ARTH 12A Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: History Of Asian Art, Henri Matisse, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
9 May 2018
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May 9, 2018
“Experimental Modernism in Europe” Notes
Reactions/Questions
•
Duncan: Virility and Domination
• What is virility?
o The quality of having strength, energy, and strong sexual drive (in a
man)
• When?
o Ten years before WWI
• Before focusing on current reading, how have artists characterized women
in the past?
o Objects or sexual manner objects
o Private vs. public sphere (only could be with man in public or
considered prostitute)
• How do male artists characterize women in the early 20th century?
o Objectifying women to show author’s sexual desires
o Characterized as powerless and sexually subjected beings
o Artists is sexually dominating presence
• How do artists dominate women in visual terms?
o By painting reclining nudes of women
o Submissive/sexual position
o In 19th century, “nude in nature” was often painted
• What do avant-garde or vanguard paintings seek to do?
o Avant-garde = forward thinking, progressive
o Allows for individual artistic freedom which leads to innovation
o Also acts as a male preserve as men are the dominant presence
o Unleash artists creative and instinctive desires
Avant-Garde
• Originally military term to refer to soldiers who are out in front
• Femme au Chapeau by Henri Matisse
o Distortion of space and form
o Vivid and bright colors
o Lots of people don’t like b/c no narrative or doesn’t reflect life they
live people also didn’t like ambiguity and accused artists of not
knowing how to draw but Matisse had Academy education
o Huge break from western tradition – naturalistic manner of
conformity with what people see around them
o Means “Woman with hat”
o Patchy colors instead of clear brushstrokes
o Looks like proper French lady with dress, gloves, and accessories
o Tendency to punch up blue tones of shadow
o New idea that artists can be expressive and paint whatever they want
• Red Room (Harmony in Red) by Henri Matisse
o Thin black to separate table and wall
o Way to flat – no one point perspective
o Everything has black outline (objects in real world don’t have this)
o No shadows (like Asian art – interest in Asian art in 19th century)
o Everything in room is vibrant or colorful except lady
o No change in scale/perspective
o Lots of areas of flat colors
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