The Apple Pickers

Camille Pissarro
Camille Pissarro, The Apple Pickers, 1884-6
By KAELYN ROSS

Richard R. Brettell, author of Modern Art 1851-1929, depicts Pissarro as a dedicated painter of traditional rural life. However, the author also explains how the artist, an anarchist, differentiates himself in the category of rural depiction because of his use of urban art techniques. Brettell explains the artist as seemingly a perfectionist and possibly insecure because Pissarro painted this three times before finally selling it. I believe that Pissarro excluded the sky from this work to remove the subjects from the natural setting and more so resemble a factory as they hunch over in the heat exhaustedly. 

I agree with Brettell that these women were intended to depict farming innocently despite their sex, which was commonly used simply for lust. One woman pokes the apples with a stick to remove ripe ones, one hunches over to pick them up and arrange them in a basket to transport, and one woman bites an apple to taste test. Brettell does not explain but this work clearly shows the cycle of production to actual profit because the workers must grow, pick, clean, transport, and then sell their products. Brettell explains how most farmers did not only produce food for themselves, but to sell to a market and or individuals for a profit which can be taken from the work because of the worker eating one in the process of preparing to sell. The author gives background in explaining that the artist chose this topic to paint because he admired rural labor and other people were already doing industrial labor. 
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La Gare Saint Lazare

Claude Monet
Claude Monet, La Gare Saint Lazare, 1877
By MISSY ROSENTHAL 

Monet's La Gare Saint Lazare epitomizes the Industrial Revolution and the hopes of socio-economic views in the 19th century. Claude Monet illustrates a beaming metropolis of rail and a free market economy, a system economist Adam Smith argued in favor for in the 1700s. Smith advocated for laissez-faire economics, a system free from governmental rule. He firmly believed in the principle of the invisible hand, meaning the market itself will establish its ebbs and flows. As portrayed in Monet's work, Smith felt that industry functioned best with a division of labor, meaning each workers did only one task. This made for a more efficient working environment. 

Monet shows the worker on the railroad and the passerby prospectively. La Gare Saint Lazare can be seen as an visual representation of struggling socio-political ideologies. On the left side of painting trains and industry dominate the canvas, showcasing a desire for industrial success or capitalism, while on the opposite side of the piece people gather longing for equal rights and pay, or the basis of Marxist communism. 

Monet blurs the lines between these world intentionally, not only to create a beautiful work, but to showcases that these two ideologies were rediscovered in the wake of industrialization. Claude Monet masterfully portrays the social, political and economic ideas of Adam Smith and Karl Marx in La Gare Saint Lazare.
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London: Crystal Palace Int.: etching main avenue display areas

Elise Finn
George Cruikshank, London: Crystal Palace Int.: etching main avenue display areas, 1850-1

By ELISE FINN

In Friedrich Engels The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844, he discusses the problems that arise in a growing industrial world. People sacrifice so much of their identity in order to create an ideal. They have to let go of their true selves to fit into this urban world. This loss of uniqueness for conformity distances people from one another.

Engles says that "this isolation of the individual - this narrow-minded egotism - is everywhere the fundamental principle of modern society" (124). The more separate and same you are, the better chance you have of succeeding. The reality is that people have created "the war of all against all" (124). No more are your neighbors your friends, but they are your competition. Those who may still share commonalities have become strangers. This is the way the world works. The city only makes this selfishness worse.

Cruikshank's etching shows commoners at a gathering area, all looking similar and participating in a bland activity. Not only does this show progressing industrialization, but supports Engles observation of sameness as the answer. It shows the wealthier side, the people who have followed the same path. This is the result of how the strong has trampled the weak, a result Engles wrote about. As the world industrializes, the separateness between the rich and poor continues to grow.
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A Bar at the Folies-Bergére

A Bar at the Folies-Bergere
A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, Edouard Manet, 1882
BY JENNY ZHU

A Bar at the Folies-Bergere is considered Manet's last major work. This painting represents one of the most prominent music halls in Paris at the time. We see through the mirror behind the barmaid that the guests (aka the wealthy white people) are enjoying their time, but the expression of the barmaid tells another story. The painting used the mirror to draw a separation between the bourgeoises with the working class, creating an unsettling composition. As prosperous as the place might seem, the music halls were a common place for elites to pick up prostitutes which spark the question of the barmaid's true occupation. She does not have much expression. In fact, she looks very much dead inside to me. Is she worrying what the rest of the night will be like? If you look closely at her reflection in the mirror, you can see that she is talking to a man. What is he there for? Is he there for some unspeakable business trade with this poor barmaid? Or is he only an innocent guest here a drink and a good time?

A Bar at the Folies-Bergere speaks to me as a frustration of separations between social classes and social injustices.  The mirror is almost like a line between reality and a dream. The barmaid is in a hellhole of reality while the others living beyond the mirror are in fancy attire.
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Rain, Steam, and Speed

Joseph Mallord William Turner
Joseph M. Turner, Rain, Steam, and Speed, 1844
BY REMY JACOBS

This work of art was painted in 1844, in the midst of everything changing -- sometimes for the better, and other times for the worst. During the time in which this was painted, the world was been radically modernized. This is what most people like to call The Industrial Revolution. Things like factories, trains, and mechanical reproduction became possible. 

This painting can be depicted several ways, it just depends on how the viewer is looking at it. The way I see it is the further evolution of technology in the modern world. Others could view it as technology racing towards the destruction of nature, because of the radical changing of the world. 

The blurriness in the background is interesting. It suggests that for some may be the change was too fast for people to keep up with. I guarantee that there were some people who didn't want any of this to happen. But on the other hand, some people were excited about the change, either because they needed it or were tired or bored of the current system. 
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A Peasant Family at Lunch

A Peasant Family at Lunch
Albert Neuhuys, A Peasant Family at Lunch, 1895

By RUOLING "LINDA" XU

In the painting A Peasant Family at Lunch, the peasant family is living in a small dirty room having their simple meal. The family members all look at their food and have no eye contact with each other. They reflect the society Friedrich Engels described in his article The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844. The family members "selfishly concentrated upon their private affairs." When eating together, the atmosphere in the room should be warm. However, the color tone of the small dirty room and people's facial expression makes the room depressing.

Because of Industrialization, some people can expand their population and reduce heavy labor. Making clothes is easier. As you see in the painting, their clothes look ragged, they have little furniture. They are peasants, and their room is dirty and tight, which is commonly seen in this time period. They are the working class Engels speaks of. 
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Dance At The Moulin De La Galette

Dance at Moulin de la Galette
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Dance At The Moulin De La Galette, 1876
By KAELYN ROSS

Renoir's Dance At The Moulin De La Galette remains one of the most preeminent Impressionist paintings. The work displays working class Parisians dressing up for an afternoon at the Moulin De La Galette, a typical place for weekend get togethers with food, wine, and dancing. However, these working class people put on a sort of facade of wealth and prosperity despite their struggles.

Friedrich Engels' The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844 points out the truth behind this mirage of wealth. Although Engels writes about London, he explains that "Every great town has one or more slum areas into which working classes are packed. Sometimes, of course, poverty is to be found hidden away..." (125). Engels describes the packed streets of London where people "rush past each other as if they had nothing in common" despite their common characteristics and goals as human beings (124). Great cities such as London and Paris divide their wealthy and "slums" and hide their poverty in attempt to boost their confidence of their own wealth. This leads the working class to struggle and strive to become wealthy enough to move into the nice part of town and wear fancy clothes and throw extravagant parties. 
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Breaker Boys

Breaker Boys
Lewis Hine, Breaker Boys, 1911

By MILES KNIGHT

While the Industrial Revolution brought many new and amazing technologies to the world, it also brought some pretty bad things, like child labor. Child labor was widespread and popular because children were great at working in factories. Kids could be paid a laughably small amount of money and do nothing about it. Many kids were sent to factories to work by their own families so they could afford basic necessities like food. While child labor started around the same time the industrial revolution did, it continued on for quite a while after.

The photograph above depicts breaker boys working in a coal mine. Their job was to break larger chunks of coal down into more manageable and valuable pieces. They also sorted out any impurities. This job was extremely detrimental to a child's health. Kids working as breaker boys often suffered from asthma and black lung disease because of all the coal floating around in the air. The mines themselves were also dangerous. Kids would have to climb through the machinery to fix it often leading to their death. 

In 1832 the British government questioned adults who had worked in factories as kids. The workers were around the age of ten when they worked in the factories. One kid had to work from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and only a 40 minute break for dinner. The kids were also often beat if they didn't work fast enough, and on top of all that only got paid around 20 pence a week.
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Brettell's Social Class

A Summer Sunday on the Island of Grande Jatte
Georges Seurat, Bathers at Asnieres, 1884
Georges Seurat, A Summer Sunday on the Island of Grande Jatte, 1884
BY ZOE BROUS

In Richard R. Brettell’s Modern Art, Brettell argues that Georges Seurat created a direct location link and painted social class division between A Summer Sunday on the Island of the Grande Jatte and Bathers at Asnieres. A Summer Sunday on the Island of the Grande Jatte includes Seurat’s famous strokes of dots technique. Seurat possesed interest with the social class of the Third Republic of France. He includes bourgeois (middle class materialistic) men and women. This painting also includes people of diverse ages. In this painting, both men and women appear. The upper class men and women’s clothing is proper, and their position remain straight and upright. The background displays and relaxing park. However, this painting has always been controversial. The fisherwoman and the women with the pet monkey have been identified as prostitutes because of their attributes. The women reading the book receives relations with the surrounding men. This painting scandalousness deepens because the prostitutes appear on a holy day.

Seurat’s Bathers at Asnieres displays different class, position, background, and activities than A Summer Sunday on the Island of the Grande Jatte. Rather than pastime, the males use the body of water for bathing. Therefore, all of the boys could be homeless or earn scarce income. In the painting, only men bathe. The gender and age of the subjects displays the working class of primarily adolescent boys. The position of the men appears laid back and casual. The setting shows urban details of factory smoke and railway tracks. This painting receives an everyday scene of poverty rather than a Sunday pastime. Brettell believes both paintings confront the difference of social class structure pastimes. 


Brettell argures Seurat’s Bathers at Asnieres is located directly across the river from A Summer Sunday on the Island of the Grande Jatte. The sailboat race acts as the clear link between the two paintings. Both paintings include identical dimensions and similar techniques. The bathers look east to the same Island. A adolescent male in the Bathers at Asnieres appears to call out to a person on the Island of the Grande Jatte. I agree with Brettell’s theory that both paintings focus on the division of social class. However, I believe that Seurat drew inspiration from his first painting, and there’s no direct location link between the two paintings. Although Seurat painted Bathers at Asnieres before A Summer Sunday on the Island of the Grande Jatte, the painting with upper class men and women receives more praise and popularity, even decades later. I think it’s interesting that the painting with the higher class receives more praise, despite the fact that the two paintings use identical techniques.
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The Wave VII

August Strindberg
August Strindberg, The Wave VII, 1892

by ELISE FINN

Inspired by William Turner's paintings in London, Swedish writer August Strindberg used a mysterious approach to create an almost undecipherable painting. In Brettell's Modern Art, this work falls into the category of Anti-Iconography, a subject that's supposed to be without interpretation, for it would strip the painting of its purpose as a painting.

Without the need to try and verbally understand this work, "the visual gain greater autonomy from words." View art as it is. Don't spend time searching for a meaning, but rather let a meaning come to you...or not.

The subject is not what makes a painting art, it's the representation of that subject. The enforced meaninglessness of anti-iconography makes it difficult for people to understand why it's a subject in the first place. It serves as a reminder to people that not everything has to have an intention.

Strindberg took a literary-charged subject and stripped it of its narrative. Instead of its representation as a calm or peaceful symbol, The Wave VII is simply a painting. The artist can intensify a subject that he denies.
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On the Bank of the Seine at Bennecourt

Francesca Mauro
On the Bank of the Seine at Bennecourt, Monet, 1868
By FRANCESCA MAURO

The flat, vibrant colors covering the canvas in On the Bank of the Seine at Bennecourt render it one of the first truly impressionistic landscapes. Monet's painting depicts a mundane scene on the Seine River, which became a popular subject of impressionist landscapes. In this painting, Monet makes the subject nearly irrelevant and indistinguishable. 

Typically, trees create a sense of space and a visually appealing focal point. However, Monet's trees seem crudely added at the last minute, almost as if in an act of laziness to avoid painting the left third of the canvas. The reflection of the village on the far side of the river seems distorted. Monet paints only the reflection of a building concealed by the trees, and declines to paint reflections for the rest of the buildings on the right side.

The woman seated in the foreground, likely meant to be Monet's wife, is faceless, and her form seems  to have been changed several times. Her stance closes her off from any interpretations of emotion of situation. Monet seems to have removed a second figure from the painting, leaving patches of white and grey that do not blend into their surroundings. 

However, these changes likely had no affect on the meaning of the painting. The boat against the shore signals that the woman likely rowed across the river. Two groups of figures on boats in the background bring only the knowledge that the woman is not entirely alone. Otherwise, they fail to add to a narrative and are too abstractly painted to hint at any activity or story.

With each brushstroke, Monet seems to deliberately suppress emotion and narrative. Although the pleasant weather is obvious, little more can be gleaned from the painting. Monet purposely makes this painting say nothing. In Bretell's Modern Art, he suggests that "the most persuasive way to interpret the picture is as an image about painting as representation."  

On the Bank of the Seine at Bennecourt, according to this interpretation, is simply a painting, nothing more and nothing less. Viewers can choose to read into the landscape, but the most satisfying way to to view this painting is to simply appreciate the presence of paint on the canvas, the mixing of greens, blues, and browns.

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The Artist's Father

Missy Rosenthal
Paul Cezanne, The Artist's Father, 1866

By MISSY ROSENTHAL

In Richard Brettel's Modern Art 1851-1929, the author examines a shift in art technique and subject matter. Brettel discusses the concept of fetishism and how it specifically appears in a number of Cézanne’s pieces. Brettel describes fetishism as, "to involve the view in the process of artistic creation by fetishizing their major mater, paint." Cézanne's work showcases palette knife techniques, giving little depth to the piece and creating large gaps among brush strokes, which are characteristic of fetishism. The fetishism movement stemmed from the advent of photography. Because photography allowed for truly real imaging, the role of art changed from a necessary means of documentation to a method of appreciating the mere act of painting, rather than the subject it portrays. Cézanne accomplishes fetishism by flattening the piece to serve as un unrealistic artistic work rather than a realistic portrait. 

While Cézanne portrays the tumultuous relationship he had with his banker father. The artist illustrates this with thicker dark layers placed on the figure. One can interpret this rendering as an assertion of independence on the part of the artist from his overbearing father. Cézanne rejected his father's vision of his future as a successful banker or an attorney to study art. The painting in the background is of a still life Cézanne painted prior, symbolizing his success. The newspaper, L'Evénement refers to Emile Zola, a childhood friend of Cézanne and a renowned art critic, who encouraged Cézanne to study art in Paris. 


In addition to the meaning behind the subject and his execution of fetishism, The Artist's Father contains dark hues with a frequent use of shadows. The artist creates a modern painting while maintaining elements of classic portrait such as focusing the subject in the foreground. Although Cézanne intended to depict his father in a certain way, his work exemplifies Brettel's definition of fetishism through the use of the paint. 
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White Cross

Carly Hofmann
Wassily Kandinsky, White Cross, 1922
BY CARLY HOFMANN

In his book Modern Art Richard Brettell claims White Cross serves as a primary example in Brettell's analysis of nationalism in abstract artwork through through the early twentieth century. Brettell argues that "nationalism is among the most powerful forces in modern society" as it can be seen at the root of most substantial political events. Yet in spite of ever growing globalixation, the history of modern art remains largely a sequence of national histories written in national languages by historians who viw art as belonging to a specific set of national values. Brettell believes that this is the box Kandinsky's work has been placed in, thus limiting its value. 

Kandinsky was truly an innovator in his time. His background as an economist and a lawer provided him with a unique perspective as he painted his experiences as a participant in the "Great Utopia." The "Great Utopia" was a revolutionary period of artistic transformation in Russia that foreshadowed the impeding political upheavals of the early twentieth century.

In this painting, Kandinsky evokes, rather than describes war, and elicits a more musical expression of his understanding of conflict. On this large canvas, Kandinsky compiled a catalogue of elements observed and invented by himself during his years in Russia. This piece would eventually become emblematic of his style. Though Kandinsky left for Berlin to escape political turmoil when he created this painting, art historians have classified it as a "uniquely Russian artwork."

It is in this classification that Brettell believes the potential of this painting is limited. Brettell notes that "every modern art museum teaches us that place is as important to art as time" and it serves as the primary mode or organization. Modern art museums are segregated by geopolitical fences through which time flows. As viewers, we see pieces produced in the same place at vastly different times, but never work produced at the same time in different places.  

However, as the world became more cosmopolitan, art historians began to understand the value in classifying artwork beyond the physical place in which it was created. This, Brettell argues, opens the door for more thoughtful consideration of artwork such as Kandinsky's. Now, the ability to succeed in a multilingual artistic society is seen as essential for a modern artist, and those who were able to cross such boundaries remain successful today.  In this way, Kandinsky was ahead of his time. Through his use of abstraction, he appealed to all viewers, regardless of language or nationality. The feelings prompted by his compositional an color choices are universal. 
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Olympia

Edouard Manet
Edouard Manet, Olympia, 1863
By NAYOUNG KWON

Chapter Five of Richard R. Brettell's book of Modern Art talks about the theme of sexuality and the body within paintings. He suggests that paintings that consist of nude figures try to engage and challenge the viewers of thinking deeper about the representation of a human body and the behaviors behind it. Since "female" nudes were considered to be scandalous during the time period, critiques judged harshly and were considered "dirty," and  improper subject for viewing. However, as Brettell suggests, Manet treats the nude fairly flat and suppressed the illusionism within the painting above. Olympia, the most question raising painting that Manet have ever creted gained many attractions, and had popular view ratings by men. With the bold shameless pose and gaze, and the acceptance of her body grasped the attention of many has left the viewers feel vulnerable.

Manet's painting of Olympia was inspired by couple of artists such as Giorgione's Sleeping Venus, and Titian's Venus of Urbino. With the composition of a frieze and diagonal line coming from the top of Olympia's head which leads down to Olympia's foot shows the delicateness of the figure. Using the toned down cool colors, the painting gives not only calm vibes, but also the feeling of stiffness. Porcelain-like skin of Olympia gives of the youth and the innocent feel in the painting.
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The Scream

Anthony Madison
Edvard Munch, The Scream,  1893
By ANTHONY MADISON

Edvard Munch's The Scream has been one of the most iconic painting ever created in modern art history. It has provided inspiration for the 1996 slasher movie called "Scream" and the cover for the 1990 movie "Home Alone."

The colors of the painting give a contrast between the orange and red colors in the sky with the dark blue of the water. The reflection of the sky in the water on the left hand side of the painting near the top mixes the two colors well.

Towards the end of the 18th century, artists began expressing their inner emotions and feelings through their work. Usually, artists would paint to display their painting abilities to show how good they were. As this new era of painting came about, Munch changed up his style a bit. Munch had issues with anxiety which he chose to express with this piece instead of focusing on artistic skill.
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Apollo Slaying the Serpent

Apollo Slaying the Serpent
Eugene Delacroix, Apollo Slaying the Serpent, 1850-1851
By RUOLING "LINDA" XU

Apollo Slaying the Serpent also named Apollo Slays Python or The Triumph of Apollo is a painting made by Eugene Delacroix. As a Romanticist, Delacroix uses light and color to determine the good and evil. Apollo, the God of Sun, appears as bright warm colors and surrounded by light and other gods in the middle of the painting. The painting also can be understood as the sun drives away darkness. In his chariot, Apollo was using an arrow to shoot the serpent. The bottom part of the painting is dark, which shows the evilness of the serpent. 

Apollo Slaying the Serpent is a ceiling painting hang in Louvre. It has been transformed from a palace to a public art museum in the idea of "[art] is the property of the citizenry." Museums are modern inventions, created for political rather than aesthetic reason. The rulers believed by looking at the treasures of art can make people gain national heritage.
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The Crowd

Miles Knight
Wyndham Lewis, The Crowd, 1915
by MILES KNIGHT

Photography radically changed many aspects of art. Its rise to popularity forced painters to evolve their techniques, styles, and themes. One of these themes was time. Impressionist and cubist both worked with aspects of time but in different ways. Impressionist tended to focus on capturing a specific point in time, whereas Cubist tended to capture a scene over a duration of time. While some people say that Cubism is the direct antithesis of Impressionism, Cubism really evolved from the ideas of Impressionism.

The start of the 1900's brings new technology, bigger cities, and more industry. The Futurist where fascinated by these things and had to figure out how to translate them into painting but in an original way. Much like Cubist, Futuristm used time to depicted a scene over an extended duration. However, unlike Cubist, Futurists used time to capture energy in their paintings. The paintings were less about the visual accuracy and more about the energy. Richard R. Brettell explains Futurist paintings as "a field of action or compressed observation."

The Crowd by Wyndham Lewis expertly shows the idea of a compressed observation. Painted near the beginning of WWI during a period of political turmoil, the painting conveys feelings of anxiety, urgency, and energy. No soft edges or smooth curves can be seen. There is no form to the city, it bends and wist at its own will, repeating its self in random geometric patterns.



















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Portrait of Emile Zola

Edouard Manet
Portrait of Emile Zola,  Édouard Manet, 1868
BY REMY JACOBS

In chapter two of Richard Brettell's Modern Art 1851-1929, the author examines art museums, lithography, and photography. He specifically addresses how the artists adapted to the change. 

In the middle of the chapter, art museums are becoming more popular. In the beginning, art museums were built for political reasons, rather than aesthetic ones.  If a country has several art museums it gave them a sense of political and national power. In addition, the museums brought a steady flow of revenue. Museums also gave artists a chance to showcase their art. People of the royal status often had museums in their homes, making them look like they where the best there is. 

Towards the end of the chapter, photography becomes prevalent and takes the art world by storm. People started to prefer photographs over paintings because it's cheaper, faster, and it was different. In 1888, the Kodak camera was invented, and you could take a picture with the click of a button. As time went on, people stopped caring about paintings. With that being said, in the modern world, most people see reproductions of art rather than the original. 

Édouard Manet is regarded as being one of the founders of modernism. Emile Zola was a French novelist, playwright, and journalist. Manet met Zola through landscape artist, Antoine Guillemet, in February of 1866. Manet painted this portrait of Zola to show thanks for the support. About two years later it was showcased at the 1868 Salon.  With all that being said, this painting reminded me of when we read Walter Benjamin's "Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."
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Manau tupapau

Jenny Zhu
Manau tupapau, Paul Gauguin, 1892
BY JENNY ZHU

It was somewhat surprising to me to see colonialism and nudity put together in the same category, but in the wonderful realm of art history, such thing happened. I have always had a thing for flat colors so the painting called upon my attention almost the instant I saw it. The many shades of purple cooperate perfectly with the beautiful dark skin tone of the woman in the foreground despite her uncomfortable body language of the woman.

Paul Gauguin, the painter is often criticized for being sexist. The object of his paintings is usually exotic, dark-skinned, young female. He is considered one of the original colonial painters who, because of his inabilities to speak anything other than French, traveled only around French colonies.

"Manau tupapau" means spirits of the dead watching. However, some critics had pointed out that the girl looks afraid not because of the ghosts but because of the painter. This is one of the most famous anti-Olympia painting, as in Olympia where the young prostitute willingly shows off her body comfortably to the audience, the girl in Manau tupapau is suppressed by a white male. There is no other painting that explains Colonialism and the Nude more authentically than the Manau tupapau.
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The Night

Ferdinand Hodler
Ferdinand Hodler, The Night, 1890
BY MOHAMMED CHAUDHRI

The Night contains a deathly figure resting on top of a terrified naked dude. This piece made a sensational debut after shocking viewers with its hilarious yet terrifying exposition. The realism found within the bodies in the piece along with the central hooded character create shocking moments for viewers living in the age of Modernism. 

Modernism served to push artists into creating more innovative pieces that bring shocking reactions in viewers. Everything has been done before, but artists were now trying to blend techniques in order to create refreshing pieces filled with confusion and complexity.

You can't really tell if the hooded figure is there to harm Hodler or arouse him. The choice of having this central figure creates questions in many viewers eyes ultimately forcing them to immerse themselves within the piece to try and find an answer. I still don't understand the actual meaning of having the hooded figure, but I enjoy this piece because it gets me to try and understand its placement even if there is no actual specific reason for it.
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