What Are Two Art Movements That Began in Paris?

By Robert Palmer

Paris has been a hub of artistic movements for centuries, and two of the most significant art movements that originated in Paris are Impressionism and Cubism.

Impressionism:
Impressionism emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction against the strict rules and conventions of traditional academic painting. The Impressionists aimed to capture the fleeting moments of daily life and the effects of light on color. They focused on the play of light and color, rather than precise details, creating artworks with loose brushstrokes and vibrant colors.

Some notable Impressionist artists include Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro. Their paintings often depicted landscapes, gardens, leisure activities such as boating or picnicking, and scenes from everyday life.

The Characteristics of Impressionism:
– Loose brushwork
– Vibrant colors
– Focus on light and its effects on color
– Subjects from daily life
– Lack of detail

Cubism:

Cubism emerged in the early 20th century as a radical departure from traditional art forms. It was pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in Paris. Cubist artists rejected traditional techniques such as one-point perspective, instead breaking down objects into geometric shapes such as cubes, spheres, and cones.

Cubist art aimed to represent multiple viewpoints simultaneously by showing different angles or perspectives within one artwork. This style also incorporated collages made up of various materials such as newspaper clippings or photographs.

The Characteristics of Cubism:
– Geometric shapes
– Multiple viewpoints or perspectives
– Collage techniques
– Fragmented forms
– Distortion

The Legacy:
These two art movements had a significant impact on modern art. Impressionism paved the way for future movements that focused on capturing subjective experiences rather than objective reality, such as Expressionism and Fauvism. Meanwhile, Cubism was a major influence on the development of abstract art, which aimed to create non-representational works of art.

In conclusion, Paris has been a center for artistic innovation for centuries, and Impressionism and Cubism are two significant movements that originated there. They both challenged traditional ideas about art and paved the way for future experimentation and innovation in the art world.