Introduction
Each period in the history of art is characterized by its specific features. The modern art encompasses the period from the late XIX century to the second half of the XX century. The artists of that period worked in various genres expressing their world perception and the peculiarities of time. The painting, sculpture, architecture, graphic arts, and many other types and genres were represented in the modern art of 1905-1935. The modernists and impressionists of that time were eager to express their perception of reality in their works. They created their own styles, which became the subject of study of the art researchers.
The aim of this essay is to describe the painting Joy of Life by Henri Matisse, the sculpture The Kiss by Constantin Brancussi, and to present the vintage print illustration of 1930s.
The Discussion
The first modern art work, which I am going to discuss, is the painting Joy of Life by Henri Matisse. It was created in 1906. The medium of the artwork is oil on canvas (“Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre” n.pag.). The work perfectly reflects the modern tendencies of that period. Lassaigne and Stuart claim that “he never ceased probing the mystery of the creative process and applied an intelligence far above the average to discovering the origins of his art” (15).
The painting Joy of Life depicts the bright sunny day, the trees shining in the sun, and people enjoying their life. This work by Henri Matisse reflects the pleasures of life. We can see the figures of people in the painting. All of them enjoy the moments of life. Some dance, others play the musical instruments or communicate. We can also see the pair kissing on the grass.
The painting Joy of Life is the perfect example of the surrealism in the visual arts. If you look at the work, you will, undoubtedly, see that the objects of nature and the images of people are depicted in the unusual form. The artist tried to deviate from the traditional art conceptions and to express his own perception of reality (“Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre” n.pag.). The work lacks the objective depiction of the surrounding world. Rather, the feelings and moods play the crucial role in the expression of the reality.
The second work of art, which I want to discuss, is the sculpture The Kiss by Constantin Brancussi. The scholars state that the processes of creation the sculpture and the painting are substantially different as the former represents the transition of the vision into the volume, whereas the later is about reflection of the vision in a number of the abstractive forms (Valentiner 5).
The sculpture The Kiss represents the single block with the depicted traces of the human bodies. It is the bright example of the impressionism in sculpture. The medium of the work is the limestone. We can see that the sculpture represents the embracing and kissing pair. Brancussi created the figures with the minimum features. We can only notice the hands, the hair, the eyes, and the lips. Undoubtedly, the sculptor tried to uncover the theme of love in his work. It is argued that “The Kiss presents a symbolic rendering of a male and a female body merging into one”(“Modern and Contemporary Art” n.pag.).
The third art work, which I am going to present, is the print illustration of 1930s. The art work was included in the book of French stories for children. The illustration represents the vintage in art. The size of the work is 7″ x 8 1/2″. The medium of the work is the pencil on paper. Isabelle Lehuu stated that the art of print illustration resulted from both volume and style (Lehuu 3). There were different views regarding the essence of print illustrations and their purposes. Despite the criticism, the print illustrating achieved its recognition as the separate kind of art. “The art of book-illustrating, which has its finest success in the intelligent wedding of picture and text, unfolding originality within limits set, is practised, in these times, by a number of able and discriminating artists” (Weitenkampf 216).
The 1930’s Vintage illustration depicts the pair in the sunny summer day. The romantic couple takes the central position in the illustration. The gentleman gives a bouquet of flowers to the young girl, who holds the lambs. The background of the illustration shows the large yew tree, the summer sky, and the river. We can also notice the girl’s hat lying on the grass. The artist created the illustration in the soft colors.
Conclusion
In order to sum up all above mentioned, it should be said that the art of the period between 1905 and 1935 is characterized by the various genres and styles. The modernism, impressionism, expressionism, surrealism, and other art movements represent this period in the art history. The painting by Henri Matisse, the sculpture by Constantin Brancussi as well as the book print illustration of the 1930s have been discussed in the essay.
Works Cited
Lassaigne, Jacques, and G. Stuart. Matisse: Biographical and Critical Study, Geneve: Skira, 1959. Print.
Lehuu, Isabelle. Carnival on the Page: Popular Print Media in Antebellum America, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2000. Print.
“Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre”. Smarthistory.khanacademy.org. n.d. Web.
“Modern and Contemporary Art”. Philamuseum.org. n.d. Web.
Valentiner, William R. Origins of Modern Sculpture, New York: Wittenborn, 1946. Print.
Weitenkampf, Frank. American Graphic Art, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1924. Print.