I want to see Monet's letter to Turner thanking him for that Wordsworthian shot in the arm.
Failing that, it's another example of academic Whatifism.
Influences between arts and artists have to be grounded in proven fact, not supposition. Granted,academic careers are often guided by supposition - it keeps the academic publishers busy (three readers: one who agrees, one who disagrees, one who considers)...As an artist raised by artists, and who has lived among artists in America, France, England and Italy, I'm often astounded by the supposed revelations of critics, which speak more about the intellectual crossword puzzles of the critics than they do about the artists' work or the artists themselves. Recently, for example, I read a well-known Polish film-critic who analyzed the adaptation of "Pretty Poison" in light of the studio's choices of dramatic shifts; and have laughed at Pauline Kael's remarks about the brilliant dramatic ironies of the screenwriter...In no essay was the writer of the original material even mentioned as - I don't know - perhaps the creator of the material?
I've seen the same thing with painting critics, music critics, drama critics, and have read countless essays and books about Shakespeare's dramatic choices - without one reference to an overheard conversation with Shakespeare and his actors, or Ben Jonson at the local inn between acts. -The most lyrical answer regarding Shakespeare's dramatic method I wrote about in two novels - JEWS BEYOND JUPITER,and JEWS IN THE BOSOM OF THE BIG BANG. It was pure fiction,, and based on as rich a reading of Shakespeare's works and "life" as a theater major and active dramatist as one could have. I prefer dramatized ideas to supposition. At least I know, from the very beginning, that the ideas are fantastical and not flab!
I laughed at your depiction of Impressionist paintings as "fuzzy". When I took my sons to the Musée d'Orsay Impressionist musum, I asked them what they thought. They said the paintings looked "blurry". Monet is my favorite painter, his scenes always evoke longing, contentment, sublime details within shadows, mystery, and awe. There are practical reasons painters do not do en plein air in the rain, of course. No need to apply snark about that. And any Monet discoverer would know those last three paintings shown were not Monet. The colors were not subtle, the brushstrokes too heavy, the light too bright yellow. Despite these mild remarks, thanks for this article. It certainly can be argued English romantic poets influenced Impressionist techniques. As did the musicians Debussy and Satie in the same time period.
Rain, I appreciate your comments. For some reason, I don't get many (other than from friends who email me directly), leaving me wondering if anyone is paying attention. Glad you are.
Obviously, I was being colloquial about "fuzzy," as an attention grabber, which you got. I defer to your son for the technical term. :-) I'm a fan of Monet as well and copied his painting in oil of the lady in white with a parasolstanding before a spherical tree in the garden. I'm mindful of the fact that he admired Turner and adopted the major principles of his Romantic art: rejection of Clacissism and its photographic, heroic imagery; painting out of doors, bright palette, eloquent brushstrokes, and fascination with light and air. I thought Turner's Sunset could be mistaken for a Monet (although much is owed to the photograph's deviation from the original.) Less so the other two.
As for Debussy and Ravel, I'm sure you know both rejected being classified as Impressionists, though entre nous I think the description fits. Both began writing 20 or 30 years into the Impressionist period and strongly into the 20th century, by which time Impressionism had waned, and the world of art had moved on.
I have a slide presentation I may put up as a video titled "From France With Love," demonstrating the influence on Argentine art of French painters, beginning with the Impressionists through Abstract Expressionists. Stay tuned.
Thank you for your welcome reply. I am honored! Yes, I do know the musicians referenced rejected the Impressionist label, yet they are still bonded in many minds. I am impressed you paint Monet copies, I have not ventured to do so, yet. The break with photographic realism is certainly a defining characteristic of Impressionism works of art, as is your other eloquent descriptions. "From France With Love" sounds intriguing. I know nothing about French influence on Argentine art, so this will be a splendid introduction. I appreciate learning about influences passing through time. I will stay tuned for more insights. Thank you again!
Where are the bodies buried? How do we know Monet's favorite poet was Wordsworth? etc etc.
I cannot say that the surrealism of Flaubert's Bouvard et Pecuchet was the principle influence upon Dali's removal of time/space in his paintings, can I? Unless I have a letter from Salvador saying, "Steve, jsut read Flaub's BP. It was a life-changer for me!"
Steve, Reread the piece. I didn’t say Money’s favorite poet was Wordsworth. I said Monet admired Turner who, as an educated Englishman, would have been familiar with Wordsworth. Given Turner’s fundamental adoption of key elements of Wordsworth’s credo - reject formality and subject matter of classicism, create en plein air, venerate nature — it is reasonable to assume he was influenced by the poet. Ergo, Wordsworth’s influence extended to Monet, whose contribution to Art mirrors that of Wordsworth and Coleridge half a century earlier.
I want to see Monet's letter to Turner thanking him for that Wordsworthian shot in the arm.
Failing that, it's another example of academic Whatifism.
Influences between arts and artists have to be grounded in proven fact, not supposition. Granted,academic careers are often guided by supposition - it keeps the academic publishers busy (three readers: one who agrees, one who disagrees, one who considers)...As an artist raised by artists, and who has lived among artists in America, France, England and Italy, I'm often astounded by the supposed revelations of critics, which speak more about the intellectual crossword puzzles of the critics than they do about the artists' work or the artists themselves. Recently, for example, I read a well-known Polish film-critic who analyzed the adaptation of "Pretty Poison" in light of the studio's choices of dramatic shifts; and have laughed at Pauline Kael's remarks about the brilliant dramatic ironies of the screenwriter...In no essay was the writer of the original material even mentioned as - I don't know - perhaps the creator of the material?
I've seen the same thing with painting critics, music critics, drama critics, and have read countless essays and books about Shakespeare's dramatic choices - without one reference to an overheard conversation with Shakespeare and his actors, or Ben Jonson at the local inn between acts. -The most lyrical answer regarding Shakespeare's dramatic method I wrote about in two novels - JEWS BEYOND JUPITER,and JEWS IN THE BOSOM OF THE BIG BANG. It was pure fiction,, and based on as rich a reading of Shakespeare's works and "life" as a theater major and active dramatist as one could have. I prefer dramatized ideas to supposition. At least I know, from the very beginning, that the ideas are fantastical and not flab!
I use your ideas to inspire our Granddaughter, 14 year old Rylan. She is navigating Freshman English in a new high school in Colorado. Well done.
I laughed at your depiction of Impressionist paintings as "fuzzy". When I took my sons to the Musée d'Orsay Impressionist musum, I asked them what they thought. They said the paintings looked "blurry". Monet is my favorite painter, his scenes always evoke longing, contentment, sublime details within shadows, mystery, and awe. There are practical reasons painters do not do en plein air in the rain, of course. No need to apply snark about that. And any Monet discoverer would know those last three paintings shown were not Monet. The colors were not subtle, the brushstrokes too heavy, the light too bright yellow. Despite these mild remarks, thanks for this article. It certainly can be argued English romantic poets influenced Impressionist techniques. As did the musicians Debussy and Satie in the same time period.
Rain, I appreciate your comments. For some reason, I don't get many (other than from friends who email me directly), leaving me wondering if anyone is paying attention. Glad you are.
Obviously, I was being colloquial about "fuzzy," as an attention grabber, which you got. I defer to your son for the technical term. :-) I'm a fan of Monet as well and copied his painting in oil of the lady in white with a parasolstanding before a spherical tree in the garden. I'm mindful of the fact that he admired Turner and adopted the major principles of his Romantic art: rejection of Clacissism and its photographic, heroic imagery; painting out of doors, bright palette, eloquent brushstrokes, and fascination with light and air. I thought Turner's Sunset could be mistaken for a Monet (although much is owed to the photograph's deviation from the original.) Less so the other two.
As for Debussy and Ravel, I'm sure you know both rejected being classified as Impressionists, though entre nous I think the description fits. Both began writing 20 or 30 years into the Impressionist period and strongly into the 20th century, by which time Impressionism had waned, and the world of art had moved on.
I have a slide presentation I may put up as a video titled "From France With Love," demonstrating the influence on Argentine art of French painters, beginning with the Impressionists through Abstract Expressionists. Stay tuned.
Thank you for your welcome reply. I am honored! Yes, I do know the musicians referenced rejected the Impressionist label, yet they are still bonded in many minds. I am impressed you paint Monet copies, I have not ventured to do so, yet. The break with photographic realism is certainly a defining characteristic of Impressionism works of art, as is your other eloquent descriptions. "From France With Love" sounds intriguing. I know nothing about French influence on Argentine art, so this will be a splendid introduction. I appreciate learning about influences passing through time. I will stay tuned for more insights. Thank you again!
Chacun a son goûts.
Where are the bodies buried? How do we know Monet's favorite poet was Wordsworth? etc etc.
I cannot say that the surrealism of Flaubert's Bouvard et Pecuchet was the principle influence upon Dali's removal of time/space in his paintings, can I? Unless I have a letter from Salvador saying, "Steve, jsut read Flaub's BP. It was a life-changer for me!"
Steve, Reread the piece. I didn’t say Money’s favorite poet was Wordsworth. I said Monet admired Turner who, as an educated Englishman, would have been familiar with Wordsworth. Given Turner’s fundamental adoption of key elements of Wordsworth’s credo - reject formality and subject matter of classicism, create en plein air, venerate nature — it is reasonable to assume he was influenced by the poet. Ergo, Wordsworth’s influence extended to Monet, whose contribution to Art mirrors that of Wordsworth and Coleridge half a century earlier.