Painting Styles 1

Painting Styles

Debbie Johnson

Art 101

Macaela M. Carder

Painting Styles 2

Painting Styles

Since the dawn of man, art has been a means of expression and communication. Every era has

a different style in which art is brought forth. Throughout these eras, Artists from all over the

world have created art through paintings of every fathomable technique. Many of these eras gave

viewers a new way of looking at art three of which are; Neoclassicism, Impressionism, and

Abstract Expressionism. As the world changed, these art styles mirrored the different walks of

life and times in which they were painted.

Neoclassicism was a reflection of Greek and Roman values and tradition as seen by the

people of that era and society. Virtue and honor were the most prominent messages portrayed in

the art of the Neoclassicism era. In Jacques Louis David’s painting The Oath of the Horatii, the

drastic and deliberate lines of the stances and gestures of the men portrayed are a clear indication

of the Neoclassic style. Another indication is in the colors worn by the characters and the

geometric shapes of the architecture. Women were depicted as more virtuous than in previous

eras in addition to being devoted to their families and their country while painted in muted and

non dramatic hues. Men played the more honorable and heroic roles by proudly protecting their

way of life and are shown wearing bold and vibrant colors. (Lerouge, 2009). Thomas Jefferson

and Napoleon Bonaparte were both inspired by Neoclassicism which illustrated Greek and

Roman construction. This is evident in the way that Jefferson designed his house with Greek

traditional design and in the way that Napoleon modeled structures such as the church, La

Madeleine, after Roman temples. (Sayer, 2010).

Impressionist art is, at the very least, a salute to the simple pleasures of life as it was known in

that era and society. Most impressionists depicted gatherings of people enjoying each other’s

Painting Styles 3

company and their surroundings with serene and joyful expressions. The vibrant colors seen in

the costumes along with the sun’s light effects that spread throughout the paintings are indicative

of impressionistic pieces of art. Thus is seen in Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-

Auguste Renoir. This painting specifically shows Renoir’s friends as they enjoy a day together

on a balcony overlooking a beautiful landscape as they are eating, drinking, and taking pleasure

in each other. (Phillips Collection, 2010). Another portrayal of the era in which this painting was

made is in the welcoming tone in the piece. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, Parisians

were not at all welcoming of the lower class or of different cultural differences. The

impressionist era brought on a new way of thinking of the Parisian way of life in general. (Sayre,

Impressionism, 2010).

One era of painting style sets itself apart from the rest as a completely unrealistic expression

of self. In contrast to other abstract painting styles, Abstract expressionism is more

improvisational and less indicative of a specific scene or idea. Jackson Pollock a very prominent

painter in this era. His technique of splashing, pouring, and flinging paint onto a canvas which he

laid flat on the floor, gave him the freedom to truly express his emotions on the canvas from

every angle. (Sayre, American Modernism and Astract Expressionism, 2010). Pollock, himself,

was not able to describe what the Abstract Expressionism movement was about. He said, “The

modern painter cannot express this age, the airplane, the atom bomb, and the radio in the old

forms of the Renaissance or of any other past culture. Each age finds its own technique.” These

words are the sum of the ideas behind this era of painting. Pollock used no rhyme or rhythm in

his work but the layers that he used to cover his canvas fully were powerful in themselves.

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010)

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Although many styles and eras have come and gone, one thing remains the same. Art will

continue to be the most popular, most sought after, and widely used form of expression.

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References

Phillips Collection. (2010). The Luncheon of the Boating Party. Retrieved from http://(2010).

Luncheon of the Boating Party. Retrieved from

http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating/index.aspx

Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2010). Works of Art. Retrieved from

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/210010466

Lerouge, O. (2009). The Oath of the Horatii. Retrieved December 16, 2011, from Musee du

Louvre: http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/oath-horatii

Sayer, H. M. (2010). Neoclassicism. In H. M. Sayer, A World of Art (pp. 481-484). Upper Sadle

River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Sayre, H. M. (2010). American Modernism and Astract Expressionism. In H. M. Sayre, A World

of Art (pp. 509-512). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Sayre, H. M. (2010). Impressionism. In H. M. Sayre, A World of Art (pp. 492-494). Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.