Post #1 Introduction to the Avant-Garde

The term Avant-Garde has changed and morphed throughout history, starting as a military term but is now much more known as an art term. I have heard this used as way to describe art a number of times, but was never quite sure about its actual meaning. Though I still have much to learn, this weeks introduction has shed some needed light on what it means for art to be Avant-Garde. To my understanding, Avant-Garde at its core is to challenge what is established. In its early stages, this meant art that challenged and went outside of what was established and valued by the Academy of Art, who put high regard on paintings of history scenes, accurate anatomy, strong illusionism and smooth brush strokes. In modern times this could be a rejection of styles and elements found in early Avant-Garde work in attempt to push art into further uncharted areas and expression. The irony of this whole relationship is that artists who take up the fight of the Avant-Garde in any time, past or present, are completely reliant on the establishment they are trying to move away from. If there were never an Academy of Art and they had never put such emphasis specific elements of art, there would be no establishment for Avant-Garde artists to directly discard in their new direction. The establishment creates the contrast and interest in breaking these rules. To further the irony, those who were considered to be Avant-Garde at one time then have the potential to become the new establishment that a new generation of Avant-Garde artists may one day reject.

When art challenges what has long been established, it will then no doubt challenge the viewers who have been viewing this long established way of creating art. With a piece like Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, those who were used to seeing clear narratives were now being exposed to scenes that showed no obvious story. The riddle of what they were now looking at could be both what initially turned people and critics off from this new way of art but could also be what ultimately kept them intrigued. This was not the only new element introduced by this particular painting. Manet had left his piece with very visible brush strokes and application of paint. Where before paintings were to be done with a smooth brush stroke and finished with a varnish, he chose to show his process in the piece and leave it looking very painterly. He also shrinks the perspective and creates the surrounding with a much more flat quality than was popular. This can also be seen by the size of the woman in the water, how she is much larger than she should be depicted if the viewer is supposed to see that pond as further in the distance. Most obvious however, is Manet's inclusion of modern people in his painting. This is a direct contradiction to the Academy and their emphasis on scenes being depicted historically and is a move toward a type of realism in which the artist tries to depict the world around him. He does this by dressing the men in contemporary clothing and by giving obvious and definite clues that though the nude woman is in reference to a classical nude, she too is very much a modern and contemporary person as well.

Post #9

Throughout the quarter we have looked at a number of artistic periods. Of those periods the one that stood out the most to me was the Renaissance. This maybe be one of the most known and talked about periods in art, or even history,  but in this class I learned a number of new details about the the art created that reassured me it has deserved such fame.  The rise of humanism, an idea that celebrates all human achievement, lead to advancements in art as well as the social status of artists. They were able to separate themselves into the liberal arts and show that their profession had a theoretical background that had to be taught, learned and expanded on. Artists began to keep notes and form theories and methodologies in creating art. This also helped artists to gain recognition for their individual achievements and accomplishments, a big difference from the common anonymity of the past. This coupled with the writings of people like Georgio Vasari, said to be the father of art history, gave artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo the ability to reach the historical fame they have.

Through humanism and this new scholarly approach to creating art, various new and groundbreaking techniques were developed. During the Renaissance, a focus on naturalism, realism and illusionism really forced artists to further push the envelope in all areas. Things like human anatomy and proportion were revisited and reemployed from the classical period. To create a more realistic illusion of space however, Renaissance artists created a few new tricks. Sfumato was a way for a painter to create a smoky, haze that appears on details deep in the distance in real life. It gave them a new tool for creating a realistic atmospheric perspective. But no tool gave them more realism than the development of linear or calculated perspective. Before then, we had seen a number of artists try to capture the way objects are oriented as they fade in the distance, or implied perspective. Filipo Brunelleschi developed linear perspective, having all lines fade to a common vanishing point and it changed art and its ability to portray realism and depth in a two dimensional medium. Paintings like Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter by Pietro Perugino and School of Athens by Raphael are examples of what was possible in Renaissance art after learning linear perspective.

The Renaissance was also very interested in composition and how it not only filled the piece but effected the viewer. Their goal was to create a peaceful and harmonious composition that put the viewer at ease. To do this they started with a popular triangle composition that would have the important objects or figures in a loosely triangular layout within the format. This created a strong and balanced shape that also lead the eye all throughout the piece. As the interest in illusion and depth began to grow the triangle became a pyramid that could also fill space, but still created such balance and harmony. Portraits also bean to grow in popularity and it was Leonardo da Vinci who popularized the three quarter turn pose that has been popular and used in portraits and photos since.