A Brief History of Western Art for Beginners

Author: Zhang Yixiu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: In the late 19th century, the Industrial Revolution had been underway for some time, and material civilization had reached a level unprecedented in human history. The number of new buildings in Europe during the 19th century was more than the total from the previous few centuries combined. The new industrial society gave rise to serious social problems. In 1848, Marx and Engels published the Communist Manifesto to address industrial and labor issues. The result of material civilization's advancement directly impacted art; people lost patience and taste for sincere and profound art, becoming instead captivated by mass industrial products. Art not only lost its former important function but was no longer considered beautiful. To this end, John Ruskin and William Morris (1836–1896) initiated a social reform movement. They believed that the contradictions and ugliness in contemporary society were the result of excessive prosperity in mechanical and material civilization. Therefore, they sought to add refinement and artistic charm to the minds of busy and bewildered people. Poet John Keats and playwright Oscar Wilde joined this movement, which later evolved into a form of idealist socialism. Although Ruskin hoped to return to the rustic art of the medieval era, the reality was impossible. Many artists then utilized various new materials, combining them with ancient styles to create a new artistic aesthetic. This art is commonly referred to as New Art or Art Nouveau. In architecture and interior design, artists used steel, gold, and silver to craft classical Greek columns. In painting, the Austrian master Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) emerged. This experimental trend began in 1890, and its ornate decorative style became widely known. The beginning of modern art—Cézanne
The modern art we now refer to began to develop in the late 19th century. Some believe that Impressionism was the earliest trend of modern art because it abandoned academic rules. However, the artistic purpose of Impressionism was not far from the literary era; artists strove to present what they saw—with whether it was an "ideal beauty" or a "real beauty." The difference between the two lay only in their forms of expression. By the time of Impressionism, people could see on the canvas the appearance of objects under different lights and from various angles. Painting even acquired the function of photography, marking the first true conquest of nature in the history of art.
Cézanne (1839–1906) was easily categorized into the Impressionist era; he was two years older than Renoir. However, his development in painting differed from that of Impressionism. He participated in Impressionist exhibitions but, due to his introverted personality and dislike for socializing, he later retreated to his hometown—Aix-en-Provence in southern France. Apart from his close friend émile Zola, he lived an isolated life, creating art in a leisurely and tranquil manner. Sainte-Victoire Mountain is a masterpiece of Cézanne's local landscapes and the culmination of his years of experimental painting. Regarding the painting's form of expression, Cézanne once stated that he hoped the composition would present a harmonious beauty where each part could exist independently yet not conflict with one another. As a whole, it appeared firm and eternal, stable and solid.