The Dance Class

What is this painting of? Degas is noted for paintings depicting the ballet.

Why was this painted? Commissioned in 1872 as part of an arrangement between Degas and singer/collector Jean Baptiste Faure. It was completed in 1874.

Is there a story to accompany the painting? It depicts 24 women, ballerinas and their mothers, standing in a line, waiting to be tested

What does this painting mean? A ballerina is executing a move in front of a mirror while the teacher looks on. The teacher is supposed to be Jules Perrot, one of Europe’s best known dancers and ballet masters.

Why is this painting important to the movement? It is set in the rehearsal room of the Paris Opera.

Why is it important to the history of Western art? This is interesting because the building had been burnt to the ground for a year at the time the painting was made.

Did this painting impact history? There is a poster for Rossini’s Guillaume Tell on the wall beside the mirror. This would popularize the opera.

Additional Information:

1. There is a window reflected in the mirror, through which it is possible to see the city of Paris. When seen, it becomes clear that this painting is a reflection of the new urban world, which was about performance and leisure.
2. The painting is not a self-contained narrative, clear narrative. This violates tradition in art. It is also asymmetrical.
3. It was outrageous for its time, as the ballerina’s are doing risqué things. The one on the far left is fixing her tutu, while the one in the foreground on the left is putting her finger in her mouth to bite her nails.
4. The viewer is at eye level with the dance master, giving the sense that they are seeing things as he would see them.
5. The image appears unchoreographed and unplanned, capturing a fleeting moment. This is a theme in impressionism.

Olympia

What is this a painting of?

Manet’s Olympia. This is a painting of a nude woman lounging on a bed. A black cat and a servant presenting her with flowers accompany her. The woman has a content and has a powerful poise about her. This is enhanced by here sultry stare right at the viewer. The model for this work is Victorine Meurent who was a courtesan (Or is other words, a prostitute). This is the first painting of a “working girl” to be publically displayed, and is therefore contemporarily horrifying but groundbreaking with hindsight.

Why was this painted?

This, like most French art at the time, was painted to be displayed in a “salon” or a gallery of sorts. The artist in question, Edouard Manet, painted this to intentionally break away from the stagnant academic art. He believed that art had reached a standstill and he desired change.

Is there a story to accompany the painting?

Manet finished the work in 1863; in order to avoid uproar chose not to put it on display until the 1865 Paris Salon. Unfortunately, although there were thousands of paintings at the exhibition, the one that drew the most attention was Olympia. Though the attention was quite negative, as people had to be restrained from physically destroying the painting. Onlookers pelted the work with rocks and screamed and gasped when they first laid eyes on the pale figure.

What does the painting mean?

The painting is showing exactly what it looks like, a prostitute receiving gifts from a Parisian admirer. Though she seems rater unimpressed and coy about the exchange, suggesting she is bored of receiving yet another gift. The painting shows a common practice in the bourgeoisie lifestyle. Though it was a shady and well-hidden lifestyle. The blatant disregard for subtlety is part of what enraged people.

Why is this painting important to the movement?

After the Salon des Refuses (the salon for all the art that was initially rejected for the main salon held in 1863) this is one of the first “big impact” pieces of Impressionism. It broadened the possibilities for other artists as it cleared the water for other dissatisfactions in the future.

Why is it important to the history of Western art?

Similar to the previous question, it made way for even more revolutionary and different art to come.

Has history impacted this painting?

This painting aligns nicely with the course of history. After two revolutions and many outspoken radicals in France, a revolution in art was bound to follow. According to Hegelian dialect, this movement (This piece in particular) was the antithesis to the academic tradition of art. “Look at the political history of France, the revolution and the overthrow of the aristocracy, the art world was ripe for a change in the way we view things — though the viewing public (who were often upper class) had to be dragged kicking and screaming. “

Did this painting impact history?

In one word, absolutely. It created an entire group of “impressionist dissenters” and established a new way of doing art. This rebellious, “paint what you see” attitude carries forward an entire genus of art and history alike. This is the time of mass politics and political change; it makes sense that art mirrors that.

Impression Sunrise

Artist History: Claude Monet was born November 14^th, 1840. During his lifetime, he would pursue art like his singer mother instead of becoming a Parisian grocer like his father. As he began his work, he began to break from the classical ideas of what art was meant to be and instead painted everyday scenes as he saw them. Lines would suggest, rather than define the subject while allowing light to play a large role in perception.

Background of painting: Claude Monet, along with other young Impressionist artist, held an art viewing in 1874 with this as one of the main pieces. The group, called Societe anonyme, focused their art on quick brushstrokes, the perception of light, and blurred lines. This painting was criticized immediately upon display as was said to “have certainly left an impression” on many who saw it. It was this criticism that gave the movement its name.

What it’s of: The picture is of the harbor of Le Harve, France. In the foreground, two row boats are moving towards to docks. The water on which they sit blends into the shapes of large steamers or other ships already tied up at the docks. A scarlet-orange sun provides the focal point of the painting, as it is in sharp contrast to the blues and greens in muted tones the surround it. The light it throws on the water directs the eyes attention to the row boats back in the foreground.

Meaning: The painting exhumes a sense of mystery, but still keeps a firm grasp on the reality that it is portraying. The slightly gloomy, muted colors, paired with the vividness of the sun, create a contrast that is relevant to the time period in which it was painted.

Why it was important to the movement: This was the piece of art that gave the movement its name as well as embodying all of the traits and characteristics of the movement.

Importance to the History of Western Art: Impression Sunrise was the first groundbreaking work in Impressionism. It also allowed future artists free experimentation with brushstrokes, color, and especially light. Content was no longer limited to the religious, mythological, or otherwise classical themes in art. Everyday life was suddenly made interesting and worth looking at exactly as it is. This piece and the new movement it helped create would inspire some of the greatest artists of all time, among them Degas, Cezanne, and Van Gogh.

History’s impact on the work: Impression Sunrise was a reaction to the art that had come before it. The classic way of painting no longer fitted the moods of a new generation of people. Previously, art had been a way of depicting and idealized form, now, it would be used to depict the way artists actually saw life.

Paintings impact on history: This painting has become a focal point in many art schools as the original free expression of art. In its own time, it was a liberation point for artists to depict what they saw as they saw it. Today, this same idea can be seen in many parks around the world on beautiful days with artists of all kinds depicting their version of what is beautiful. Impressionism has become one of the most recognizable types of art in the world and, with this piece as a main display, continues to be showcased in art exhibits in some of the finest galleries in the world.