Research - Artist models and Painting techniques

Artist models and Painting techniques

In terms of painting technique my work has been heavily painterly and sculptural akin to the paintings of Lucian Freud and Paul Cezanne, and while I enjoy this art style I want to try something new and different that I haven't experimented with before. In my draft presentation I discussed the traditional representations of women within the Pre modernist and post modernist era's, and how these have remained consistent throughout history/media to this day especially the depictions of the female nude in the Pre modernist period where women were idealized and glorified for their beauty, this ideal was not only reflected in the way the women was portrayed but the art style/paint application, one that is smooth gentle and soft (this is heavily emphasized in terms of the female nude making the body appear plump and soft). 


 Instead of using Lucian Freud as an artist model I've decided to look at painter Auguste Renoir, and female artist Bethe Morisot who's styles are both painterly and soft allowing me to much easily and gradually jump into a new style I'm not so familiar with.

Auguste Renoir

Auguste Renoir is an impressionist painter and a male artist who is very fond of depicting women whether they be naked or nude.  Renoir was one of the co founders of the impressionist movement with his paintings showing his delight in the effect of light filtering onto the body and landscape, color is heavily saturated and vibrant, quick brush strokes are employed, and visible yet make the painting appear soft. His later work combined both the style of the impressionists and the style of previous movements such as the Renaissance, which is what I will be taking the most influence from, particularly his 1918 and 1919 painting the Bathers(The Times of India, 2019). The painting depicts two women luxuriating in the foreground, while three women bathe in the background. The painting depicts a liberating fantasy with the women's bodies appearing naturalistic and curvaceous in comparison to other portrayals of the nude form during the time.  Freely showing their flesh to the viewer, finding pleasure in life away form a male dominated society. Renoir's ability to portray the female form as naturalistic was a factor that set him apart form many other artists during the time, which is why he was rejected form the Paris Salon (Artscolumbia.org, 2019).

Berthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot  is an impressionist painter one that is unknown in comparison to her male contemporaries, however she is just good and if not superior as her work was often featured in the Paris Saloon. Berthe Morisot's work is full of light, bright colors and the brush work is disjointed and varied. She accurately represented natural light by applying a large range of colors to the canvas with petite brush strokes (Artscolumbia.org, 2019). Although up close her paintings become indistinct, from a distance the works are unified with colors that merge together. Harsh lines are removed by a lack of contrasting tones. Despite her controversial painting style Morisot's work was feminine in character and her compositions focused on her family, friends and beloved village, Passy. Morisot loved to paint outside and she produced a plethora of works documenting her daughter Julie's childhood. Using her as an Artist model will help me portray feminine beauty through the lens of a women, instead of just the eyes of man.

References

Artscolumbia.org. (2019). [online] Available at: https://artscolumbia.org/art-history/renoirs-depection-women-19th-century-art-43051/ [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].

Chernick, K. (2019). Berthe Morisot Brought a Radically Feminine Perspective to Impressionism. [online] Artsy. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-berthe-morisot-brought-radically-feminine-perspective-impressionism [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].

The Times of India. (2019). What was Renoir's style of painting? - Times of India. [online] Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/What-was-Renoirs-style-of-painting/articleshow/8502930.cms [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].