Famous Post Impressionism Paintings [ Masterpiece Artworks!]
France's artistic trajectory from the 1880s to the early 1910s is sometimes referred to as the "Post-Impressionist" era. It strays from conventional methods and content in favor of a concentration on feeling and originality.
The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh
One of the most famous paintings by Van Gogh; "Starry Night" is pervaded by a very evident and immediate sense of poetry.
The canvas was created during his stay at the Saint-Rémy hospital. The great painter stayed awake for three nights observing the countryside from his window hospital room and remained fascinated by the wonderful sight of the night stars.
However, the painting he created is not a faithful reproduction of the landscape he saw, but an imaginary vision in which elements of thoughts came to light, and old memories of the quiet Holland village he lived in.
The boy in a Red Vest by Paul Cézanne
A boy with his arms folded is depicted in Paul Cézanne's The boy with a Red Vest. He appears to be deep in contemplation as he stands there in a red vest and blue and white striped shirt, staring off into the distance.
Cézanne's technique is most easily identified by the use of geometric forms and flat planes to depict three-dimensional organic subjects in his paintings.
As an example, consider how Cézanne depicts the boy's face; he uses a combination of flat, simple shapes to create a sense of depth and form. The same geometric minimalism is used to illustrate the boy's hands.
"The Boy in a Red Vest" demonstrates Cézanne's talent as a painter because of the way he uses color and form to convey emotion and character. Art historians and admirers from all over the world continue to examine and ogle this masterpiece as a benchmark of the post-impressionist movement.
Café Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh painted "Café Terrace at Night" in 1888. A nighttime cityscape is depicted, with a café patio in the foreground and buildings and streets in the distance. The work is well-known for the intensity and motion it conveys with its vivid colors and freestyle brushwork.
The use of color is one of the most eye-catching features of "Café Terrace at Night." With rich blues and purples for the sky and bright oranges and yellows for the streetlights and café terrace, Van Gogh has employed a bold, saturated palette to describe the scene. This use of color helps to communicate the idea of a busy city at night by adding ambiance and drama.
The painting's free and emotionally charged brushwork is also worth mentioning. Van Gogh has depicted the many parts of the scene with broad, energetic brushstrokes. The trees and bushes in the backdrop are represented with a sense of vibrant, expressive brushwork, which is a hallmark of this style.
Van Gogh's "Café Terrace at Night" is a masterpiece of the post-impressionist era, revered for its vivid color palette and loose, gestural brushwork.
Vision after a sermon by Paul Gauguin
The French artist Paul Gauguin painted "Vision after the Sermon" in 1889. The event in the Bible where Jacob encounters an angel and they begin to struggle is depicted. The artwork is renowned for the mood and dynamism it conveys through its use of strong, bold colors and powerful brushwork.
The incorporation of hues is perhaps the most remarkable feature of "Vision after the Sermon." Gauguin has painted the scene with a vivid, saturated color palette, with the sky shown in bright oranges and yellows and the figures of Jacob and the angel rendered in deep blues and purples. This use of color serves to establish a mood and adds to the impression that something otherworldly has taken place.
Gauguin has depicted the various parts of the scene with broad, energetic strokes. This is especially clear in the angel and Jacob's portrayal, who are given an air of dynamic, expressive brushwork.
Overall, with its vibrant colors and expressive brushwork, "Vision after the Sermon" is a prime example of Gauguin's post-impressionist technique.
Bathers in Asnières by Georges Seurat
Georges Seurat, a French painter, created "The Bathers in Asnières" in 1884. It shows some locals of the Parisian suburb of Asnières hanging out on the riverbank. Using tiny, discrete dots of color, the artist created an impression of form and light in this iconic work.
The painting's unusual, shimmering texture is largely due to the artist's employment of the pointillist technique, which is one of the painting's most remarkable features.
Seurat has created an illusion of depth and volume by layering tiny dots of color to construct the shapes of the many figures in the work. As the observer moves their attention across the work, the color dots appear to shimmer and move, further evoking a sense of light and motion.
The use of color in the painting is also noteworthy. Seurat has used only a few hues to depict the scene, including blues, greens, and yellows. This provides a sense of cohesion and unity and directs the viewer's gaze all over the canvas.
Dream by Henri Rousseau
"The Dream" shows a woman dozing off on a couch in a surreal environment in a jungle. The work is famous for its vivid colors and the bizarre, dreamy scenario it portrays.
The vividness of "The Dream" is one of its most remarkable features. The landscape is depicted by Rousseau in a vibrant, saturated color pallet, with primary colors of blue, green, and pink. This use of color contributes to the scene's dreamlike quality by adding an air of surrealism and playfulness.
The woman in the artwork is also noteworthy since she is depicted in a casual, at-ease position and her look is one of calm contentment. As a result, the painting comes across as peaceful and restful, like something out of a dream.
Almond Blossoms by Vincent van Gogh
"Almond Blossoms," shows a sprig of blossoming almond trees against a blue sky and grassy field. Famous for its brilliant, harmonizing hues and expressive, broad brushstrokes, this artwork has gained widespread acclaim.
The use of color is one of the most eye-catching features of "Almond Blossoms." Here, Van Gogh employs a vivid, saturated color palette, with pinks, whites, and greens dominating the composition.
At the Moulin Rouge The Dance by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted "At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance" between 1892 and 1895. It shows the dance floor of the Moulin Rouge, the famed Parisian cabaret, packed with people and accompanied by live music. The artwork has become famous for the vivid colors it uses to capture the vivacious mood of the Moulin Rouge.
The scene is depicted by vibrant and vivid colors, with reds, yellows, and greens taking center stage. This use of color furthers the impression that the Moulin Rouge is a bustling, exciting location and contributes to the painting's overall message.
To emphasize the scene's dynamism and motion, Toulouse-Lautrec has drawn the figures in a highly stylized manner, giving them elongated bodies and exaggerated motions.
The Boating Party by Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt's "The Boating Party" is an oil painting from the year 1893. It shows a group of people relaxing on a boat trip, with the riverbanks in the distance. The artwork is well-known for its nuanced color use and ability to capture the laid-back mood of the outing.
Cassatt has used a subdued, muted palette to depict the scene with soft greens and blues predominating. This use of color contributes to the overall sense of peace and tranquility in the painting, furthering the impression that this is a pleasant, joyful outing.
The painting's representation of the people in the boat is also noteworthy. Cassatt's portrayal of these people is genuine; as she captures their unique personalities and traits. This makes the image seem more like a picture of regular life and adds to the painting's feeling of reality.
Card Players by Paul Cézanne
One of Paul Cézanne's first works, "The Card Players" dates back to the 1890s. The artwork shows a group of men gathered around a card table. Famous for its muted, harmonious color scheme and its use of geometric shapes and planes to depict form.
Cézanne's use of geometric forms and planes to convey form is one of the most eye-catching features of "The Card Players." Cézanne has created the illusion of depth and volume in the figures by layering flat, simplistic shapes.
A departure from conventional representational is achieved in part through the use of geometric simplification, which lends the painting an air of abstraction and stylization.
The work is also famous for its color scheme, which consists of subdued, aesthetically pleasing tones. Cézanne's choice of only a few hues, primarily greens, and browns gives the painting a sense of harmony and balance. The tranquil peace that permeates the painting is aided by the muted tones.