Title: POST IMPRESSIONISM
1POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
ROMANTIC AND CLASSICAL COUNTER IMPRESSIONISM
The Starry Night
POST IMPRESSIONISM
2VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1875-1900
Only painted for ten years ( four intense
years) Said to have been insane, but speculated
that he was epileptic Very close friends with
his brother Theo Unsuccessful in many things
throughout his life minister, miner, art dealer,
painter Deeply concerned with the pain of
others Only sold one painting in his life (
about 25 dollars) Deeply religious and spiritual
being
Website on Van Gogh
Self Portrait
POST IMPRESSIONISM
3VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1875-1900
Born 03-30-1853 to a family of six children, he
was named Vincent Willem Van Gogh. His mother
had given birth to a child one year prior and
named that child Vincent Willem Van Gogh, but the
child did not survive. She named the Van Gogh
that we know today after her dead child. Vincent
spent his life seeking the love and approval of
his mother, but he never succeeded. He spent
several years working for his uncle as an art
dealer, but failed miserably in his efforts. So,
he turned to the bible and decided to preach the
word of God.
Website on Van Gogh
Sunflowers
POST IMPRESSIONISM
4VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1875-1900
Vincent became obsessed with preaching the word
of God to the poor and suffering. His obsession
caused him to live as they did to understand
their suffering. He was criticized for his
evangelical approach and was banished from his
profession as a minister. ( Once again he failed
) Vincent then turned to painting. He thought he
could continue to work for Gods glory as a
painter instead of a minister. He figured he
would conduct his sermons through his paintings
rather than his words. Theo, Vincents brother,
sent money to Vincent to help him pursue his
career as a painter. In turn, Vincent would send
the paintings to Theo to sell. Theo had little
luck selling the paintings and Vincent considered
himself a failure once again.
Still Life with Open Bible
POST IMPRESSIONISM
5VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1875-1900
Vincent learned of the new style of the
Impressionist painters and traveled to Paris to
learn more. After studying the art of the
Impressionists, he felt as if their paintings
lacked emotional substance. He then set out to
paint his visions in the style of the
Impressionists. He used gobs of paint and
intense color to illustrate his vision of the
world in which he lived. We know him now as a
master painter, yet he only sold one painting in
his own lifetime. Many of Vincents paintings
were of his own image. He claimed that he needed
to paint, and if he couldnt afford a good model,
he would use his own image painted from a mirror.
Self Portrait
POST IMPRESSIONISM
6VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1875-1900
Vincent moved to Arles and rented an apartment
with his good friend Paul Gauguin. They lived
together in a building that is now known as the
Yellow House for some time before they began to
argue. The arguments escalated until the day
that Gauguin couldnt handle it anymore. Gauguin
left after a heated disagreement and Vincent
followed him into the alley with a sharp razor
blade. Before harming his friend, Vincent turned
away and headed back to the Yellow House. This
was the last straw for Paul Gauguin, and the two
of them were never to be friends again. It was
this day that Vincent turned the razor to himself
and removed his own ear. He later gave his
severed ear to a prostitute. His irrational
actions caused him to be sent to an insane asylum
for several months.
The Yellow House
POST IMPRESSIONISM
7VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1875-1900
On July 27, 1890, Vincent walked out to a field
and shot himself in the chest. There are theories
that it was an accident, as well as theories
claiming that he intended to end his own life.
Whichever of these theories is true, Vincent died
two days later on July 29th, 1890. Vincent's
coffin was covered with yellow flowers, his
favorite color. All of his paintings were left to
Theo who held them in a memorial exhibition for
Vincent van Gogh. The story of Vincent Van Gogh
is a tragic one, but a story many will remember.
Although he was not recognized in his own time
for his genius, he will be studied in the
duration of the world as one of the greatest
artists ever to have lived.
Wheat field under thundering skies
POST IMPRESSIONISM
8VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Wheat field under thundering skies, 1890
9VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
L'eglise d'Auvers sur Oise , 1890
Painted in the final year of his life, this image
depicts a fork in the road. It is speculated
that this fork in the road represents Vincents
decision to exist in pain or end that pain by
taking his own life. Later in his life,
Vincents subject matter had a tendency to be
more macabre than his previous work. Images of
storms and impending doom were often present in
his paintings.
10VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Sunflowers , 1888
Vincent was heavily influenced by the Japanese
prints that were circulating throughout Europe
during the time in which he was
painting. Animated lines, flatness of the
picture plane, vibrant color, tilted perspective,
and the use of pattern can be seen often in
Vincents paintings. Each of these
characteristics of Vincents works were taken
from Japanese Printmaking.
11VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Café Terrace , 1888
Vincent painted many scenes of the city while he
lived in France. His paintings have become a
visual record of his experiences. This painting
demonstrates Vincents love for the color Yellow.
Vincent didnt paint things in a realistic
manner, instead he painted the world as he saw
it. His paintings were realistic to him, but
they were considered unrefined to the viewers of
his time.
12VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Madame Roulin 1889
This painting clearly demonstrates the influence
that Japanese printmaking had on Vincents
paintings. The use of red in the background
pushes forward as it flattens the space The
outlines of the objects in the painting also help
to affirm the two dimensionality of the picture
plane. Vincent had a great ability to paint
emotion. Here he depicts a woman as he knew her,
rather than how the rest of the world might see
her. He included the rope by which she comforted
and rocked her child to sleep. The notion of a
comforting and loving mother was dear to Vincent,
as he struggled his entire life to know that love
from his own mother.
13VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Night Cafe 1888
Again, this painting clearly demonstrates
Vincents desire to flatten the space. This
painting is also demonstrates a scene of daily
life, or genre scene, that Vincent often
painted. Notice the energy that Vincents
paintings contain. It is almost as if he is
painting the aura around his subjects.
14VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Portrait of Dr. Gachet 1890
Dr. Gachet was a close personal friend of
Vincents. Here he is depicted in a melancholy
manner. This is another example of Vincents
ability to see beyond the physical and into the
emotional realm of his subjects.
15VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Potato Eaters 1885
Early painting depicting the life of the
peasants. This was an attempt by Vincent to pay
homage to the work ethic of the peasants.
Vincent lived the life of a peasant for some
time while he ministered the word of God.
Notice the color schemes of his earlier
paintings when compared to his later work.
16VINCENT VAN GOGH
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Starry Night 1889
Vincents paintings had a scientific reality to
them. His paintings often depict the world as it
is comprised of moving molecules and atoms. He
often painted the energy that we dont actually
see in the real world. This painting was
inspired by the Japanese printmaker Hokusais
image of The Great Wave.
The Great Wave.
17PAUL GAUGUIN
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE ROMANTIC APPROACH
1848-1903
Gauguin had a multicultural awareness due to his
extensive travel of the world. Gauguin gave up
his successful life to escape civilization and
live as a painter in Tahiti. Painting took over
his life in 1888. Known for his arbitrary use of
intermediate and tertiary colors. He was a very
arrogant man who thought quite highly of his own
ability as a painter. Gauguin was also very
inspired by the visual characteristics of
Japanese printmaking.
Self Portrait 1888
POST IMPRESSIONISM
18PAUL GAUGUIN
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Vision of the Sermon 1888
Gauguins use of red in this image represents a
visionary space. A space not meant to represent
the reality of everyday life, but rather the
reality of his vision. The upper portion of the
painting represents the visionary space, while
the lower portion depicts the real
world. Composition is built on a strong
diagonal. Gauguin uses color as emotion in his
work. He, just as Vincent, was driven to bring
emotion to his images.
19PAUL GAUGUIN
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
We Hail Thee, Mary 1891
Gauguin flattens his picture plane much like the
Japanese printmakers that he often studied. This
was painted while he was in Tahiti. While in the
foreign land, he used exotic people to represent
biblical characters. In this painting he uses a
Tahitian woman to represent the Virgin Mary, and
he uses a young Tahitian boy to represent the
Young Christ. This painting clearly
demonstrates Gauguins use of arbitrary
intermediate and tertiary colors in his
paintings.
20PAUL GAUGUIN
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Self Portrait With Halo 1889
Gauguin thought quite highly of himself as a
creator of art. The concept of himself as a
creator caused Gauguin to see himself as a
prophet. He believed himself to be as important
as a prophet because of his ability to see the
world in a visionary way as well as his ability
to depict that visionary world onto his
canvases. This is a self portrait of Gauguin
surrounded by biblical references. Notice the
apples to the right of his face, and the snake
that he holds in his hands. There are many
biblical references to sin, while at the same
time the painting alludes to Gauguin being
divine.
21PAUL GAUGUIN
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Whence Come We? What Are We? Whither Go We? 1897
Gauguins painting reads from right to left in
this case. ( just as Japanese writing is read
from right to left ) Emphasis is built on the
concept of the Golden Mean or Rule of Thirds.
This image was done toward the end of Gauguins
career and it is known as his Masterpiece. It was
his largest work and was created in only a month.
This work was completed just prior to his
attempted suicide by way of an arsenic overdose.
He was saved when his body violently rejected the
poison
22PAUL GAUGUIN
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Sacred Grove by PUVIS DE CHAVANNES 1884
Puvis De Chavannes was a classical painter who
regularly showed his paintings in the salon.
Many of is paintings contained a mythological
theme. This particular image was the
inspiration for Gauguins painting
23PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE CLASSICAL APPROACH
1839-1906
Considered a Classical Post Impressionist
painter who wanted to make the art of
Impressionism something solid, like the art of
the museums. His subject was nature, but he was
not bound by it. He used and discarded elements
as they pleased his compositions. Cezanne was
known for his careful planning of the
compositions in his paintings. Cezanne was
intrigued by the push pull effect of color with
the space in his paintings. All object in
nature can be broken down into the cone, the
sphere, and the cylinder.-- this later became
the basis for Cubism that Georges Braque and
Pablo Picasso explored.
Self Portrait 1888
POST IMPRESSIONISM
24PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The House of the Hanged Man 1875
This is one of Cezannes earliest paintings. His
paintings were more representational early in his
career and later became more about breaking the
canvas into shapes. Cezanne did not deny the two
dimensionality of the canvas. He was interested
in establishing a sense of depth, while at the
same time affirming the flat surface of the
canvas. Notice how flat the canvas appears in
the foreground, but how much depth he offers the
viewer with the mountain range in the distance.
25PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
View of Gardanne 1885
Much like the Impressionists, Cezanne was also a
plein aire painter. Like Monet, Pissaro, Manet,
and Morrisot, Cezanne felt it necessary to paint
outside among nature. This image truly
demonstrates Cezannes need to affirm the two
dimensional canvas. Many of his paintings appear
to be unfinished- ( but that is what makes them
so beautiful). This images demonstrates a push
away from the Renaissance picture window.
Cezanne makes no attempt to fool they eye into
thinking that what we are viewing is real.
Instead, he wants us to realize that he is using
paint. Thick, opaque, sticky oil paint. He felt
no need to try to make that paint be something
that it did not want to be. He felt no need to
put such a restriction on that paint. Cezanne
used a reduced palette in this and many of his
other paintings. Braque and Picasso used a
similar palette in the beginning stages of Cubism
as well.
26PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Mont Sainte Victoire (from Bibemus Quarry) 1897
Every artist needs their own Mont Sainte
Victoire. -cezanne- This mountain was
Cezannes muse for many years. He painted this
mountain over 60 times in his life. Cezanne used
extreme color on many occasions when painting his
favorite mountain. Many images of Mont Sainte
Victiore lack depth. This was done deliberately
in an attempt to have a push and pull effect on
the eye. His images of the mountain were not
meant to be realistic depictions.
27PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Mont Sainte Victoire 1895
28PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Mont Sainte Victoire 1887
29PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Mont Sainte Victoire 1887
30PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Mont Sainte Victoire 1887
Every artist needs a Mont Sainte Victoire.
-cezanne- Many of these paintings were broken
down into basic geometric brush strokes. All
objects in nature can be broken down into the
sphere, the cone, and the cylinder.
-cezanne- These paintings were not always large,
but they always had a sense of monumentality. Cez
anne was known for his use of complimentary
colors in his paintings. Often times he would
juxtapose blue and orange.
31PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Blue Vase 1887
Cezanne painted hundreds of still life images in
his lifetime. He was such a perfectionist, that
he often couldnt finish the paintings before the
fruit would begin rotting and changing shape. He
later created his own fruit out of plaster to be
used in his still life images. Cezannes still
life paintings contain many of the elements of
Japanese prints. Animated lines, tilted
perspective, flattened space, and warm background
colors are a few of the elements that Cezanne
borrowed from Japanese prints. Cezanne is
considered a Classical Post Impressionist
because of his careful planning of his
compositions. He is often categorized as a
Formalist in his approach to painting. All
things on the canvas maintain order and
structure. The space in his paintings is as
structurally sound as the great pyramids of
Egypt.
32PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Still Life with a Peppermint Bottle 1887
Cezanne coined the term passage which means-
to pass through. Here he demonstrates this
technique by carrying the eye along the contour
of the white sheet, through the bottles, and
across the window sill. Cezannes drapery often
had the same monumental presence as his images of
Mont Sainte Victoire. Cezanne often used
repetition to lead the viewers eye across the
picture plane. The positive and negative space
in Cezannes paintings are broken down into a
number of shapes. ( online interactive activity)
33PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Still Life with Plaster Cupid 1895
Cezanne creates movement in this still life
through his diagonal composition. Nothing in
this still life painting seems to be still.
Everything in this particular image is tilted as
if it is unstable or falling. Again, notice how
the positive and negative shapes can be broken
down into shapes. Also notice Cezannes
juxtaposition of blue and orange.
34PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Still Life with Apples and Oranges 1899
This is one of Cezannes most well known still
life paintings. Again notice the use of a
diagonal composition.
35PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Bather 1885
Another of Cezannes concentrations in painting
was his series of bathers. His bathers were
painted with thick paint and distinct brush
stokes. He developed the forms of his bathers
while at the same time flattening them through
his use of line. This particular bather has a
monumentality about him. His scale seems
abnormally large for the space in which he is
confined.
36PAUL CEZANNE
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Bathers 1906
Cezannes later paintings contained a very raw
and unrefined quality. The human form in his
later paintings was reduced to a series of quick
brushstrokes.
37GEORGES SEURAT
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
biography
THE CLASSICAL APPROACH
1859-1891
Considered a Classical Post Impressionist
painter who created his images in the absence of
line. Seurat was very interested in the science
of color theory. He spent his short life
studying and mastering the theory of color and
how the eye received color. He worked in a new
style that he called Pointillism Seurat was
intrigued by Impressionism but he felt that
lacked the form and structure that all good
paintings need. It was his mission to take
Impressionism to a much higher and refined level
Photograph of Georges Seurat
POST IMPRESSIONISM
38GEORGES SEURAT
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
1886
Seurat spent countless hours applying his paint
one small dot at a time. He did not mix his
paints on the canvas, but rather placed his
colors next to each other and let the eye blend
the colors together. His technique was called
optical blending
39GEORGES SEURAT
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Side Show 1888
Seurat uses strong horizontal bands to give the
painting stability. This painting, much like the
last has a motif of vertical shapes that give the
painting a rhythm. The space is divided in
reference to the golden mean.
40GEORGES SEURAT
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
The Circus 1891
This painting also has a motif of vertical shapes
that give the painting a rhythm. The diagonal
implied lines give the image a sense of motion,
but the manner in which it is painted counter
balances that movement. This painting contains a
tension between the two dimensional and three
dimensional space. Seurat, like Cezanne, was
intrigued by the notion of push pull space in
a painting.
41GEORGES SEURAT
POST IMPRESSIONISM
VINCENT VAN GOGH
PAUL CEZANNE
GEORGES SEURAT
PAUL GAUGUIN
Image gallery
Bathers at Asnieres 1884
This is a genre scene, a scene of everyday
life. The image has a Frozen in Time sense
about it. Seurat did many studies and sketches
prior to creating his paintings. Seurat was as
much a scientist as he was a painter.