Post Impressionism in Modern Media
- Ryn Kazuma
- Jul 2
- 5 min read
1. Overview and Historical Context
Post Impressionism is a movement originated by the French in the early 1880s and lasted until 1914. Following on from the Impressionist era which dominated French art from 1872 until the early 1880’s, critics and young artists of this style created a new art movement which opposed the impressionists' focus on technique and natural lighting. They believed that these 2 factors overshadowed the subject matter of their work.
While Paris was the focus of the Impressionist artists, the new movement embraced subjects and development of individual styles in many other parts of France. Outside of Paris. For instance, Paul Cezanne in Provence, Van Gogh in Arles and Gauguin in Tahiti. Because this new style was very individual and personal to each artist, it often caused conflict and rivalry between artists' methods and approaches as the era brought us paintings that took us beyond a window into our world, instead into the mind and soul of each individual artist. (The Art Story Contributors, 2013).
Main characteristics or ideas of the movement:
The characteristics that stand out most in Post impressionists' work including the following:
Patterned brushstrokes: Artists often applied short brushstrokes with the use of broken colours. The first example of this technique was used in Georges Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte which introduced the technique Pointillism. (Masterclass, 2021).
Unnatural colours: Unlike colours used by Impressionists artists, Post Impressionists opted for the use of unnatural colours which were not naturally occurring. This showed the emotions or perspectives of their paintings subject matter rather than an accurate copy of the subject exactly. (Masterclass, 2021).
Symbolism: A method developed by Paul Gauguin that showed subject matter and ideas through the use of symbols. This included lines, shapes and colours, allowing him to bring dreams and visions alive on canvas. (The Art Story Contributors, 2014).
3. Key People and Works
Possibly the most recognized Post Impressionist artist would be Vincent Van Gogh, a Dutch draftsman and Painter. While he was passionate about his art style, he only ever sold one painting in his lifetime. His canvases were often painted in bright colours, with heavy visual brushstrokes. His style brought to life many of his personal expressions. Many considered Van Gogh as a tortured artist who most likely suffered from various mental health issues and disorders. Most of his work was completed in the last 2 years of his life and, after cutting part of his ear off in a fight with Paul Gauguin, eventually committed suicide after a year in a mental institution.
His best-known work is his 1889 painting, “Starry Night”. He painted this from memory of the night sky and cypress trees and not while outdoors. This piece was significant for promoting the art of painting outside and beyond the physical presentation of the world. In this painting, the swirling sky and vivid colours are very different to his previous naturalistic landscape works. (The Art Story Contributors, 2012).
Also known for his contribution to Post Impressionism was Paul Gauguin, A French draftsman, painter, printmaker and sculptor from Paris who broke away from his impressionist work and influences to explore and create a new style for his art that would become one of the characteristics of the movement in Symbolism. After spending a summer with Vincent Van Gogh in 1888, he would move on from his stockbroker work to travel the South pacific, continuing to evolve his style influenced by primitive arts, rejecting western society and his European life in what many would describe as the artist-as-wandering-mystic.
His most influential piece would be Vision After the Sermon, a biblical scene chosen and painted by Gauguin in 1888 that depicts a vision where a man named Jacob wrangles with an angle with churchgoers experiencing the event in the foreground. He presents this vision in a modern style inspired by Japanese prints, his own ceramics and stained-glass windows methods alongside popular and high art traditions with areas of colours, showing not only his departure from Impressionism, but his experimentation towards a new style that would begin his journey into developing Symbolism. (Justin Wolf, 2010).
4. Influence on Applied Arts, Design, or Media
Although Van Gogh was unsuccessful during his life, today his artwork sells for millions of dollars. This has also translated to the fashion industry with designers finding inspiration with his use of colours and brushstrokes for many fabrics and designs. This includes The House of Dior, Moschino and Louis Vuitton just to name a few. (Alice Cavallo, 2023)
Another art form that was influenced by Van Gogh was film. The 2017 Academy nominated animated feature, Loving Vincent, explored the last years of Van Goghs life in the world's first fully painted motion picture. To make the film, 125 oil painters from around the globe spent years recreating over 120 of his paintings and bringing them to life with over 65,000 frames hand painted. (Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam, 2023).
Many games take influence from the characteristics of Post-Impressionism, like In The Legend of Zelda, Skyward Sword, Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto found inspiration for the game’s art direction from 19th century French painters such as Impressionist painter Claude Monet with soft, warm colours and wayward brushstrokes to Post Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne in the mountains and skies for a playable painting like visual art style. (Luke Plunkett, 2010).
5. Conclusion
Post Impressionist's have been hailed for showing us a different view of the world with their colours, emotions and individual touches in their work. While the movement ended in 1914, Post Impressionism and its key artists inspired other movements such as Favuism, Symbolism and Expressionism in the new century. In turn those movements are still inspiring artists today, continuing the legacy of the Post Impressionist's. (The Art Story Contributors, 2013).
6. References
The Art Story Contributors (1 July 2013) Post-Impressionism Movement Overview, The Art Story.
MasterClass (16 January 2021) Post-Impressionism: 3 Characteristics of Post-Impressionist Art, MasterClass.
The Art Story Contributors (5 December 2014) Symbolism Movement Overview, The Art Story.
The Art Story Contributors (12 June 2012) Vincent van Gogh Paintings, Bio, Ideas, The Art Story.
Wolf J (1 December 2010) Paul Gauguin Paintings, Bio, Ideas, The Art Story.
Plunkett L (15 June 2010) Zelda: Skyward Sword Is Inspired By...Dead French Painters?, Kotaku.
Cavallo, A. (2023, March 30). The Fashion Influence of Vincent van Gogh - Vincent Van Gogh Inspired Runway Looks Death. L'Officiel USA.
Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam. Loving Vincent – The Movie. Van Gogh Museum.
Image References:
The Art Story Contributors. (2012). [Vincent Van Gogh] [Image]. The Art Story: Visual Art Movements, Artists, Ideas and Topics.
The Art Story Contributors. (2010). [Paul Gauguin] [Image]. The Art Story: Visual Art Movements, Artists, Ideas and Topics.
Faria, L. (2021). [Screenshot of Skyloft – Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Review] [Image]. WayTooManyGames.
Cavallo, A. (2023). [Vase With Twelve Sunflowers, jacket and skirt (Le Tournesols) – 1988 Spring/Summer collection – Yves Saint Laurent] [Image]. L’OFFICIEL USA.
Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam (n.d.) Loving Vincent Movie Thumbnail [image], Van Gogh Museum.
The Art Story Contributors. (2013). [Works from Post Impressionism] [Image]. The Art Story: Visual Art Movements, Artists, Ideas and Topics.
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