This series will cover French Impressionism through the art of Millet & Courbet, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Rodin. The term “Impressionism” should be regarded as an umbrella name for a number of painters working in Paris in the late 1800. But not all of them were impressionists. In fact, I contend that the only true impressionist is Monet. The rest are something else— Impressionists by association.
Week 1 - Millet and Courbet
Two painters broke with the past (The Neo-Classical and Romantic period), and ushered in a new approach to painting about Nature, the Peasant, and Here and Now: REALISM. They were Millet and Courbet. We’ll explore their works in depth in numerous paintings.
Week 2 - Manet
It really does begin with Manet, the classicist. We’ll examine his major works – Olympia, Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, the Execution of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, the Balcony, and many others. And we’ll note the painters who influenced him.
Week 3 - Monet
We look at the origins of the word Impressionism and its interpretation. We’ll follow the evolution of Monet’s art from the patch of colour to ‘tinted steam’ [as Turner’s paintings were described]. The various paintings and themes that we’ll examine include Giverney [the pond and Japanese bridge], Rouen Cathedral, and many others.
Week 4 - Degas
Like Manet, Degas was independently wealthy, which gave them both the freedom to create without worrying about selling. The results are challenging melding as they do photography, painting, sculpture and classicism. Themes that interested him, and which we’ll explore, include the Nude, Ballerine, the singer at the café.
Week 5 - Renoir
I call him the Reluctant Impressionist. Renoir was a close friend of Manet, Monet and Degas, but his roots as an artist are in the French Rococo period, and although he did produce wonderful ‘impressionist’ paintings (Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette for example), Renoir is essentially a portrait painter of the Impressionism period.
Week 6 - Rodin
He has been called the first Impressionist sculptor and the last Classical sculptor. We’ll examine in depth his masterworks – The Man with the Broken Nose, The Thinker, Balzac, The Gates of Hell, The Burgers of Calais, and more.
Looking ahead: Justin Newell will be returning to Brock House to present two more courses: Post-impressionism Part 1 and Post-Impressionism, Part 2. Watch for them!
This course is open to non-members.
Member registration opens on Thursday, January 9 at 10 am.
Non-member registration opens on Thursday, January 16 by phone only.