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	'''French art''' consists of the [[visual arts|visual]] and [[plastic arts]] (including architecture, woodwork, textiles, and ceramics) originating from the geographical area of [[France]]. Historical surveys of French art typically begin with [[Pre-Romanesque art]], [[Romanesque art]], and [[Gothic art]], but some surveys, such as André Chastel's ''French Art'', include discussions of [[prehistoric art]], [[Celtic art]], and [[Roman art]] within France.		'''French art''' consists of the [[visual arts|visual]] and [[plastic arts]] (including architecture, woodwork, textiles, and ceramics) originating from the geographical area of [[France]]. Historical surveys of French art typically begin with [[Pre-Romanesque art]], [[Romanesque art]], and [[Gothic art]], but some surveys, such as André Chastel's ''French Art'', include discussions of [[prehistoric art]], [[Celtic art]], and [[Roman art]] within France.
		+	==Modern period==
		+	:main [[French art of the 19th century]]
		+
		+	The [[French Revolution]] and the [[Napoleonic wars]] brought great changes to the arts in France. The program of exaltation and myth making attendant to the Emperor [[Napoleon I of France]] was closely coordinated in the paintings of Gros and Guérin. Meanwhile, [[Orientalism]], Egyptian motifs, the tragic [[anti-hero]], the wild landscape, the [[historical novel]], and scenes from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance—all these elements of [[Romanticism]]—created a vibrant period that defies easy classification.
		+
		+	[[Image:Eugène Delacroix - Le Massacre de Scio.jpg|thumb|right|275px|''The Massacre at Scio - Eugène Delacroix]]
		+
		+	Romantic tendencies continued throughout the century, both idealized landscape painting and [[Naturalism (art)|Naturalism]] have their seeds in Romanticism. The work of [[Gustave Courbet]] and the [[Barbizon school]] are logical developments from it, as is the late nineteenth century [[Symbolism (arts)|Symbolism]] of such painters as [[Gustave Moreau]], the professor of [[Matisse]] and Rouault, as well as [[Odilon Redon]].
		+
		+	For many critics [[Édouard Manet]] represents the division between the nineteenth century and the modern period (much as [[Charles Baudelaire]] does in poetry). His rediscovery of Spanish painting from the golden age, his willingness to show the unpainted canvas, his exploration of the forthright nude, and his radical brush strokes are the first steps toward Impressionism. [[Impressionism]] would take the [[Barbizon school]] one step farther, rejecting once and for all a belabored style and the use of mixed colors and black, for fragile transitive effects of light as captured outdoors in changing light (partly inspired by the paintings of [[J. M. W. Turner]]). It led to [[Claude Monet]] with his cathedrals and haystacks, [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]] with both his early outdoor festivals and his later feathery style of ruddy nudes, [[Edgar Degas]] with his dancers and bathers.
		+
		+	After that threshold was crossed, the next thirty years became a litany of amazing experiments. [[Vincent van Gogh]], Dutch born, but living in France, opened the road to [[expressionism]]. [[Georges-Pierre Seurat|Georges Seurat]], influenced by color theory, devised a [[pointillism|pointillist]] technique that governed the Impressionist experiment. [[Paul Cézanne]], a painter's painter, attempted a geometrical exploration of the world, that left many of his peers indifferent. [[Paul Gauguin]], a banker, found symbolism in [[Brittany]] and then exoticism and primitivism in [[French Polynesia]]. [[Henri Rousseau]], the self-taught dabbling postmaster, became the model for the naïve revolution.
		+
		+	{{main|French art of the 20th century}}
		+
		+	The early years of the twentieth century were dominated by experiments in colour and content that [[Impressionism]] and [[Post-Impressionism]] had unleashed. The products of the far east also brought new influences. [[Les Nabis]] explored a decorative art in flat plains with the graphic approach of a Japanese print. At roughly the same time, [[Fauvism|Les Fauves]], exploded into color, much like German [[Expressionism]].
		+
		+	The discovery of African tribal masks by [[Pablo Picasso]], a Spaniard living in Paris, lead him to create his ''[[Les Demoiselles d'Avignon]]'' of 1907. Working independently, Picasso and [[Georges Braque]] returned to and refined Cézanne's way of rationally comprehension of objects in a flat medium, heir experiments in [[cubism]] also would lead them to integrate all aspects and objects of day to day life, [[collage]] of newspapers, musical instruments, cigarettes, wine, and other objects into their works. [[Cubism]] in all its phases would dominate paintings of Europe and America for the next ten years. (See the article on [[Cubism]] for a complete discussion.)
		+
		+	[[World War I]] did not stop the dynamic creation of art in France. In 1916 a group of discontents met in a bar in Zurich, the [[Cabaret Voltaire (Zürich)|Cabaret Voltaire]], and created the most radical gesture possible, the anti-art of [[Dada]]. At the same time, [[Francis Picabia]] and [[Marcel Duchamp]] were exploring similar notions. At a 1917 art show in [[New York City|New York]], Duchamp presented a white porcelain urinal (''[[Fountain (Duchamp)|Fountain]]'') signed ''R. Mutt'' as work of art, becoming the father of the ''[[Readymades of Marcel Duchamp|readymade]]''.
		+
		+	When [[Dada]] reached Paris, it was avidly embraced by a group of young artists and writers who were fascinated with the writings of [[Sigmund Freud]], particularly by his notion of the [[unconscious mind]]. The provocative spirit of Dada became linked to the exploration of the unconscious mind through the use of [[automatic writing]], chance operations, and, in some cases, altered states. The [[surrealism|surrealists]] quickly turned to painting and sculpture. The shock of unexpected elements, the use of [[Frottage (surrealist technique)|Frottage]], [[collage]], and [[decalcomania]], the rendering of mysterious landscapes and dreamed images were to become the key techniques through the rest of the 1930s.
		+
		+	Immediately after this war the French art scene diverged roughly into in two directions. There were those who continued in the artistic experiments from before the war, especially surrealism, and others who adopted the new [[Abstract Expressionism]] and [[action painting]] from New York, executing them in a French manner using [[Tachism]] or [[L'art informel]]. Parallel to both of these tendencies, [[Jean Dubuffet]] dominated the early post-war years while exploring child-like drawings, graffiti, and cartoons in a variety of media.
		+
		+	The late 1950s and early 1960s in France saw art forms that might be considered ''[[Pop Art]]''. [[Yves Klein]] had attractive nude women roll around in blue paint and throw themselves at canvases. [[Victor Vasarely]] invented [[Op-Art]] by designing sophisticated optical patterns. Artists of the [[Fluxus]] movement such as [[Ben Vautier]] incorporated [[graffiti]] and found objects into their work. [[Niki de Saint-Phalle]] created bloated and vibrant plastic figures. [[Arman]] gathered together found objects in boxed or resin-coated assemblages, and [[César Baldaccini]] produced a series of large compressed object-sculptures. In May 1968, the radical youth movement, through their ''atelier populaire'', produced a great deal of poster-art protesting the moribund policies of president [[Charles de Gaulle]].
		+
		+	Many contemporary artists continue to be haunted by the horrors of the Second World War and the specter of the Holocaust. [[Christian Boltanski]]'s harrowing installations of the lost and the anonymous are particularly powerful.
		+
		+	[[Image:Louvre Pyramide 2.jpg|thumb|right|560px|The Louvre Museum, Paris]]
	== See also ==		== See also ==

---

Revision as of 11:38, 29 July 2007

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French art consists of the visual and plastic arts (including architecture, woodwork, textiles, and ceramics) originating from the geographical area of France. Historical surveys of French art typically begin with Pre-Romanesque art, Romanesque art, and Gothic art, but some surveys, such as André Chastel's French Art, include discussions of prehistoric art, Celtic art, and Roman art within France.

Modern period

main French art of the 19th century

The French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars brought great changes to the arts in France. The program of exaltation and myth making attendant to the Emperor Napoleon I of France was closely coordinated in the paintings of Gros and Guérin. Meanwhile, Orientalism, Egyptian motifs, the tragic anti-hero, the wild landscape, the historical novel, and scenes from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance—all these elements of Romanticism—created a vibrant period that defies easy classification.

Image:Eugène Delacroix - Le Massacre de Scio.jpg

The Massacre at Scio - Eugène Delacroix

Romantic tendencies continued throughout the century, both idealized landscape painting and Naturalism have their seeds in Romanticism. The work of Gustave Courbet and the Barbizon school are logical developments from it, as is the late nineteenth century Symbolism of such painters as Gustave Moreau, the professor of Matisse and Rouault, as well as Odilon Redon.

For many critics Édouard Manet represents the division between the nineteenth century and the modern period (much as Charles Baudelaire does in poetry). His rediscovery of Spanish painting from the golden age, his willingness to show the unpainted canvas, his exploration of the forthright nude, and his radical brush strokes are the first steps toward Impressionism. Impressionism would take the Barbizon school one step farther, rejecting once and for all a belabored style and the use of mixed colors and black, for fragile transitive effects of light as captured outdoors in changing light (partly inspired by the paintings of J. M. W. Turner). It led to Claude Monet with his cathedrals and haystacks, Pierre-Auguste Renoir with both his early outdoor festivals and his later feathery style of ruddy nudes, Edgar Degas with his dancers and bathers.

After that threshold was crossed, the next thirty years became a litany of amazing experiments. Vincent van Gogh, Dutch born, but living in France, opened the road to expressionism. Georges Seurat, influenced by color theory, devised a pointillist technique that governed the Impressionist experiment. Paul Cézanne, a painter's painter, attempted a geometrical exploration of the world, that left many of his peers indifferent. Paul Gauguin, a banker, found symbolism in Brittany and then exoticism and primitivism in French Polynesia. Henri Rousseau, the self-taught dabbling postmaster, became the model for the naïve revolution.

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The early years of the twentieth century were dominated by experiments in colour and content that Impressionism and Post-Impressionism had unleashed. The products of the far east also brought new influences. Les Nabis explored a decorative art in flat plains with the graphic approach of a Japanese print. At roughly the same time, Les Fauves, exploded into color, much like German Expressionism.

The discovery of African tribal masks by Pablo Picasso, a Spaniard living in Paris, lead him to create his Les Demoiselles d'Avignon of 1907. Working independently, Picasso and Georges Braque returned to and refined Cézanne's way of rationally comprehension of objects in a flat medium, heir experiments in cubism also would lead them to integrate all aspects and objects of day to day life, collage of newspapers, musical instruments, cigarettes, wine, and other objects into their works. Cubism in all its phases would dominate paintings of Europe and America for the next ten years. (See the article on Cubism for a complete discussion.)

World War I did not stop the dynamic creation of art in France. In 1916 a group of discontents met in a bar in Zurich, the Cabaret Voltaire, and created the most radical gesture possible, the anti-art of Dada. At the same time, Francis Picabia and Marcel Duchamp were exploring similar notions. At a 1917 art show in New York, Duchamp presented a white porcelain urinal (Fountain) signed R. Mutt as work of art, becoming the father of the readymade.

When Dada reached Paris, it was avidly embraced by a group of young artists and writers who were fascinated with the writings of Sigmund Freud, particularly by his notion of the unconscious mind. The provocative spirit of Dada became linked to the exploration of the unconscious mind through the use of automatic writing, chance operations, and, in some cases, altered states. The surrealists quickly turned to painting and sculpture. The shock of unexpected elements, the use of Frottage, collage, and decalcomania, the rendering of mysterious landscapes and dreamed images were to become the key techniques through the rest of the 1930s.

Immediately after this war the French art scene diverged roughly into in two directions. There were those who continued in the artistic experiments from before the war, especially surrealism, and others who adopted the new Abstract Expressionism and action painting from New York, executing them in a French manner using Tachism or L'art informel. Parallel to both of these tendencies, Jean Dubuffet dominated the early post-war years while exploring child-like drawings, graffiti, and cartoons in a variety of media.

The late 1950s and early 1960s in France saw art forms that might be considered Pop Art. Yves Klein had attractive nude women roll around in blue paint and throw themselves at canvases. Victor Vasarely invented Op-Art by designing sophisticated optical patterns. Artists of the Fluxus movement such as Ben Vautier incorporated graffiti and found objects into their work. Niki de Saint-Phalle created bloated and vibrant plastic figures. Arman gathered together found objects in boxed or resin-coated assemblages, and César Baldaccini produced a series of large compressed object-sculptures. In May 1968, the radical youth movement, through their atelier populaire, produced a great deal of poster-art protesting the moribund policies of president Charles de Gaulle.

Many contemporary artists continue to be haunted by the horrors of the Second World War and the specter of the Holocaust. Christian Boltanski's harrowing installations of the lost and the anonymous are particularly powerful.

See also

French culture