Art Analysis from The Vietnam War

 The Romantic Era

Impressionism is my very favorite style of art from the Romantic period, while realism is my least favorite. I am going to share two different pieces from each style by four different artists.

The first piece below is Haystacks (Snow Effect, Morning) by Claude Monet. Haystacks was part of a series of around 25 paintings where Monet painted the same scene in various light conditions and seasons. It is believed these were painted near Monet's home in Giverny, France, between 1890 and 1891. Outdoor painting was extremely common for Impressionistic artists, so this location was perfect for Monet to have the opportunity to experience different lighting and seasons. There are several art elements worth mentioning for this piece, and texture is one that really stands out. The blending of the brushstrokes really showcases how the snow settles on top of the hay, but the brown sticking through shows where the snow missed. While there are only a few colors in this piece, they are all that is needed. The muted brown of the hay is a great but subtle pop of color for this tranquil setting. The pattern of having the two huts close in proximity is also eye catching. One can almost picture them in rows on the right and left sides. When I look at this painting, I feel very calm and relaxed. I connect with it because my favorite season is winter, and my favorite weather element is snow. Some have questioned Monet's motivation for painting this series, but it is believed that he took this as an opportunity to study light and seasons and how it affects art. I think it was proven a success!

Haystacks by Claude Monet, 1890-91

The second piece of Impressionist art that I am sharing below is At the Races in the Countryside by Edgar Degas. This is an oil painting that was painted in 1869 in France, and it was the first piece that Degas sold. To me, this is a cross between realism and Impressionism only because of the way it depicts an ordinary moment as realism art would do. The major difference with the content is that this is a pleasant scene whereas realism would probably not be. This beautiful painting shows a family of three, including their wet nurse and their dog, enjoying a nice day at the races. It is interesting how the family is very much focused only on each other despite being surrounded by activities. One art element that stands out to me is the space. The horses are right up front but are very dark in color, almost to the point that they blend. It gives a texture to the art, and it makes it almost appear as if you could reach out and touch them. The soft background colors in the painting give the appearance that it could get cloudy and rain later, and the texture of the clouds also contributes to this appearance. Color is one of my favorite elements of art because it can foster the imagination of what may occur later or what could have happened right before. I think Degas intended to show the world how an upper-class family might spend a modern day at this time.

At the Races in the Countryside by Edgar Degas 1869

The style of art in the Romantic period that I like the least is Realism. While it is appealing in that it shows real and mundane life, it is much more serious and, to me, the people in the paintings and the scenes themselves appear to be more melancholy. I will show two examples of that below.

The first piece is The Railway by Edouard Manet. This was an oil on canvas that was painted in 1873. It is unclear where Manet painted this piece, but it is believed he may have begun this painting outdoors and then finished it in a studio. This is a very realistic depiction of a presumed mother and daughter waiting at the busy train station in Paris, France. The woman is holding an open book and a small puppy while her daughter watches a train through the iron bars. What stands out to me immediately is the texture of their dresses and the way the fabric hangs. It appears they are wearing well-made fabric, so it gives us an idea of their social class. The colors are vibrant, and the lines are clearer than what you see in Impressionism, which is more blotted and blended. Also, the look on her face is one of more seriousness or solitude, which lends itself to realism. "She looks up at us directly with an expression that is neutral and guarded—the characteristic regard of one stranger encountering another in the modern metropolis" (National Gallery of Art). Another element I notice is the space. The woman and little girl are up close in the painting and are the obvious focal points, while the smoke from the train is in a distance. This is an additional way that I see the difference between the realism and impressionism. I think it was Manet's intention to share the reality of what this train station was like at this time, which was likely chaotic and noisy, and how people responded to it.

The Stonebreakers by Gustave Courbet, 1849

The second piece is The Stonebreakers by Gustave Courbet. This is an oil painting from 1849 where "the artist’s concern for the plight of the poor is evident" (Harris and Zucker). The intention of realism is to show the hardships and reality of life at this time and not to romanticize it in any way. One element of this piece that I find interesting is the choice of color. It is mostly grays and browns which neutralizes the piece of art. The focus is on what they are doing instead of what they are wearing or what they look like. This may have been a father and a son who were working a very difficult and strenuous job. The use of texture brings out the gravel and dirt and really emphasizes how difficult the material was to work with. The use of shading on the mountain in the background gives the illusion that where they are working it was probably very bright and possibly hot work conditions. According to Harris and Zucker, Courbet's intention was to show the truth. "This is not meant to be heroic: it is meant to be an accurate account of the abuse and deprivation that was a common feature of mid-century French rural life" (Harris and Zucker). I agree that his intentions were in line with the goal of realism which was to show the truth of this era. Unfortunately, this painting was destroyed in 1945 when a vehicle transporting this piece was bombed. 

The Stonebreakers by Gustave Courbet, 1849

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allan, Scott, et al. "Claude Monet, Wheatstacks (Snow Effect, Morning)
Getty Conversations," in Smarthistory, March 28, 2022, https://smarthistory.org/monet-wheatstacks-snow-effect-morning-getty-conversations/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

du Plessis, Alicia. “The Stone Breakers” Gustave Courbet – A History and Analysis.” Art in Context. January 4, 2022, https://artincontext.org/the-stone-breakers-gustave-courbet/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

Harris, Beth, and Steven Zucker. "Gustave Courbet, The Stonebreakers," in Smarthistory, August 9, 2015, https://smarthistory.org/courbet-the-stonebreakers/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

https://www.nga.gov/collection/highlights/manet-the-railway.html

https://totallyhistory.com/the-railway/

https://beyondmonet.com/monets-haystacks-a-celebration-of-light-and-nature/#:~:text=This%20series%2C%20painted%20during%20the%20late%2019th%20century%2C,part%20of%20art%20history.%20The%20Haystack%20Series%20Overview

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/32250/at-the-races-in-the-countryside

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/at-the-races-in-the-countryside/fAG5E-YLY4Q57g