Elizabeth Easton on Vuillard and Photography | New York Studio School
TLDRThe transcript discusses the lesser-known exploration of photography by the 19th-century painter, Vuillard, and how it influenced his painting style. It highlights the parallels between his photographic and pictorial works, emphasizing the use of symbolism, composition, and focus. The lecture delves into Vuillard's use of the Kodak camera, his interest in mirrors and light, and the psychological intensity in his photographs, drawing comparisons with fellow artist, Degas. Ultimately, Vuillard concluded that painting held a unique advantage over photography due to its手工 creation.
Takeaways
- 🎨 The speaker has a deep connection with the studio school, having been introduced to real artists and their work there during high school.
- 🖌️ The lecture focuses on the exploration of a painter's transition into a different medium, specifically photography, and its relationship with painting.
- 🌆 The context is set with the end of the 19th century in Paris, highlighting the works and influences of artists like Vuare and Matisse.
- 📸 Photography is discussed as a medium that introduced a new perspective and challenged traditional painting techniques.
- 👁️ The use of photography by artists like Edgar Degas and Vuare is explored, showing how they used it to capture and create art differently.
- 🖼️ Vuare's paintings are noted for their radical approach to self-portraits and the exploration of color and form, influenced by post-Impressionist artists.
- 📷 The limitations and capabilities of the Kodak camera used by Vuare are discussed, emphasizing how it affected his photographic compositions.
- 👵 The role of mirrors and the manipulation of light and shadow in Vuare's photographs and paintings are examined, revealing his symbolic approach to art.
- 🌟 Vuare's photographic and pictorial vision is consistent, showing his deliberate construction of scenes and subjects in both mediums.
- 🎭 The lecture concludes that while photography offered a new way to represent reality, Vuare believed that painting, done by hand, would always hold an advantage.
- 📚 The talk provides insights into the complex relationship between photography and painting, and how artists like Vuare reconciled the two in their work.
Q & A
What is the main subject of the speaker's discussion?
-The main subject of the speaker's discussion is the exploration of a painter's transition into a different medium, specifically photography, and how this medium influenced the artist's work and vice versa.
Who is the artist that the speaker primarily focuses on in the transcript?
-The artist that the speaker primarily focuses on is Vuilliam, who was a 19th-century painter known for his explorations into color and form.
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How does the speaker describe Vuilliam's early work?
-The speaker describes Vuilliam's early work as radical and ahead of his time, with his still life of lilies showcasing a more innovative approach to the subject compared to other artists like Matisse.
What is the significance of the raw cardboard triangle in Vuilliam's still life of lilies?
-The raw cardboard triangle in Vuilliam's still life of lilies is significant because it is untouched by paint, yet it serves as a central point around which the whole composition revolves, demonstrating Vuilliam's ability to create a masterpiece with limited means.
How does the speaker compare Vuilliam's work to that of the Impressionists?
-The speaker compares Vuilliam's work to the Impressionists by noting that while both shared a fascination with geometric divisions of compositions, Vuilliam's style was totally different, focusing more on a symbolic interpretation of nature rather than direct observation.
What role did the post-Impressionists play in Vuilliam's artistic development?
-The post-Impressionists, particularly Gauguin, played a significant role in Vuilliam's artistic development by encouraging him and his fellow painters to paint nature as their imagination dictated, which liberated them from the constraints of academic prescriptions.
How does the speaker describe Vuilliam's use of the Kodak camera in his photography?
-The speaker describes Vuilliam's use of the Kodak camera as an embrace of a new, exciting technology that allowed for a more imaginative and less controlled approach to capturing images, with a focus on the element of accident and the symbolic evocation inherent in his art.
What similarities exist between Vuilliam's paintings and his photographs in terms of composition?
-The similarities between Vuilliam's paintings and his photographs in terms of composition include the focus on foreground figures, the use of mirrors, the manipulation of light and dark, and the creation of a psychological interaction between the subjects and the viewer.
How does the speaker address the relationship between Vuilliam's symbolic structure in his paintings and his photographic work?
-The speaker addresses the relationship by suggesting that while photography may capture reality, Vuilliam's symbolic structure in his paintings is better expressed through the hand-done nature of painting, allowing him to create a more evocative and symbolic representation of his subjects.
What conclusion does the speaker reach about Vuilliam's views on painting versus photography?
-The speaker concludes that Vuilliam believed painting would always have the advantage over photography because it was done by hand, allowing for greater control and expression of his symbolic structure, although he found the element of mystery and accident in photography compelling.
Outlines
🎨 Artistic Journey and Exploration of Mediums
The speaker reminisces about their first encounter with real artists at the studio school and discusses the transition from high school to professional art circles. They delve into the exploration of different mediums by painters, specifically photography, in relation to painting. The historical context of the late 19th century Paris is provided, highlighting the works and influences of artists like Louis finlin, Matisse, and we are. The speaker emphasizes the unique approaches to still life and the radical self-portraits that emerged from this period.
🌆 Aesthetics and Chronology in Art History
This paragraph explores the differences in aims between Impressionist and Symbolist schools of art, focusing on the works of Monet and we are. The speaker discusses the geometric divisions in compositions and the varying attention to light and color. The non-linear chronology of art movements is highlighted, showing how Impressionism and Symbolism could influence each other. The role of post-Impressionists like Sarra, Van Gogh, and Goan in inspiring a new generation of artists is discussed, with a particular emphasis on Goan's influence on the use of color and symbolic evocation in art.
📸 The Intersection of Photography and Symbolism
The speaker examines the relationship between photography and symbolism in the works of we are. They discuss the artist's experimentation with photography and how it influenced his paintings. The limitations and capabilities of the Kodak camera used by we are are explored, along with the impact of these limitations on the composition of his photographs. The speaker also compares the symbolic elements present in we are's paintings and photographs, highlighting the consistency of his artistic vision across different mediums.
🖼️ The Artist's Control Over Imagery
This section delves into the control we are had over his imagery, both in painting and photography. The speaker discusses how we are manipulated focus and scale in his photographs and paintings to direct the viewer's attention. The use of mirrors and the role of the artist's presence in his works are also explored. The speaker emphasizes the complex relationship between the empirical reality of photography and the mystical evocation of symbolism in we are's art.
🌟 The Evolution of Artistic Expression
The speaker discusses the evolution of we are's artistic expression, focusing on his use of mirrors and the symbolic elements in his self-portraits. The transition from the use of mirrors to a more imaginative depiction in his paintings is highlighted. The influence of other artists like duga on we are's photographic interests is also discussed, along with the differences in their approaches to photography. The speaker notes the significance of understanding we are's photographic experiments to fully appreciate his pictorial vision.
🛋️ Intimate Scenes and Artistic Presence
The speaker explores the intimate scenes captured by we are in his paintings and photographs, emphasizing the artist's unique presence and distance from his subjects. The use of light and shadow, as well as the compositional techniques used to focus on central figures, are discussed. The speaker also examines the psychological intensity in we are's photographs, comparing them to his paintings and highlighting the consistency in his artistic approach across different media.
🎭 Symbolism and the Artist's Craft
In the final paragraph, the speaker addresses the symbolic structure in we are's work, reconciling the objective nature of photography with his affinity for symbolism. The different approaches to picture-taking between artists like duga and we are are discussed, highlighting the level of control each artist had over their work. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the enduring nature of painting as an art form and how we are's photographs shed light on his consistent vision and deliberate pictorial construction.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Vuillard
💡Photography
💡Symbolism
💡Post-Impressionism
💡Composition
💡Kodak
💡Focus
💡Mystical Evocation
💡Subjectivity
💡Empirical Reality
💡Pictorial Vision
Highlights
The speaker's first encounter with real artists at the studio school in New York, which left a lasting impression and sparked a deep interest in the art world.
The comparison between the works of Vu and Matisse, highlighting Vu's more radical approach in his still life of lilies, predating Matisse's similar work by several years.
The unique approach of Vu in his paintings, focusing as much on what he chose not to paint as what he chose to paint, exemplified by the raw cardboard triangle in the center of the composition.
The influence of the Impressionists on Vu, despite his style being markedly different, showing a shift from direct observation to more abstract compositions.
Vu's exploration of color and form resulting in radical self-portraits, showing a departure from reality and an embrace of symbolic evocation of ideas.
The impact of the post-Impressionists, particularly Gauguin, on Vu's work, encouraging a more imaginative interpretation of nature.
Vu's photographic experimentation, focusing on interior shots and using a Kodak camera, revealing a complex relationship between his paintings and photographs.
The limitations of the Kodak camera in terms of focus and exposure time, and how Vu embraced these limitations to create his unique photographic compositions.
The comparison between Vu and Degas' interest in photography, showing how both artists used the medium to explore and complement their painting styles.
The symbolic structure in Vu's work, where he uses elements like mirrors and the distortions of the photographic lens to create a more symbolic and evocative image.
The role of mirrors in Vu's paintings and photographs, serving as a pseudo frame and contributing to the psychological intensity of the compositions.
The compositional parallels between Vu's paintings and photographs, demonstrating his consistent approach to emphasizing certain subjects and creating visual tension.
Vu's presence in his work, often felt but left implicit in both his paintings and photographs, creating a sense of involvement and distance from his subjects.
The discussion on how Vu's photographs shed light on the consistency of his vision and enable a better understanding of his pictorial construction.
Vu's conclusion that painting will always have the advantage over photography because it is done by hand, despite his fascination with the medium of photography.