The term "modern art" (Art moderne or "Modernism") lacks a precise definition; it is an elastic term that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. This is not unexpected, as we are perpetually progressing through time, and what is termed "modern painting" or "modern sculpture" today may not be considered "modern" in fifty years. However, it is conventional to refer to works produced between 1870 and 1970 as "modern art."
This "modernist era" is the culmination of a protracted period of academic art's dominance, which was influenced by the Renaissance and cultivated by the network of European academies of fine arts. It is succeeded by "current art" (since 1970), the most avant-garde of which is also referred to as "postmodern art." This chronology is in accordance with the perspectives of numerous art historians and institutions; however, not all. For instance, the Tate Modern in London and the Musée National d'Art Moderne at the Centre Pompidou in Paris both regard 1900 as the inaugural year of "modern" art. In addition, neither they nor the Museum of Modern Art in New York differentiate between "modernist" and "postmodernist" works; they regard both as phases of "modern" art.
Additionally, it is crucial to recognize that art does not undergo rapid transformation; rather, it is a reflection of the more extensive (and delayed) societal processes. Additionally, it is indicative of the artist's perspective. For instance, a piece of art that was created in 1958 may be classified as "postmodernist" if the artist has a highly avant-garde perspective, as exemplified by Yves Klein's "Nouveau Réalisme." Conversely, a conservative artist's work from 1980 may be regarded as a relic of the "contemporary" era, rather than an illustration of "current" art. In reality, it is likely accurate to assert that multiple distinct art movements, or aesthetic patterns, can coexist simultaneously, with some being hypermodern and others being traditional. It is also important to note that numerous of these terms (e.g., "contemporary art") were only developed retrospectively, post factum.
Where did modern art originate?
A concise historical examination will enable us to comprehend the origins of "modern art." The nineteenth century was a period of significant and rapid transformation. The Industrial Revolution (c. 1760–1860) brought about significant changes in technology, transportation, and manufacturing, which influenced the way people lived, worked, and traveled throughout Europe and America. As individuals relocated from rural regions to urban factories, cities expanded and thrived. The majority of laborers experienced cramped living conditions as a result of these industrially inspired social changes, which also resulted in increased prosperity. This resulted in a heightened demand for urban architecture, a burgeoning demand for applied arts and design (as evidenced by the Bauhaus school article), and the emergence of a new class of affluent entrepreneurs who became collectors and patrons of the arts. Numerous of the world's most exceptional art museums were established by these 19th-century tycoons.
In addition, the visual arts of the era were directly influenced by two additional events. Tin cans for oil pigments, which did not dry, were initially invented by American artist John Rand (1801–1873) in 1841. Subsequently, tubes were developed. Secondly, significant advancements in photography enabled artists to capture scenes that could subsequently be painted in the studio. A new style of painting, disparagingly referred to as "Impressionism," would be significantly influenced by both of these developments. This style would revolutionize the way artists depict the world around them and would become the first major school of modernist art.
The social transformations of the 19th century not only influenced the way artists created art, but also motivated them to explore new themes. Rather than slavishly adhering to the hierarchy of genres and being content with academic subjects related to religion and Greek mythology, interspersed with portraits and "meaningful landscapes" – all subjects intended to uplift and instruct the viewer – artists began to create works about the people, places, or ideas that captivated them. Cities, with their new train stations and shanty towns, were an obvious option, and they gave birth to a new genre and urban landscape painting. Monet, Matisse, and others were inspired to create new forms of landscape painting by suburban villages and the leisure areas serviced by the new railway networks. Benjamin West (1738-1820) and Goya (1746-1828) also revolutionized the genre of history painting. West's The Death of General Wolfe (1770, National Gallery of Art, Ottawa) was the first "modern history painting," and Goya's Third of May 1808 (1814, Prado, Madrid) introduced a non-heroic, innovative idiom.
Additionally, the arts were significantly influenced by a number of philosophical advancements that occurred during the 19th century. For instance, the emergence of political thought resulted in Courbet and others advocating for a socially conscious form of realist painting (refer to the article From Realism to Impressionism). The concept of the "subconscious" was further popularized by the publication of Sigmund Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams" (1899), which in turn encouraged artists to investigate Symbolism and, subsequently, Surrealism. The emergence of German Expressionism was either influenced by or coincided with the new self-awareness that Freud advocated, as artists resorted to expressing their subjective emotions and experiences.
What is the history of modern art?
The most frequently cited birthdate of "modern art" is 1863, the year in which Édouard Manet (1832–1883) exhibited his startling and irreverent painting "Déjeuner sur l'herbe" at the Salon des Refusés in Paris. Manet's painting was regarded as one of the most provocative of its era, despite his admiration for the Académie française and his inspiration from Raphael's Renaissance work.
However, it was merely a representation of the broader transformations that were occurring in the various arts in France and throughout Europe. A new generation of "modernists" had grown weary of adhering to the traditional academic art forms of the 18th and early 19th centuries and began to create a variety of "modern paintings" that were based on daring new themes, new materials, and new methods. The first significant battleground between conservatives and the new'modernists' was painting, although sculpture and architecture also suffered. Over time, their transformations would become even more transformative.
What is the primary attribute of modern art?
The term "modern art" encompasses a century and encompasses a variety of art movements, including pure abstraction and hyperrealism, as well as anti-art schools such as Dada and Fluxus, classical painting and sculpture, and Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, and Pop Art. It is challenging to identify a single characteristic that defines the era due to the immense diversity. However, contemporary artists are distinguished from the early traditionalists and the later postmodernists by their conviction regarding the importance of art. Real value is assigned to art by them. In contrast, their predecessors simply presumed that it was valuable. Ultimately, they were content to "adhere to the rules" because they lived in a time that was regulated by Christian value systems. The notion that art (or existence) had any intrinsic value was largely rejected by the "postmodernists," who emerged after modernism (from 1970 and later).
seen in Gallerix
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