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Post-Impressionism: The Beginnings of Modern Art

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Overview

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Post-Impressionism forever changed the language, conception, and methods of painting. It gave viewers new ways of perceiving and understanding visual experience, producing an astonishing number of the most beloved paintings in the history of art.

These 24 visually thrilling lectures take you deeply into the Post-Impressionists’ extraordinary world of color and light. Within the wide spectrum of painters covered, you’ll look in-depth at the work of:

Paul Cézanne—Observe how Cézanne distilled subject matter to essential underlying forms, and painted objects from more than one angle, opening new ways of seeing; Georges Seurat—Track the process by which Seurat pioneered the technique of pointillism, where colors applied separately on the canvas are blended by the viewer’s eye; Vincent van Gogh—Witness how Van Gogh’s passionate and troubled spirit led to paintings of searing visual intensity and glorious color; Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec—Go behind the scenes of Toulouse-Lautrec’s dazzling, iconic paintings of Parisian night life; Paul Gauguin—Come to grips with the greatness of Gauguin’s work, from his early landscapes and still lifes, and bold, symbolic paintings to his luminous, mystical evocations of Tahitian life; Gustav Klimt—From his glowing portraits of beautiful society women to his symbol-rich, golden-toned canvasses, see how Klimt straddled Post-Impressionism and Art Nouveau.

In addition to the most iconic painters within Post-Impressionism, you’ll explore a rich range of lesser-known artists, as well as key sub-movements, such as Neo-Impressionism, the Nabis, and Symbolism. These richly informative lectures rest on the exceptional knowledge, insight, and artist’s eye of Professor Allman, giving revealing views of the paintings from an artist’s perspective. In Post-Impressionism: The Beginnings of Modern Art you’ll relive a breathtaking era in painting. Its deep impact on aesthetics and visual culture is still a force in the world today.

Syllabus

  • Where Post-Impressionism Began
  • The Founder, Paul Cézanne
  • Paul Cézanne's New Way of Seeing
  • How Science and Industry Are Changing Art
  • Camille Pissarro's Experiments in Style
  • Georges Seurat's Vision of the People
  • Politics and Religion on the Canvas
  • Divisionism: Using the Science of Color
  • Japanese Influence and Les Nabis
  • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's Paris by Night
  • How Photography Is Transforming Art
  • The Singular Talent, Vincent van Gogh
  • Van Gogh's Genius and Tragedy
  • Cloisonnism: Bold Colors and Dark Contours
  • Paul Gauguin's Complicated Legacy
  • Suzanne Valadon's Rebellious Vision
  • How Philosophy and Culture Are Shaping Art
  • Symbolism: Dreams and Metaphors
  • Odilon Redon's Fantastic Worlds
  • Henri Rousseau's Jungles of the Mind
  • Post-Impressionism beyond France
  • Edvard Munch's Emotional Palette
  • Gustav Klimt's Journey to Art Nouveau
  • Why Post-Impressionism Matters

Taught by

Ricky Allman

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