French realism oil painting master Courbet's painting style
by Jerry L. artsFollowing the
romanticism, a revolution in the next was mainly involved in the programs that
subject governed. The painter named this movement was Gustave Courbet. At that
time, the past ideas were still prevalent in the school which thought that noble
paintings must show the noble characters and workers and peasants are only
applicable for
Courbet liked to
describe the things around him and once drew portraits for many of his friends.
Around Courbet who was claiming to be "the only most important modern
French painter", there were many people dressed in elegant clothing who
took “art lovers" identity into Courbet's life. But they did not get the
favor of Courbet. Regardless of how good was he and Courbet's friendship, we could
also see from the painter’s processing Courbet is very familiar with him. As
Courbet himself said, “I hope forever with my art to maintain my livelihood and
never depart from my principle, go against my conscience, and never paint to
please people and famous things.” Courbet's portraits and landscapes could most
manifest his style: solid characters with imposing manner, depicting the
penetrating but no sense of rhetoric.
Courbet was intended
in doing so. He abandoned the effect which was easily rendered and was determined
to turn the world into look in his eyes, which encouraged a lot of people like
him to defy the program and work only by their conscience of arts. In the
choice of subject matter, they mainly adopted genre paintings, portraits and still
lives to strive for the objective description of shape and color and strongly
opposed for the historical, mythological and religious paintings advocated by school
and excluded literature and the symbol factor. Although realism technique of
expression was a common method, Paleolithic paintings, ancient
Self Portrait Man with Leather
Belt was a self
portrait of Courbet. The color of the whole painting was simple and deep with
dark brown background. Dark clothes formed apparent contrast with the face. In
the performance of techniques, Courbet strictly adhered to the light and shade
change rule with strong characters and heavy and full texture. Courbet had been pursuing a dramatic color effect
and was good at using simple tonal relations and harmonious color levels to the
performance work. Courbet liked painting knife to be used in the finished
opaque layer, which produced a full color tonal and quietly elegant painting.
Courbet's early works were mostly concerning indoor chiaroscuro pattern, even for
outdoor exercises.
In the selection
and processing on the subject, Courbet was a typical realist (as the history of
art, art criticism and art theory terminology, realism often had multiple meanings.
It most commonly referred to abandon the usual themes of beauty and describe
the "ugly" things or at least the life scenes of the poor class, like
Caravaggio or Courbet). He directly selected the art creation material from the
real life, but did not exclude those considered ugly and vulgar things. Courbet
inherited the realism factors from the Gericault and Delacroix, abandoned their
romantic exaggeration and dramatic composition. Courbet said, “The painting is
a visual art and should be connected with things that the human eyes could see.
And it should discard the classical historical scenes and romantic love getting
from Goethe and Shakespeare.” When someone asked Courbet for a church painting
angel, he said, “I have never seen an angel. Let me see him, and then I can
draw.” Although Courbet was a good painter with realistic ability and artistic
skills, but he was not a very talented color master. In the works of Courbet,
it is hard to find the first arrival of impressionism.
Courbet's landscape
painting composition was simple and generous with majestic style, at the same
time paid attention to the subtle changes in the treatment. This strong beauty was
that Courbet's painting of scenery was with more weight and sense of volume
than the real things. Courbet used broad pen and scraper painted color to
increase the heavy component for solid objects. Using this technique with
Chinese Cunfa like dry brush technique produces subtle changes in solidity. The
Thunderstorm Cliffs we saw was such a
masterpiece.
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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.