impressionism Archives

The Mother and Sister of the Artist by Berthe Morisot

Image of oil painting being described — Morisot, Berthe (French, 1841 – 1895), The Mother and Sister of the Artist, 1869/1870, oil on canvas, Chester Dale Collection 1963.10.186

When Berthe Morisot and her sister Edma wanted to learn how to paint, their parents willingly obliged. After all, that was part of an upper-class young woman’s education. But when their teacher saw their incredible talent, he warned their mother, “…they will become painters. Are you fully aware of what that means? It will be revolutionary…” And he was right! For a woman to become a professional painter was almost unheard of in 1850s Paris.

But Berthe did it, even after her well-meaning mentor Édouard Manet made some…uh…improvements to this painting just before the deadline for submission to the all-important Salon. Prepare to cringe!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (8.3MB)

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SHOW NOTES (TRANSCRIPT)

“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas youtu.be/jGEdNSNkZoo

Episode theme is “Fauré Nocturne no. 4 in E-flat major, Op. 36” composed by Gabriel Fauré.
https://musopen.org/music/7909-nocturne-no-4-in-e-flat-major-op-36/

https://musopen.org/music/performer/european-archive/

https://musopen.org/music/composer/gabriel-faure/

Artwork information
https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.46661.html

https://www.artble.com/artists/berthe_morisot/paintings/portrait_of_the_artist’s_mother_and_sister

Morisot information
Stuckey, Charles F., William P. Scott, and Suzanne G. Lindsay. Berthe Morisot, Impressionist 1st ed. New York: Hudson Hills Press, Mount Holyoke College Art Museum in association with the National Gallery of Art, 1987.

Shennan, Margaret. Berthe Morisot : the First Lady of Impressionism Phoenix Mill: Sutton, 1996.

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-berthe-morisot-brought-radically-feminine-perspective-impressionism

Slow Art Day http://www.slowartday.com

Farmhouse in Provence by Vincent van Gogh

Image of the painting being described — Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 – 1890), Farmhouse in Provence, 1888, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection 1970.17.34

This deceptively peaceful summer scene actually bristles with energy! Van Gogh painted this in Arles, in the south of France where he tried to escape modern life and re-discover a simpler, brighter world.

We’ll find out how the actions of an American admiral in a country on the other side of the globe led to one of the biggest artistic influences that Europe–and Vincent–had ever experienced.

Here’s an example of the woodblock prints I mention that had such a powerful impact on Western art.

Colorful Japanese print by Andō Hiroshige showing Mount Fuji — Andō Hiroshige (Japanese 1797-1858), Tōto meguro yuhhigaoka / Hiroshige ga, 1858

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.4MB)

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SHOW NOTES (TRANSCRIPT)

“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas youtu.be/jGEdNSNkZoo

Episode theme is “Sonatine – II. Mouvement de Menuet” composed by Maurice Ravel. Performed by Markus Staab. Courtesy of musopen.org.
https://musopen.org/music/4724-sonatine/

Farmhouse in Provence information
https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.52178.html

https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.52178.html#relatedpages

Japanese influence on Western art
Japonisme : Japanese Reflections in Western Art. Sunderland, England: Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, 1986. Print.

Put, Max., Sichel, Philippe., and Koechlin, Raymond. Plunder and Pleasure : Japanese Art in the West, 1860-1930 . Leiden: Hotei Pub., 2000. Print.

Vincent van Gogh and Japan. Tokyo: TV Asahi, 1992. Print.

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jpon/hd_jpon.htm

https://www.kumon-ukiyoe.jp/en/history.php

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/stories/inspiration-from-japan#10

Quotes from van Gogh’s letter explaining color use
https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/audio-video/audio/collection-highlights-english/farmhouse-in-provence-van-gogh.html

The Life of Animals in Japanese Art
https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2019/life-of-animals-in-japanese-art.html

Library of Congress Japanese Prints Collection
https://www.loc.gov/collections/japanese-fine-prints-pre-1915/about-this-collection/

Andō, Hiroshige, Artist. Tōto meguro yuhhigaoka / Hiroshige ga. Fuji Japan Mount Tokyo, 1858. [Tokyo: Tsuta-ya Kichizō] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004666335/.

Slow Art Day http://www.slowartday.com

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Edgar Degas

Photo of the Little Dancer statue — Edgar Degas (French, 1834 – 1917), Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, 1878-1881, pigmented beeswax, clay, metal armature, rope, paintbrushes, human hair, silk and linen ribbon, cotton faille bodice, cotton and silk tutu, linen slippers, on wooden base, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon 1999.80.28

Tired or determined? This is Marie van Goethem, a young ballet student at the Paris Opera. We’ll find out where she came from and the not-so-glamorous life of a ballerina in Paris in the 1880s. We’ll also find out how Degas broke the rules and managed to freak out the public with this statue!

We’ll also discover how he was the original upcycler, using materials he had on hand to create her! See the photo below.

An Illustration of the materials used in Little Dancer armature. — Diagram of the armature of Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Courtesy of the Object Conservation Department, National Gallery of Art.

At the end of the episode, I let you know which mystery show she plays an important role in!

Ed. note: I’d like to thank the staff of the Object Conservation Department at the Gallery for their help with today’s episode.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.4MB)

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SHOW NOTES (TRANSCRIPT)

“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas

Episode theme is “Violin Sonata in A major” composed by César Franck. Sonata for Cello and Piano – I. Allegretto ben moderato. Performed by Paul Pitman, Bang-Eun Lee

Degas’s Little Dancer exhibition brochure (PDF)

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen (NGA Highlights Essay)

Degas and His Dancers (Smithsonian Magazine)

Modeling with Clay (YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocAc–CQdPw

Little Dancer featured in Endeavour (link expires 6/30/19)

Slow Art Day

Place du Carrousel by Camille Pissarro

Painting of the Tuileries Gardens — Camille Pissarro (French, 1830 – 1903), Place du Carrousel, Paris, 1900, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection 1970.17.55

Camille Pissarro was an Impressionist painter who created this sun-drenched view of a famous park in 1900. We’ll find out where this lovely scene takes place and how and why just 5 small strokes of color can conjure up a fashionista.

We’ll also discover its connection to Hermann Goering and how a Gallery director was instrumental in the formation of the Monuments Men program.

Here’s a detail of the frame I describe. Check out the carving!