Pictorialism
The definition as defined by Britannica.com : An approach to photography that emphasizes beauty of subject matter, tonality and composition rather than the documentation of reality. /web-sites.html
Exercise 1:3 Establishing Conventions
Using internet and other resources, find at least 12 examples of 18th and 19th Century landscape paintings. List the commonalities you find across your examples. Discover WHY the pictures were painted (commissioned) . Next find examples of landscape photographs that conform to these conventions.
Conventions in Art in the 18th and 19th century that I have found references to are:-
Baroque early 18th century (Carvaggio, Rembrandt, Vermeer)
is characterized by great drama, rich, deep colour, and intense light and dark shadows.
Rococo (mid to late 18th century) (Boucher, Watteau, Fragonard, Cannaletto)
was characterized by assymetry and bright colours
Neoclassicism 1760 onwards (Ingres, David, Mengs) :- characterized by symmetry and simplicity
Romanticism 1800-1850 (Constable, Cozens, Gainsborough, Turner,Goya, Delacroix) which reacted against neoclassicism and was influenced by ideals of imagination and emotion over rationality. Freedom of expression throughout the arts. There was also a heightened interest in nature.
Impressionism (1870's and 80's) (Cezanne, Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Pissaro, Van Gogh) was characterized by the artists painting the living, scenes of daily life often in the open air and with extra importance given to the light.
Prior to these periods art appears to have been more about interpretation of stories, religious studies, still life and portraits.Perhaps these were mainly commissions. Landscapes start to appear in the early 1700's.
Conventions in Art in the 18th and 19th century that I have found references to are:-
Baroque early 18th century (Carvaggio, Rembrandt, Vermeer)
is characterized by great drama, rich, deep colour, and intense light and dark shadows.
Rococo (mid to late 18th century) (Boucher, Watteau, Fragonard, Cannaletto)
was characterized by assymetry and bright colours
Neoclassicism 1760 onwards (Ingres, David, Mengs) :- characterized by symmetry and simplicity
- use of straight lines
- Smooth paint surface
- Depiction of light
- Minimal use of colour
- Clear, crisp definition of form
Romanticism 1800-1850 (Constable, Cozens, Gainsborough, Turner,Goya, Delacroix) which reacted against neoclassicism and was influenced by ideals of imagination and emotion over rationality. Freedom of expression throughout the arts. There was also a heightened interest in nature.
Impressionism (1870's and 80's) (Cezanne, Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Pissaro, Van Gogh) was characterized by the artists painting the living, scenes of daily life often in the open air and with extra importance given to the light.
Prior to these periods art appears to have been more about interpretation of stories, religious studies, still life and portraits.Perhaps these were mainly commissions. Landscapes start to appear in the early 1700's.
Notes
N00310_10.jpg Thomas Gainsborough . This picture makes good use of wonderful light. Compositionally there is almost a circular effect, being drawn to the light and redirected by the bough to consider the story portrayed on the bridge and the horses being watered.
642 × 371 - nationalgallery.org.uk
Portrait of Mr and Mrs Andrews 1750. I think this must have been commissioned by the Andrews family. The convention is of the fashion of a conversation piece. Gainsborough emphasises the landscape and his skill as a painter is displayed by the changing weather and the natural scenery. (Text from National Gallery)
constable-hay-wain-NG1207-fm.jpg The Hay Wain, John Constable. His influence was also felt in France where Delacroix spoke of him as ' le pere de notre ecole de paysage'. (Father of our school of landscape). His work preceded the Barbizon school of landscape and paved the way for Impressionism by the luminosity of its colour and loose broken touch. Compositionally there is a strong diagonal in the form of the river, and 3 points of interest forming a triangle - the house, the dog and the hay-wain. The sky indicates a changeable weather and there is a tranquil mood.
The Barbizon School 1840-1860
Millet millet-whisper-NG2636-ft.jpg Corot jean-baptiste-camille-corot-a-flood Daubigny, Rousseau, rousseau-rocky-landscape-NG4170-ft.jpg Diaz,
image.php
borgm_00590.jpg
N00310_10.jpg Thomas Gainsborough . This picture makes good use of wonderful light. Compositionally there is almost a circular effect, being drawn to the light and redirected by the bough to consider the story portrayed on the bridge and the horses being watered.
642 × 371 - nationalgallery.org.uk
Portrait of Mr and Mrs Andrews 1750. I think this must have been commissioned by the Andrews family. The convention is of the fashion of a conversation piece. Gainsborough emphasises the landscape and his skill as a painter is displayed by the changing weather and the natural scenery. (Text from National Gallery)
constable-hay-wain-NG1207-fm.jpg The Hay Wain, John Constable. His influence was also felt in France where Delacroix spoke of him as ' le pere de notre ecole de paysage'. (Father of our school of landscape). His work preceded the Barbizon school of landscape and paved the way for Impressionism by the luminosity of its colour and loose broken touch. Compositionally there is a strong diagonal in the form of the river, and 3 points of interest forming a triangle - the house, the dog and the hay-wain. The sky indicates a changeable weather and there is a tranquil mood.
The Barbizon School 1840-1860
Millet millet-whisper-NG2636-ft.jpg Corot jean-baptiste-camille-corot-a-flood Daubigny, Rousseau, rousseau-rocky-landscape-NG4170-ft.jpg Diaz,
image.php
borgm_00590.jpg
Photographers work which conforms to art conventions of 18th and 19th century
Ansell Adams . This iconic landscape photographer sought clarity, minimal colour as the medium was Black and White, use of light and therefore his work relates to the neoclassicist style. url , ansel_adams-3.jpg, 757px-Ansel_Adams_-_National_Archives_79-AA-R02.jpg
Andreas Gursky - the maker of the most expensive photograph images - this shows strong use of straight lines, minimal use of colour.
John Blakemore - johnblakemore056.jpg , Quote from onlandscape website, see below.
"His landscape photography was always about ideas about place rather than just the place itself. He wanted to capture a sense of the forces that shape the landscape at large. The results are photographs that have a raw power with a presentation that can look uncomposed to the hurried eye but is actually exquisitely balanced". - See more at: http://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2011/03/master-photographer-john-blakemore/#sthash.Ht54SRMF.dpuf
johnblakemore054.jpg
This seems to be more in line with the Romanticists pursuing emotion and mood over rationality.
Guy Edwards landscape work is about mood and beauty in the landscape. He uses lines and simplicity and light to its best advantage.
The_Marshwood_Vale_fs.jpg , Pentre_Ifan_fs.jpg , Ashridge_Forest_fs.jpg
Edward Weston
Rain_Over_Modoc_Lava_Beds_1937_(NE-LB-1G)_large.jpg, Oceano, 1936 30SO.jpg. , Iceburg_Lake_1937_(E-IL-6G)_large.jpg
All the above are very simple pictures but strong in communicating the sense of place.
Dirk Wustenhagen's work often has a dreamy quality to it which makes me think of Impressionist paintings.
inspirational-landscape-photographers-on-500px-dirk-wustenhagen.jpg , 3.jpg, 49760892, 3.jpg, 3.jpg
As I have progressed, albeit very slowly as every website drew me on to other websites, I realise the value in doing this research - it has had the effect of making me look at very very many pictures - both paintings and photographs. Some of the work I have seen I would like to emulate, but not to copy.
Andreas Gursky - the maker of the most expensive photograph images - this shows strong use of straight lines, minimal use of colour.
John Blakemore - johnblakemore056.jpg , Quote from onlandscape website, see below.
"His landscape photography was always about ideas about place rather than just the place itself. He wanted to capture a sense of the forces that shape the landscape at large. The results are photographs that have a raw power with a presentation that can look uncomposed to the hurried eye but is actually exquisitely balanced". - See more at: http://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2011/03/master-photographer-john-blakemore/#sthash.Ht54SRMF.dpuf
johnblakemore054.jpg
This seems to be more in line with the Romanticists pursuing emotion and mood over rationality.
Guy Edwards landscape work is about mood and beauty in the landscape. He uses lines and simplicity and light to its best advantage.
The_Marshwood_Vale_fs.jpg , Pentre_Ifan_fs.jpg , Ashridge_Forest_fs.jpg
Edward Weston
Rain_Over_Modoc_Lava_Beds_1937_(NE-LB-1G)_large.jpg, Oceano, 1936 30SO.jpg. , Iceburg_Lake_1937_(E-IL-6G)_large.jpg
All the above are very simple pictures but strong in communicating the sense of place.
Dirk Wustenhagen's work often has a dreamy quality to it which makes me think of Impressionist paintings.
inspirational-landscape-photographers-on-500px-dirk-wustenhagen.jpg , 3.jpg, 49760892, 3.jpg, 3.jpg
As I have progressed, albeit very slowly as every website drew me on to other websites, I realise the value in doing this research - it has had the effect of making me look at very very many pictures - both paintings and photographs. Some of the work I have seen I would like to emulate, but not to copy.
Exercis 1.4: What is a photographer?
http://www.camramirez.com/pdf/DI_Week6_PhotoAndArt.pdf
Read this essay and summarise the key points. Write your responses to De Zayas' point of view and consider whether these questions are still relevant today. Give your own position on this issue.
Points made in Photography and Artist Photography
In this essay De Zayas has weighed up the differences between two sorts of photography and related it to art.
The rights and wrongs of these different disciplines are as strong today as in the days of Henry Peach Robinson and the linked ring. Emotions continue to run high on either side.
My own point of view is that both are valid. If a true representation is required - as in reporting a news event, a passport photo, a sales advertisement then it should be as faithful as possible. Leaving out rather than including something is the decision of the photographer and that can alter the truth. Adding something in in these instances is unacceptable.
If a pictorial representation is required, perhaps as ornament or as conveying mood, in my view that is not only acceptable but increases the artistic value and individuality of the work.
Please find Exercise 1.5 under More, Project 6, Transitions.
Read this essay and summarise the key points. Write your responses to De Zayas' point of view and consider whether these questions are still relevant today. Give your own position on this issue.
Points made in Photography and Artist Photography
- Pure photography is a negation of all previous representative systems showing Form. It is a experimental science of Form. It is objective and may generate different conceptions that man has of Form
- Pure photography represents something outside of oneself - impersonal and objective - pleasure and knowledge.
- The Photographer looks at nature as an investigator and tries to make a true representation.
- Stieglitz has sought to search for the pure expression of the object.
- Artist Photography uses that objectivity of form to express a preconceived idea to express emotion.
- Art photography seeks to express something from within, a personal representation. Objectivity is veiled by the subject idea.
- The artist photographer uses nature to express his individuality
- Steichen has succeeded in expressing the perfect fusion of the subject and object.
In this essay De Zayas has weighed up the differences between two sorts of photography and related it to art.
The rights and wrongs of these different disciplines are as strong today as in the days of Henry Peach Robinson and the linked ring. Emotions continue to run high on either side.
My own point of view is that both are valid. If a true representation is required - as in reporting a news event, a passport photo, a sales advertisement then it should be as faithful as possible. Leaving out rather than including something is the decision of the photographer and that can alter the truth. Adding something in in these instances is unacceptable.
If a pictorial representation is required, perhaps as ornament or as conveying mood, in my view that is not only acceptable but increases the artistic value and individuality of the work.
Please find Exercise 1.5 under More, Project 6, Transitions.