotta sculptures, statuettes, various smaller pieces that were utilized
as adornments, Neolithic drawings like engravings and wall paintings, pictograms, and most notably
megalithic structures. The Mesolithic Period includes cave paintings and engravings, small
sculptural artifacts, and early megalithic architecture.

4. Notable artworks or masterpieces

A. STONEHENGE
 The interpretation of Stonehenge which is most generally
accepted is that of a prehistoric temple aligned with the
movement of the sun. It helps us to understand Neolithic
and Bronze Age ceremonial and mortuary practices.
 Stonehenge symbol gives us peace and unity. Neolithic
builders may have used Stonehenge as an early clock or a
sun dial. From our vantage point, Stonehenge served as a
tool for displaying the current time and for keeping track of
the passing of time. Stonehenge will direct its shadow toward
the time-designated monoliths by using the sun.
 B. THE DANCERS OF COGUL
 In this scene, nine women are depicted, something new
in the art of this region, some painted in black and
others in red. They are shown dancing around a male
figure with an abnormally large phallus, a figure that was
rare if not absent in paleolithic art.
 Roca dels Moros in El Cogul is the first set of prehistoric
paintings documented in Catalonia, and since its
discovery in 1908 it has been a referent in prehistoric art
on the Iberian Peninsula. Its existence garnered
international attention on par with the bison of Altamira. The history of Roca dels Moros in El
Cogul is the history of prehistoric rock art on the eastern side of the Iberian Peninsula. Based on this
site, this article is a synthesis of the results of a study on the post-Palaeolithic rock art of the
Mediterranean basin on the Iberian Peninsula for over 100 years, along with a discussion of the
public administrations’ efforts to further the conservation and protection of this kind of
archaeological site.
 A celebration is depicted in the painting by a group of men, women, and animals. The animal
may also be sacrificed as part of a rite to the gods. This is an illustration of Mesolithic
shamanic practice.

C. CAVE OF ALTAMIRA BISON

 The Altamira cave is 971 feet (296 metres) long. In the
vestibule numerous archaeological remains from two
main Paleolithic occupations—the Solutrean (about
21,000 to 17,000 years ago) and the Magdalenian
(about 17,000 to 11,000 years ago)—were found.
Included among these remains were some engraved
animal shoulder blades, one of which has been directly
dated by radiocarbon to 14,480 years ago. The lateral
chamber, which contains most of the paintings,
measures about 60 by 30 feet (18 by 9 metres), the height of the vault varying from 3.8 to 8.7 feet
(1.2 to 2.7 metres); the artists working there were thus usually crouched and working above their
heads, never seeing the whole ceiling at once. The roof of the chamber is covered with paintings and
engravings, often in combination—for example, the bison figures that dominate were first engraved
and then painted. These images were executed in a vivid bichrome of red and black, and some also
have violet tones. Other featured animals include horses and a doe (8.2 feet [2.5 metres] long, the
biggest figure on the ceiling), as well as other creatures rendered in a simpler style. Numerous
additional engravings in this chamber include eight anthropomorphic figures, some handprints, and
hand stencils. The other galleries of the cave contain a variety of black-painted and engraved figures.
In many cases the creator of the images exploited the natural contours of the rock surface to add a
three-dimensional quality to the work.
 The cave, discovered by a hunter in 1868, was visited in 1876 by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola, a
local nobleman. He returned in 1879 to excavate the floor of the cave’s entrance chamber,
unearthing animal bones and stone tools. On one visit in the late summer, he was accompanied by
his eight-year-old daughter, Maria, who first noticed the paintings of bison on the ceiling of a side
chamber. Convinced of the antiquity of the paintings and the objects, Sanz de Sautuola published
descriptions of his finds in 1880. Most prehistorians of the time, however, dismissed the paintings as
 modern forgeries, and it was not until the end of the 19th century that they were accepted as
genuine.
 They created this artwork unconsciously, here comes the perspective and experience of the
individual. I realize that this art is an art expression, it’s not intention or talent. The artist used
his/her imagination and their current situation in that cave that is why he/she created the cave of
Altamira bison.

ROMAN ART
1. Salient Point about Roman Art
- The Romans utilized it to promote their values by illustrating them.
- Roman art was developed largely because of the Roman empire, during the time of Romulus to
Emperor Constantine.
- Roman art often depicted Roman mythology because of their belief in the power of gods, artists
also illustrated Roman emperors particularly in sculpture.
- The Greeks were a great influence in Roman sculpture . But Roman portraiture showed the
skills originality of the Romans by portraying their emperors, generals and senators with a
degree of realism unknown to the Greeks.

- Greek art was more idealized, whereas Roman art tended to be more realistic. Equestrian statues,
naturalistic busts, and ornamental wall murals, like those discovered in Pompeii, were among the
aesthetic innovations of the Roman period. The Romans enjoyed using colorful, textured art to
embellish both public and private structures and locations. Their mosaics may have been
the most significant artistic contribution. The word "stilus," the name of the Roman writing
implement, is the origin of the word "style."
- Numerous Roman works of art were poor imitations of Greek works, and it appears that the
Romans were aware of this fact based on the manner in which they wrote about both Greek and
their own works of art. Through the Etruscans, Greek colonies in Italy, Roman pillaging of Greek
cities, and offers of good pay for Greek artists in Rome, Greek art and culture were indirectly
brought to Rome.
- It could be unreasonable to characterize Roman painters as simply Greek copyists. Perhaps this is
true of sculpture but not of painting, as evidenced by the frescoes of Pompeii and the mummy
shroud paintings from ancient Egypt. Roman artists were the first to use perspective theory to
create three-dimensional works of art, most notably the shroud paintings that date to the
second century A.D.; Hawara and Fayum in Egypt throughout the first to third centuries; as well
as in some works from Pompeii. Some of the paintings on Greek vases, in contrast, resemble
idealized stick figures. It wasn't until the Renaissance in 13th-century Italy that perspective was
rediscovered.

2. Characteristics of Art
- The Romans improved mosaic and mural painting techniques and placed a strong emphasis
on narrative themes derived from literature and mythology as well as natural elements like
landscapes. Deep red, yellow, green, violet, and black were the major hues employed in Roman
art.
3. Art Forms
- High-low relief - Fine jewelry and metalwork
- Free-standing sculpture - Funerary sculpture
- Bronze casting - Perspective drawing
- Vase art - Caricature
- Mosaic - Genre and portrait painting
- Cameo - Landscape painting
- Coin art - Architectural sculpture
 - trompe-l'œil painting 

4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during that period

Portrait of Four Tetrarchs- The sculpture symbolizes
the unity of the Roman Empire by showing the four
rulers—two Augusti and two Caesares—of the four
regions into which the Empire had been split
embracing one another.
It is the unity of four rulers of different regions.

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius- the great Roman Emperor

is shown riding a horse in the Marcus Aurelius Equestrian Statue.
The emperor, who is larger than life, raises his hand in the manner
of emperors when speaking to his armies and legions. It's an
illustration meant to show the emperor as supremely victorious.

The reign of the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius who led an

army to a battle.

Triumphal Arches of Rome- The triumphal arch developed from a

custom that dates back to the Roman Republic. Triumphant
generals, also referred to as triumphators, had enormous arches built to mark their victory. The generals
were frequently given a triumph after the arches were built, with a
joyous parade passing beneath the arch.
We’ve learned that this arch symbolizes the victories of roman
soldiers in conquering Greece.

MEDIEVAL ART
1. Salient points about Medieval Art
 -Medieval art covered almost ten centuries between the Sack of
Rome (c. 450 C.E.) and the early Italian Renaissance (1400
C.E.).
 In the beginning of the medieval period, all work of art are commissioned by religious authorities for
churches/monasteries.
 Prominent use of valuable materials such as gold, for objects in churches, jewelry, mosaic backgrounds.
 Feature such as migration of people, invasions, population distribution, and deurbanized this period.
 The medieval ages had three periods which include the antiquity the, medieval periods, and the modern
period, all of the Crusades, Gothic art and architecture, the papal monarchy, the birth of the university,
the recovery of ancient, the birth of the university, the recovery of ancient Greek thought, and the
soaring intellectual achievements of St. Thomas Aquinas (c.224-74).
2. Characteristics of art
- during this time Artists were commissioned for works featuring biblical themes for churches.
- Ornate paintings, ornate means "ornamental". The term ornate was used to denote classical Roman fresco
painting of third style
- Roman Mosaics would show pictures of Roman history and everyday Roman life. These mosaic images
provide an insight into what Roman life was like and how they lived.
- Pompeian, or Incrustation, style of painting, were also used which imitates marble-veneered walls by
means of painted stucco.
- elaborately, characteristics of medieval art include decorative patterns, bright colors, iconography, and
Christian subject matter.

3. Art Forms
 Illuminated Manuscripts- These are religious texts decorated with rich colors, which often
featured the use of gold and silver. The word “illuminated” comes from the word illuminare,
meaning adorn.
 Metalwork-Metals with great luster, such as gold, silver, and bronze were frequently used as
mediums in the creation of religious artifacts. Metal workers transform these beautiful metals into
objects of adornment for the church (sculptures jewelry, and church doors).
 Paintings- Medieval painting includes artwork in iconography, fresco and panel painting
 Embroidery- It is made of colored wool sewn together to form a continuous panel. Story of
William the Conqueror, the Norman invasion of England and the Battle of Hastings were
embroidered in a linen 20 inches high and 230 feet long, “The Bayeux Tapestry”.
 Ceramic Art- it is done handmade and not wheel-turned during the medieval period.
 Mosaics- is the artful creation of pictures with the use of broken pieces of colored glass, rock, or
any other material.
 Sculpture- elongated style of statues used in Romanesque art, a more naturalistic style in the late
12th and early 13th century.
 Stained Glass- stained glass art makes use of fragmented pieces of glass set to look like an image
or a picture, the pieces are joined together by strips of lead supported by a hard durable frame. It
was displayed to the windows of medieval churches, cathedrals and castles.
 Heraldry- was the art and custom of creating coats of arms and badges of the nobles

3 major techniques/styles used by artists was Byzantine Art, Romanesque Art, and Gothic Art
4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during this period.
A. Lamentation (The Mourning of Christ) is a
fresco painted c.1305 by the Italian artist Giotto as
part of his cycle of the Life of Christ. The painting
shows us the body of Christ removed from the cross
and being mourned by family and friends. This
represents great grief and sorrow over Jesus Christ's
death –

B. Lorenzetti's “Allegory of Good and Bad

Government” is a reminder that good government is
characterized by Justice, Concord, Peace, and
Wisdom while bad government is animated by
Division, Avarice, Fury, Vain glory, even Tyranny. –
 C. -Pantocrator" means "All-Ruler." This icon shows Christ as
Creator, Savior, and Judge. He looks right at us in compassion, but
demanding a response. His hand is raised in blessing. He holds the
book of the Gospels, the good news of salvation for all who will
receive Him.

RENAISSANCE ART
1. Salient Points about Renaissance Art
RENAISSANCE (Rebirth) 14th to 17th century
 The period in European history, from the 14th to 17th century, was considered the link between the
middle ages and modern history. The term “Renaissance” is from the same French word, meaning rebirth
or revival. It began as a cultural movement in Italy in the late medieval period and later spread to the rest of
Europe.
 The revival in classical learning was characterized by a sharp increase in secular values and
increased interest in learning the classics.
 Renaissance is reflected in humanism. Humanism focused on developing the full potential of man.
This included not only the traditional virtues of love and honor but also virtues such as judgment, prudence,
and eloquence.
 Leonardo da Vinci made observational drawings of anatomy and nature.
 The most important development of the period was not a specific discovery but rather a process for
discovery, the scientific method. Influential promoters of these ideas include Copernicus and Galileo.

2. Characteristics of Renaissance Art

1. Realism and Expression:
 Emotions were depicted in faces
 Humans are natural and lifelike-very realistic
 Nudity

2. Perspective
 Adjustment in size
 Depth
 Making 3D world on 2D surface

3. Classicism
 Influence of ancient Greeks and Romans
 Secularism
 Symmetry and balance

4. Individualism
 Emphasizes on the individual singular subject
 Free-standing figures (statues)
 Human beauty

5. Light and Shadow

 Use of light and shadow to create depth
 Chiaroscuro- the contrast between light and dark colors

6. Complex Arrangements
 Complicated arrangement of objects
 Lots of complex interactions
 Can be very busy

3. Art Forms
•Painting
•Sculptor
• Architecture
• Music
• Literature
Produced during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries in Europe under the combined influences of an
increased awareness of nature, a revival of classical learning, and a more individualistic view of man.

4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during this period

A. (Picture of the artwork)
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
It has been described as the “best known, the most visited, the most
written about, the most sung about, the most parodied art in the world. The
painting’s novel qualities include the subject’s enigmatic expression, the
monumentality of the composition, the subtle modeling of forms and the
atmospheric illusionism. It is a visual representation of the idea of happiness
suggested by the word "Gioconda" in Italian. Leonardo made this notion of
happiness the central motif of the portrait: it is this notion that makes the work
such an ideal. The nature of the landscape also plays a role.

The Sistine Chapel Frescoes by Michelangelo.

The overarching story of The Sistine Chapel ceiling frescos depicts

God’s creation of the world and of man, humanity’s fall from grace and
punishment up until the birth of Jesus, the savior of humanity. In the
composition, Michelangelo combines symbolism from the church with
Renaissance thinking and Humanist philosophy in a remarkably non-
conflicting manner. This fresco is one the most famous paintings
displayed in the Sistine Chapel after Michelangelo's masterpieces. The
clear meaning behind this painting is of Jesus handing the keys to St
Peter, which represents when Christ handed power to Peter, and hence
onto the popes.

BAROQUE ART
1.Salient Points about Baroque Art
Important concepts about our topic Baroque Period era in the arts that originated in Italy in
the 17th century and flourished elsewhere well into the 18th century. It embraced painting,
sculpture, architecture, decorative arts, and music. The word, derived from a Portuguese term
for an “irregularly shaped pearl and originally” used derogatorily, has long been employed to
describe a variety of characteristics, from dramatic to bizarre to over decorated. The style was
embraced by countries absorbed in the Counter-Reformation.
2. Characteristics of Art
Baroque emphasizes dramatic, exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted, detail . Due
to its exuberant irregularities, Baroque art has often been defined as being bizarre, or uneven.
3. Art Forms
 Architecture, painting, and sculpture. The arts present an unusual diversity in the Baroque
period, chiefly because currents of naturalism and classicism coexisted and intermingled with the
typical Baroque style.
4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during this
period
A. The Garden of Love (Peter Pauls Rubens)
The Garden of Love is thought to be a celebration of
their union — indeed, as with The Judgement of Paris,
it is believed she was the inspiration behind the
painting’s.

B. The Young Virgin or The Virgin Mary as a Child in

Ecstasy (Francisco Surbaran)
According to Medieval legend, as a girl, The Virgin Mary
lived in the Temple in Jerusalem, where she devoted herself to praying and sewing vestments. This was a
subject particularly popular in seventeenth-century Italian and Spanish paintings, where the little.

C. Calling of Saint Matthew (Caravaggio)

Depicts the situation in which Jesus Christ is calling Matthew to follow him. The Inspiration of Saint
Matthew, it forms a series devoted to the life and Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1599.

ROCOCO ART
1. Salient points about Rococo Art
Rococo is a term derived from the French word “rocaille”, which denoted shell-covered
rock work. It is a "feminized" version of the Baroque style associated with
aristocracy. It appeared in France and scattered around the world in the late 17 th and
early 18th century. Typically, the paintings depict aristocrats or aristocratic pastimes.

During this time period, life is all about pleasure for the nobility. The salient point is that art during
the Rococo period is a pleasing or enjoyable form. When it comes to being a pleasant form of
Rococo art, it is more playful than serious, as opposed to other art that emerged. The artists of this
era used art elements and principles in fascinating ways. The preferences for light, pastel colors,
fanciful curved asymmetrical forms, and elaborate ornamentation simply appear pleasing to the eye,
which is why the aristocracy spent money during the Rococo period looking for decorations to jazz
up their homes.
2. Characteristics of Art
Elegance, levity, floral motifs, muted colors, and curving, asymmetrical lines defined the Rococo
period. The aristocracy in the paintings is stunning and immaculately dressed. The paintings
 frequently depict a tranquil natural landscape with fluffy trees and plant sprigs. The colors are soft
and often pastels. Rococo painting is distinguished by soft colors and curved lines. Scenes of love,
nature, amorous encounters, lighthearted entertainment, and youth are featured.
3. Art Forms

Rococo art forms are fascinating simply of their style in interior design, decorative arts, painting,
architecture, and sculpture

.
4. Notable artworks during this period
A. Pilgrimage to the Isle of Cythera (1717)
Watteau's most famous work,
also known as The Embarkation for
Cythera. The painting combines a
lush Renaissance-style landscape with
an allegorical scene in which a group
of couples either return to or set out
for Cythera, a small Greek island near
the mythical site of Aphrodite's birth
that has long been associated with the
goddess of love, according to
scholars.

B. The Swing
The Wallace Collection in
London houses an 18th-century
oil painting by Jean-Honoré
Fragonard titled The Happy
Accidents of the Swing. The
painting depicts an elegantly
dressed young woman on a swing.
A young man with a hat points to
her billowing dress from the
bushes below and to the left. The
painting depicts a young woman
on a swing and an older man
propelling her with a pair of ropes. The lady is wearing a hat (shepherdess hat) and flings her
shoe with her outstretched left foot.
 C. François Boucher, Triumph of Venus (1740)
This massive, majestic Rococo
masterpiece is one of François
Boucher's most significant works. In
this painting, the artist used an iconic
representation of Venus to depict the
goddess of beauty who was born in the
water and later came to the land, a
subject on which he excelled among
mythical paintings. Triumph of Venus
(1740) depicts the goddess Venus
(also known as Aphrodite) after her
birth from seafoam, accompanied by
water nymphs, tritons (mermen), and
cherubic putti.
There is a lot of pink flesh, and the
pink and white sash that floats over the
group of naked humans mirrors the figures' colors and arrangement.

Art is frequently viewed as decoration in society, but it is more than that. It is more about the effects
that art has had on us. The purpose of art is to have only one effect on its audience. Rococo is an
example of pleasurable art because it appeals to our desire to be fanciful, and it functions as a teleport
in which we can escape reality. In times of difficulty, art provides a sense of inner peace, and  joy, and
lifts one's spirits.

Neoclassical Art
1. Salient Points about Neoclassical Art
> Neoclassicism means ‘new classicism’ because its writers looked back to the ideals and art forms of
classical times.
> The characteristics of art in this period were serious, symmetrical, orderly, virtuous, heroic, simplicity, and
civilized society.
> 4 things that led to neoclassicism
 Push back on Baroque and Rococo – It was a push back to the gaudy, frivolous, and over-the-top
nature of these previous movements. The art in this period fought against the leaders of Rococo and
the French aristocracy.
 Writings of Winckelmann – Johann Joachim Winckelmann wrote about the authority of Greek art,
admiring its idealized pictures as better than nature and rejecting the notion that art should imitate
life and Neoclassicists incorporated and built upon its fundamental ideas in their works.
 Excavation of Pompeii and Herculaneum - This includes the discovery of roman art and architectures
which revive the study of Greek and roman art. This is also the major stop of the ‘The Grand Tour’
 (traditional trip undertaken by upper-class young European men) that helps to foster the Neoclassical
ideals all over the Europe.
 Age of Enlightenment – The ideas of individual liberty, religious tolerance and constitutional
government were pushed and because of this neoclassical artist are inspired by these ideas.
2. Characteristics of Art
> Portraiture, History, Mythology
> Clarity of form, Sober colors, Shallow space, Strong horizontal and verticals that render that subjects
matter timeless and Classical subject matter.
> Male subjects were portrayed as heroic and nude.
> Lightings were dramatic, tense, or climatic.
> Brightest light often focuses on the subject
> Paintings look clean, brush strokes aren’t quite visible.
> Simple and had few details but were very elegant.
3. What are the different art forms during that period?
> Writings
> Paintings
> Sculpting
> Drawing
> Architecture
4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during this period
A . Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss
Antonio Canova produced the marble sculpture Psyche Revived by
Cupid's Kiss between 1787 and 1793. Psyche, the soul, and Cupid, or
love. Although it is regarded as a masterwork of Neoclassical sculpture,
the mythological lovers are shown there in a very emotional state, which
was typical of the burgeoning Romantic movement. It shows the god
Cupid at his gentlest and loving, immediately after kissing the deceased
Psyche to bring her back to life. In order to achieve their ultimate union in
marriage, Psyche and Cupid must overcome hurdles to their love. The
narrative of Psyche explores several themes, including lethal curiosity,
testing and punishment, and redemption via divine favor. In the story of
cupid and psyche it teaches us the lesson that without
trust there can be no love.
B. The Death of Marat
Jacques Louis David depicts Marat's death in this
image in a way that inspires kindness and innocence.
David wanted the audience to understand what Marat
had to go through in order to exercise his right to free
expression. The Death of Marat, which quickly
became a symbol of the French Revolution,
immortalized Marat's martyrdom and status as a
populist hero. David accomplished this by incorporating all of the elements commonly found in religious
paintings depicting Christ's grief or Christian suffering.

C. The Pantheon
This well-known structure was built to serve as the
temple for all the deities revered by the ancient
Romans. This is also reflected in the name of the
structure, pantheons, which is Greek and means "all
the gods." The Pantheon's ultimate attractiveness is
revealed, as well as a significant lesson about the
experience of architecture is also demonstrated. Its
symbolic importance stems from the fact that it is the
best preserved ancient Roman monument. Many
people have admired the Pantheon's innovative
combination of Greek and Roman style throughout
its history. In fact, the Pantheon has inspired
numerous replicas throughout Europe.

ROMANTICISM
1.Salient Points about Romanticism
-There are many salient characteristics or features of Romanticism. They are high imagination, love for
nature primitivism or spontaneity, interest in the remote or love for the past, simplicity in expression,
revolutionary zeal. Individualism, supernaturalism, subjectivity, medievalism, love for freedom and
liberty and predominance of lyricism. Romanticism is the artistic movement of the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries which was concerned with the expression of the individual’s feelings and emotions.
2. Characteristics of Art
Neoclassicism
Themes
-Social, moral, ethical themes or classical or patriotic theme. Urban theme
General style
-clear, orderly and rational
Composition
-figures parallel to picture plane
Space
-clearly defined space; generalized, statue-like
Color
-somber, flat
Application of paint
-careful application
3. Art Works
-The Nightmare (1781)
-The Ancient of Days from Europe a Prophecy copy B (1794)
-Bonaparte Visits the Plague Stricken in Jaffa (1804)
-The Third of May 1808 (1814)
-La Grande Odalisque (1814)
-Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (c. 1818)
-The Raft of the Medusa (1818-19)
-The Hay Wain (1821)

4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during this period

A.)The Hay Wain (1821) by John Constable
The Hay Wain depicts a simple scene of English farmers
tending to their work in this majestic painting. It demonstrates
Constable’s brilliance, as he can capture in a painting how
fleeting atmosphere dictates how we view landscapes.
Painting was a way of feeling for Constable. It represents a
world view of nature, land and family. It had enormous
emotional power to Constable, and to us two centuries later.
He demonstrates a passionate belief in a way of life that the
enclosure of common land and the growth of capitalism undermined. He gives us a myth not just of humans
at one with nature and their work but also harmony with a bountiful nature. The experiences of his own
family – bad harvests, unreliable grain prices and floods – are erased from his memory, and replaced by an
imagined and dream-like world of a rural bliss.
The beauty the landscape paintings totally ignore the harsh realities of what it meant for rural families to live
in Suffolk in the early 1800s. The humans are eclipsed by the texture and power of landscape.

B.)The Raft of the Medusa (1818 – 1819) by Théodore Géricault

The Raft of the Medusa is one of the great
masterpieces painted by Théodore
Géricault.
A huge painting which has become the
symbols of the struggle of the weakest
against privileges, describing an event that
really happened and which had aroused
French public opinion in the first half of the
19th century. The Raft of the Medusa
depicts a dramatic moment and all emotions
human beings can feel in such a situation:
fear, pain, hope, madness.
C.)-Third of May 1808 (1814) by Francisco Goya
“Third of May” is considered by many to be the first
modern painting. Not only did Goya’s chaotic brush
strokes differ from his contemporaries’ smooth blends,
but the image itself is a departure from standard artistic
portrayals of war. It undertook a realist perspective that
was mostly unbeknownst to viewers of that time. Its
message is largely hopeless, which was especially
represented by the central figure of the man in white. A
common interpretation is how his arms are positioned in
the air to channel Jesus Christ on the cross. Here, Goya
imparts that, despite the tenacity of the human spirit, acts
of heroism and sacrifice can end up futile under the
grander schemes of war.

IMPRESSIONISM
1. Salient Points about Impressionism
✓ Impressionism
● Impressionism was created by Claude Monet and the other Paris based artists in the early 1860.They
relaxed their brushwork and included pure intense colors. They abandoned traditional linear
perspectives and avoided the clarity of form. Because of these, many critics questioned Impressionist
paintings for their unfinished appearance and unprofessional quality.
● Impressionism is a theory or practice in painting especially among French painters of about 1870
depicting the natural appearances of objects by means of dabs or strokes of primary unmixed colors
in order to simulate actual reflected light.
● Impressionism could be regarded as the first modern movement in painting.
● Impressionism started with a group of French painters that included Cezanne, Pissarro, Whistler,
Monet, Renoir, Sisley and Degas--and eventually spread to other countries, such as Italy, Germany,
and The Netherlands.
● Its founders were artists who refused the official, government exhibitions and were rejected by the
powerful academic art institutions.
● In the official yearly art salon of 1863, many artists were not allowed to join, leading to public
outcry.
● In 1863, the Salon des Refuses was formed to allow the exhibition of works by artists who were
refused entrance to the official salon.
✓Post-Impressionism
● Post-Impressionism is a French art movement that developed roughly between 1886 and 1905 Post
impressionism emerged as a reaction against Impressionism concern for the naturalistic depiction of
light and color. The movement was led by Paul Cezanne (known as the father of Post
Impressionism).
● Post-Impressionism emerged from European countries and continued using the basic qualities of
impressionism and before then enhanced their techniques through vivid colors. heavy brush strokes,
and true-to-life subjects, and expanded and experimented with these in bold new ways, like using a
geometric approach, fragmenting objects and distorting people's faces and body parts, and applying
colors that were not necessarily realistic or natural.
● Three of the foremost post impressionists were Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.
2. Characteristics of art
✓Characteristics of impressionism
● Quick, loose brush strokes
 The first characteristic is the quick, loose brush strokes. This is probably the most commonly talked
about and easily recognized of the Impressionism art characteristics. When you zoom in on an
Impressionist piece, you can see the artist’s hand with individual, small, and loose brush strokes.
This is because the artist often doesn’t have a lot of time to complete these images. An example of
this characteristic is the 'Woman with parasol- madame Monet and her son" painting by Claude
Monet.
● Bright paintings
The second of the five Impressionism art characteristics is the brightness of the paintings from this
movement. Now, colors and brightness differed by artist and different times during the movement,
but in general you’ll see a lot of brightness in Impressionism art. The Bridge at Villeneuve-la-
Garenne by Alfred Sisley (1872) is another illustration of bright colors.
● “En plein air” (Painting Outside)
The third Impressionism art characteristic is called “en plein air”, which refers to painting outdoors.
Paintings prior to Impressionism were usually completed in some sort of studio. Studios were
controlled environments, often with models and apprentices involved. One of examples for this
characteristics is the painting "Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood by John Singer
Sargent (1885).

● Relative color
The fourth characteristic of Impressionism art is the use of relative color. This is the opposite of
“local color”. The term “local color” refers to the color an object would naturally appear in neutral,
white light. Another way to think of “local color” is the colors that we typically attribute to things –
grass is green, snow is white, the sky is blue.
● Clearer picture from further away
Lastly, this characteristics is how the paintings become clearer the further away you are physically
from the canvas. The closer you view Impressionism art, the less clear the painting becomes and the
more chaotic it gets. As you get close to the canvas, you see the artist’s hand in every individual
brush stroke and glob of paint. But the painting lacks detail. As you move further away from the
painting, the scene, the emotion, and the details become clearer. Some of the examples is the "The
Artist’s Garden in Giverny by Claude Monet (1900)
✓Characteristics of post impressionism
● Patterned brush strokes
Post Impressionists often used broken colors applied with short brushstrokes. Painters like Seurat
took this idea even further by painting with carefully placed dots of contradicting color-a technique
later dubbed pointillism. The famous Starry Night Over the Rhône Painting by Vincent van Gogh is
made by patterned brush strokes.
● Unnatural colors
Unlike their predecessors, Post-Impressionist painters used unnatural colors that captured an emotion
or perspective more than an accurate depiction of the subject matter. An example of it is "The scream
by Edward munch "
● Symbolism
Post-Impressionist artists often included abstraction and used geometric shapes in unexpected ways,
setting the stage for Cubism in the following century. Paul Gauguin helped develop synthetism, a
method of using two dimensional shapes to recreate objects from memory. Bedroom Arles by
Vincent van Gogh is a model of symbolism.
3. Art Forms
● Paintings
● Photography
● Film
 ● Sculpture
● Music
● Literature
● Cubism
● Neo-Impressionism
● Fauvism
● Post-Impressionism
4. Notable artworks or masterpieces during this period
A. Impression, Soleil Levant (Impressionism, Sunrise)- Claude Monet, 1872
Impressionism, Sunrise is an 1872 painting by Claude Monet. The sunrise
depicts the port of Le Harve, Monet's hometown. The meaning of this
painting is to capture reality and analyse the ever- changing nature of light
and color (if you love the sunrise). Being obsessed with sunrise is not bad at
all because sometimes sunrise or nature calm my feelings to being good. My
learning in this painting is that the whole painting represents the artist's swift
attempt to capture a fleeting moment. The highly visible, near-abstract
technique, compels almost more attention than the subject-matter itself, a
notion then wholly alien to viewers. I realized that the painting "sunrise" is
an impressive artwork because You only get a few minutes per day to
capture the effects of the rising sun on the clouds, so you need to paint very quickly. The artist is excellent
for doing this artwork.

B. The Pink Cloud, Antibes- Paul Signac, 1916

In 1913, having already separated from his wife Berthe,
Signac moved to a rented house in Antibes, where he lived with
Jeanne Selmersheim-Desgrange and their daughter, Ginette,
who was born in October of that same year. Berthe continued to
live in the house in Saint-Tropez and she and Signac remained
friends.
Signac painted some of his most vibrant pictures yet in
Antibes. Painting just as frequently in watercolor as in oil,
works from his later years were limited in subject matter largely
to harbor scenes like this one, and to riverbanks. While he traveled a great deal and painted where he went,
boats and other features in a painting of the Grand Canal in Venice look very much like those in paintings of
Antibes, Constantinople, or Marseilles. All are radiant with color and reflect his far less strict adherence to
the disciplined, organized approach of Neo-Impression which was, as one art historian, John Leighton, put
it, "an art renunciation and restraint."
It seems that once Signac freed himself somewhat from what he eventually regarded as "the burden of
description," he could produce optical effects of a different nature. Far less meticulously set down, the marks
of pigment bright greens, blues, and pinks in the foreground and warm oranges, yellows, and reds beyond -
create an effect of constant motion. Rather than merely shimmering as do his Neo-Impressionist works of
earlier in his career, the later works have a kind of romantic, unrestrained liveliness more in tune with the
paintings of the Fauves, the Symbolists, and the Nabis. Indeed, the painter Maurice Denis described Signac's
later work, "with its combination of graded color and sentiment" as a kind of "reasoned romanticism," so
distinct from "the scientific naturalism" of his work of the 1880s and 1890s.
 And maybe Paul Signac created this artwork because that time the Grand Canal in Venice is so calm
to eyes and he loves to stares clouds and it reminds him something in that view and that gives him idea and
encourage to create that art. Well, if I were him, I will do that to because
I love staring clouds or blue skies because it’s so calm to in eye that always there a hope in life even if the
sun sets in the afternoon, it will rise the next day

C. Starry Night- Vincent van Gogh, 1889

Painted by Vincent van Gogh just months before his tragic
suicide, The Starry Night is perhaps his greatest masterpiece. The
Starry Night meaning is usually associated with Van Gogh's
deteriorating mental health. The blues he used in this painting are a
return to the colors he used previously during his struggles with
mental illness. The swirling brushstrokes may also indicate his
mental state. The dark church, painted from memory, has a steeple
more like the Dutch churches of his youth, reminiscent of his deeply
religious childhood. Surprisingly, the church does not have any light
coming from the windows. The cypress tree was recognized as a
symbol of graveyards and mourning. He wrote extensively in his
letters to his brother Theo about stars, which dominate this painting,
symbolizing for him dreaming, heaven, and death. It may be that
The Starry Night foreshadowed Vincent Van Gogh's death by
suicide one year after completing this painting.
Although The Starry Night is described as a painting about Van Gogh's deteriorating mental health,
somehow we can see that it is not just all about its sad side of the painting. Starry night is like a dream. That
means “dreams and hope”, but the darkness on it, the blue shades the grey, dark greens, life can be blue and
dark sometimes, but then you look up and you see the stars. When I think about Starry Night, I think about
the beauty in life, I can see it, Van Gogh was struggling with a lot of darkness in his life but you see this
yellow stars, the lights on inside the houses in the little village, beautiful, bright, right there screaming out of
the painting, that’s hope to me, hope that doesn’t matter how dark, grey, black and blue life seems
sometimes there’s always yellow in your painting, there always will be light at the end. Life itself is a starry
night.