Post Impressionism vs Impressionism

Both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism refer to influential artistic movements arising in late 19th-century France.Post-Impressionism movement, focused on the emotional, structural, symbolic, and spiritual elements that they felt was lacking from Impressionism. Artist evoked emotion rather than realism in their work. symbolic motifs, unnatural color, and painterly brushstrokes were all part of the post-impressionist style. Saturated hues, multicolored shadows, and rich ranges of color are evident in most Post-Impressionist painting. Rejecting interest in depicting the observed world, they instead looked to their memories and emotions in order to connect with the viewer on a deeper level. They relied upon the interrelations of color and shape to describe the world around them.


The artists who would become known as the Impressionists looked at art a little differently, they wanted to make art as truly realistic as possible, with brighter colors and more natural settings.Because they painted outside, the Impressionists had less time to mix color and were forced to paint more quickly to keep up with the ever-changing daylight. As a result, their works generally seemed “unpolished” or messy compared to other artists, and were never really accepted by the art critics.They were trying to replicate real life in a more honest way. They knew that the human eye isn’t able to capture an entire scene in perfect detail, so they allowed their paintings to break down at the edges, or wherever there was movement, in order to mimic that.The Impressionists also understood that light and shadow are seen in glances and moments, and are ever changing. They began to worry less about smooth transitions of color and more about making the color and contrast stand out, to catch the eye like it would in real life. 

"Bathers at Asnieres" created by Georges Seurat :This famous painting was created by Seurat when he was just twenty four years old and it was the first of his large-scale canvases. Seurat has used a combination of complex brushstroke techniques and a meticulous application of contemporary color theory to create a sense of gentle vibrancy and timelessness. The message Seurat is trying to convey through this painting has been interpreted as implying that the working class represented the future while the middle class had grown decrepit and ridden with vice.

"Bar at the Folies Bergere" created by Edouard Manet: Manet's paintings of cafe scenes are direct observations of social life in nineteenth century Paris. Here we see Manet  The quickly sketched crowds convey the bustle of the Folies-Bergères. In contrast, the barmaid is detached and marooned behind her bar, with her reflection displaced to the right. She stares at the viewer, but the mirror shows her facing a customer.