L'importance de l'art français The French have played an important role in the history of art. We will take a brief look at the art movements that have developed in France and have influenced culture in the entire world throughout the centuries. Voici le musée du Louvre à Paris!

The most influential art movements in French history *Rococo (18 th century) *Neo-classical (late 18 th – early 19 th centuries) *Impressionism (mid-late 19 th century) *Post-Impressionism (late 19 th – early 20 th century) *Cubism (early 20 th Century)

Rococo Rococo is a style of art that developed during the 18 th century after the reign of King Louis XIV. More nobles were living in their own townhouses and wanted a light, more delicate form of art. In painting, it is characterized by scenes of amusement—typically outdoor amusement such as picnics in the woods, or a couple swinging, merrily enjoying their leisure. The emphasis is on the flourish of the scene and of the relaxation of the people. The primary French representative of this movement is JEAN-ANTOINE WATTEAU.

Rococo—Jean-Antoine Watteau L'Embarquement pour Cythère (1717) (Louvre, Paris)

Neo-classical (late 18 th – early 19 th centuries) This art movement was a reaction to the unimportant themes of Rococo. In terms of politics, this was a time of revolution, both in America and in France. Artists wanted to reflect the importance of the times by imitating the art of the Classics—the ancient Greeks and Romans. The themes of these paintings tend to represent great themes of bravery, liberty, patriotism, fidelity or Greek or Roman architecture and mythology. Since Napoleon had come to In France, JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID was the most famous representative of this movement.

Neo-classicism (Jacques-Louis David) The Death of Socrates (1787) (NY Met. Museum of Art)

Impressionism Impressionism was a style that reacted to the ultra-refined brush work of neo- classicism. Impressionists hoped to capture the effect of light upon a subject. Many works were completed outdoors and included landscapes, seascapes and other outdoor works. CLAUDE MONET is considered to be the founder of this movement. He did much of his painting in Giverny, France. (see bulletin board)

Impressionism—Claude Monet Impression: Sunrise (1872) (Musée Marmotton, Paris)

Other important Impressionists Pierre-August Renoir Georges Seurat Edouard Manet Berthe Morisot Edgar Degas Gustave Caillebotte

Post-Impressionism The Post-Impressionists' work resembled Impressionism, but started trending slightly away from it toward Cubism. Representatives of Post-Impressionism include: Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse et Toulouse- Lautrec.

Vincent Van Gogh Night café (1888) (Yale University Art Gallery)

Cubism After Post-Impressionism in the early 20 th Century came Cubism. Cubism was a focus on the SHAPE of objects. It attempts to represent all sides of a three-dimensional object in two dimensions. Thus, it often appears, at first glace, that space and perspective are distorted. Famous Cubists include Pablo Piccasso and George Braque.

Still life with bowl and fruit (1912)

Can you guess the period of these pieces?

Can you guess the period of this work?

Can you guess the period of this painting?