Impressionistic Rebellion

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

One thing I love about Impressionism is how rebellious it was in its own time.  In 2018, it may be difficult to see the serenity of Monet’s waterlilies or connect with the maternal feelings of Cassatt’s portraits and think, “How rebellious!”  However, in the late 1800’s, academics, the Salon, and art critics rejected the Impressionists and were appalled at the hastily painted and seemingly unfinished artworks.  The so-called elite in Art (with a capital “A”) were insulted that these painters would dare reinterpret their comfortable, expected and realistic world with quick brushstrokes, thick layers of paint and bright colors.

The Impressionists were seeing the same world as the academics, but in a completely new way.  They shifted their gaze to nature and to human interaction.  They observed the subtle beauty of a haystack in a field through the changing seasons.  They witnessed the delicate grace of a ballerina warming up backstage.  They painted the tender interaction between mother and child.

Please join me for my upcoming lecture…

“Brushing Up on Impressionism!” is hosted by the Winter Garden Art Association and presented at SoBo Gallery.

  • Thursday, January 25th from 6:00 – 7:30pm.
  • Saturday, January 27th from 4:00 – 5:30pm.

For more information, please visit http://www.wgart.org.

 

Leave a comment

The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.