Impressionism & Art at the Exposition
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With the prominence of modern architecture at the fair, it was very
easy to overlook, the large strides made in art during the time of the
exposition. The most significant change in art was the changing style,
this new art form of impressionism
originated in France during the 1870s, characterized by the immediate
visual impression produced by a scene and by the use of unmixed primary
colors and small strokes to simulate actual reflected light. Along with
the changing styles of painting came a shift in the general demographic.
The Centennial Exposition was the first time that the United States
participated in an exposition and established itself as a source of
great artistry. |
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Even though industry made a large impact on
the foundation of Impressionism, it was actually Impressionism that had
the greater impact on industry, through paintings that critiqued industrial
change. Impressionists were social commentators, who reflected and commented
on all aspects of modern life, from class to industry. Monet’s “The
Fog” is an archetypal representation of industry through Impressionism.
The smoke coming from Monet’s representation of the railroads melts
into the air and buildings. It shows how smoke is becoming something that
is common and natural like “The Fog.” Monet shows how the line
between nature and industry is becoming somewhat unsettlingly ambiguous.
He portrays how industry is de-humanizing by make the people, the train,
and the smoke, indistinguishable. Like many other impressionists, Monet
uses his power as an artist to criticize how industry is becoming too
prevalent. This incredibly modern art form that was used to try to portray
the nature of the world, was also used to portray what has come to be
unnatural in the world, what then followed were modern ideals that pertained
to the disconcerting growth of industry. Although many painters were showing the poor impact of industry on society through their paintings, it was the aesthetic ideals of modern architecture that was the guiding force in the formation of impressionism. Architecture began following the idea that the aesthetic comes from its structure. Impressionist paintings followed these same guidelines. When focusing in on the details of impressionist paintings, you can see that the painting consists of numerous delicately placed “smudges.” When looking at the painting as a whole, this modern impressionistic style provided a snapshot of immediacy. These “smudges” provide the structure for the impressionistic paintings that offered a sense that natural beauty in the world is always available, and can always be seen by certain willing eyes. For the Impressionists, the artist’s vision consists not of what you see, but how you see it. With a general sense of beauty at hand, artists were extracting what society was giving them, and turning it into modern art. |
| There were numerous artists
from various countries who participated in the Centennial Exposition.
The most significant contribution to the Exposition was made by the United
States. The Exposition of 1889 was the first time that the United States
largely participated in a European fine arts exhibition. They sent 336
paintings by 189 artists, more works than any other country.[1]
The United States was trying to establish themselves as a major force
in art along side their French and British counterparts. Two juries, one
in New York and one in Paris decided the selection of painting that the
United States sent to the exposition. By the end of the exposition an
international jury gave 57 awards and 24 honorable mentions to the Americans.
Through the Centennial Exposition, the United States was able to make
a significant name for itself in the world of art. The Centennial Exposition marked a significant transition in art. Though the art at the exposition were secondary to architecture, the change that art was going through was a very significant one. The Belle Epoque and Centennial Exposition symbolized a time that art was absorbing the changes in society and reflecting them through hundreds and thousands of paintings. Also, with the large contribution that the United States made to the exposition showed how universal art is. In my eyes, modern art is this change that occurs when daily life and society is absorbed into art and each different artist gives back their own outlook. |
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[1] “Chapter 1: The Age of the Exposition,”
<http://www.nortropic.com/lis341/alison/chap1.htm>. (11 Apr. 2004).