Art in 18th century

As you remember, The Declaration of Independence took place in 1776. The U.S. began creating their own history and national identity, a part of which, of course, expressed through art. So today we will be looking at some history paintings which means a lot of portaits. 

I will focus on only two artists as all the charateristics can be seen in the work of these two major ones of the period Both born in 1738, John Singleton Copley and Benjamin West. They extended the range of subject matter in American painting to include historical, mythological and landscape subjects as well as the traditional portrait. Copley's aspirations and attitude to the role of the painter in the colonies and 'young' America can be seen in his own remark:

 "was it not for preserving the resemblance of particular persons, painting would not be known in the place. The people regard it as no more than any other useful trade ... like that of a carpenter, tailor, or shoemaker, not as one of the most noble arts in the world".

  Take a look at some work from the two gentlemen

B. West Charles Wilson Peale (1769)

B. West Harvesting at Windsor (1795)

What else can you say about the style after seeing the pictures?

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Abstract expressionism

In the 1940s New York became the centre of the western art world, a role normally attached to Paris. All thanks to post World War II art movement in American painting called Abstract Expressionism. 

 The term describes  a variety of artists and works which have a few features in common.
It is around 1950, do you remember what the U.S. has been going through during the last two decades? Not really pleasant  period with The Great Depression and then WWII.
Abstract expressionisms  is an expressive art of profound emotion and universal themes, most  shaped by the legacy of Surrealism, a movement that they translated into a new style fitted to the post-war mood of anxiety and trauma. 

Autumn Rhythm No. 30 Jackson Pollock (1950)

Pollock painted through "actions": an energetic technique of dripping and pouring paint on a canvas that is placed directly on the floor.



In Abstract art  paintings are the most popular, however, the milieu of Abstract Expressionism united also sculptors as well as photographers.
Having matured as artists at a time when America suffered economically and felt culturally isolated and provincial, the Abstract Expressionists were later welcomed as the first authentically American avant-garde. Their art was championed for being emphatically American in spirit - monumental in scale, romantic in mood, and expressive in individual's freedom and experience. 
A painting itself was seen as a struggle between self-expression and the chaos of the unconscious. Although it is true that spontaneity or the impression of spontaneity characterized many of the abstract expressionists works, most of these paintings involved careful planning due to its large size.

Woman V Willem de Kooning (1952)

Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110 Robert Motherwell (1971)

Onement 1 Barnett Newman (1948)

Newman was most well known for his colour field paintings and use of "zips." Zips are the strips of colour running vertically on his painting and were made with a variety of techniques using tape to block off parts of the painting to make the stripes.














Task
Find out what is the other name of Abstract Expressionism and why Pollock's works are so recognizable and appreciated

You can find the answers here :)

Hudson River School

Hudson River School is famous for being the first native school of painting in the United States. It is represented by several generations of painters who worked between 1825 to 1870.

So, firstly, the origins of the name.  It is thought to have originated from a picturesque region north from the New York City, through which Hudson river flows, and which inspired some of the first members of the school.
However, the huge amount of Hudson River School painters share something more than the geographic location. Let's take a look at the art's characteristics :)
As the outgrowth of Romantic movement, the artists perceived nature as manifestation of God's power and mercy. One more reason they focused on the beauty of nature is to adore the American landscapes- the aim was simple nationalistic; to become independent of British influence, to create something entirely devoted to American loveliness.

They often show how people coexist with nature peacefully, in a perfect harmony. Landscapes are very  realistic with all the details. The art refers to three main themes of  19th century America: discovery, exploration and settlement.
Painters were fascinated by the beauty of landscapes, the possibility of discovering and using them.

 The artist said to be the "father" of Hudson River School is, an English born emigrant, Thomas Cole. He moved to New York in 1825 and quickly interested other artist with his romantic portrayals of American wilderness. The story goes that in late 1825 Cole sailed along the banks of the Hudson river, making sketches. He produced a series of paintings that, when spotted in a bookstore window by three influential artists, gained him widespread commissions and almost instant fame.

Distant View of Niagara Falls (1830)

You can find one of the School's collection in Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Luminism or impressionism?

Luminism is an American style of landscape painting most present in 1850s-1870s, influenced highly by Hudson River School. The term was introduced in mid 20th century by art historians. Artists wanted to admire the US nature beauty.

Look at the most famous paintings from that period and try to guess the characteristics of luminism!

How is it going? Any ideas?
You have probably  noticed the calmness and tranquility. The whole scene is modeled by rays of light, using aerial perspective (this is how atmospheric conditions influence our perception of objects in the distance). The sky usually occupies about one-half of the composition, which is often in the format of a long rectangle.

Does it somehow makes you think of impressionism? The both share an emphasis on the effect of light, but luminism, opposed to impressionism, is also characterised by attention to detail and the hiding od brushstrokes.

Have one of impressionistic works for comparisement :)

Can you find at least two names of the most famous luminism painters?
What did appear first in American painting? Luminism or impressionism?

The greatest art museums

For some people museums equals boredom. Walking around quietly and looking at pictures. And yet, the best art museums in the US are highly visited by people all around the world. So what is the fuss about? Do you have to be passionate about art to truly enjoy the visit? Let's focus on two most famous places.
First one is Art Institute of Chicago. It hosts approximately 1.5 million guests annually and its collection size is 300,000 works! Including iconic pictures by Pablo Picasso or Edward Hopper. You can notice how the style of painting has changed through the centuries and how it differ in American, Asian and European art. But it's not only about paintings, the place also has one of the largest art history and architecture libraries in the country. The museum is open every day till 5pm and the recommended length of a visit is 2-3 hours. One ticket for a student costs around 20$. You can get an audiobook or download an app before going, that will allow you to easily get the information about works.

the inside view of the museum

Pablo Picasso The Old Guitarist, 1903

Edward Hopper Nighthawks, 1942

Now, moving to New York City, second museum I'd like to talk about is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2010 it was visited by 5.24 million people (ranked 4th globally)! Pretty impressive, isn't it? It holds over two million works, divided in seventeen departments: from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt to extensive collection of American and modern art. Works from every corner of the world collected in this one place; armours, sculptures, paintings, photographs. I guess that everybody can find something to admire. Students can enter the museum for only 12$.

The Great Hall

Mummy

Which of the two would you like to visit and why? :)

American Gothic

Does American Gothic ring a bell? It may not, but you surely know the painting that hides under this title. One of the most familiar images of 20th century American art. It was painted by Grant Wood in 1930 and  was exhibited for the first time in the Art Institute of Chicago. Grant won a nice price for that and became famous instantly.  A farmer holding a pitchfork with a woman dressed in colonial print apron are standing outside a house. It is often seen as satirical comment on the midwestern character, yet the author stated that it is a positive statement about rural American values. 

Here it is

So, what is the story behind the painting? Well, Grant Wood simply saw a house in Iowa that he decided to paint along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that house". He chose his sister and his dentist.
They don't see very happy on any of the pictures, do they? 

Nothing extraordinary or fascinating. It may makes us think why do we even know this painting so well. Answer is simple; it is because of huge ammount of its parodies that  exist in American popular culture. This "fashion" for parodying it started very quickly: just twelve years after first exhibition. 1942, a photo taken by Gordon Parks of a cleaning woman Ella Watson from Washington, D.C. We see the parody even in cartoons for children.

What is interesting, you can make your own parody. While visiting Iowa there is a possibility of taking a photo outside the house. Many couples dress up and try to look as the famous two by facing the camera and holding a pitchfork or anything else.
Would you like a photo like that? 

Task: Find two more modern parodies of the painting

San Francisco murals

Street art in the form of murals is a very popular phenomenon in the USA.

San Francisco offers a variety of  murals but the most famous ones can be found in The Mission District. The murals are not only vivid and full of colors but also tell stories and send very crucial messages to the world.

Most of the murals are painted but some are mosaics and others include 3D elements.

While many San Francisco murals are in great shape, some are peeling or fading away. 

Some of the earliest ones date back to the 1970s, so both time and weather have had an impact on them.

Murals in San Francisco are omnipresent and there is a huge demand for more. Precita Eyes is the non-profit organization that links artists with requests.

Both public and private businesses and individuals request them to spice up the outside of their buildings. Murals appear on churches, restaurants, and public buildings. They are in parks or on the garage doors of private residences.

Mission District murals





TASK 1
Study the mural and tell a story.  What happened? What does it tell you about the people of San Francisco?