20th Century Art Movements and Innovations

Overview

• Explosion of art movements and ideas in the 20th century.
• Focus on innovation in brushwork.
• Artists continued producing art in older styles while contributing new techniques.

John Singer Sargent

• Recognized for bravura brushwork.
• Compared to Van Gogh's directional brushstrokes, Sargent's work is expressive and confident.

Artistic Freedom Post-1900

• Artists began reinterpreting reality with freedom.
• New artistic innovations emerged.

Cubism

• Developed by Pablo Picasso and George Braque.
• Objects are broken down to basic forms; explores new relationships between forms.
• Two phases:
  • Analytical Cubism: Straight brushwork.
  • Synthetic Cubism: Introduced collage with non-paint materials and painted lettering.
• Picasso's technique: Thick, impasto paint layers.

Art During the World Wars

• Hiatus in new brushwork development.
• Focus on expressions through form, color, and subject matter.

Abstract Expressionism (1950s)

• Emphasized emotion and breaking free from traditional constraints.
• Clifford Still: Broad expanses of color, varying paint thickness, and bare canvas.
• Franz Klein: Bold black and white brushstrokes, influenced by enlarged images.

Mark Tobey

• Inspired by Eastern calligraphy.
• Developed 'white writing' style: White cursive letters on dark canvas.

Jackson Pollock

• Innovated drip painting method; used commercial paint poured directly onto canvas.
• Paint viewed as energy to be released.

Helen Frankenthaler

• Developed staining technique by thinning oil paint and pouring it onto unprimed canvas.
• Minimal brush use, primarily for shaping paint edges.

Canadian Innovations

• Jean-Paul Rappel: Mosaic paintings using impasto and spatula techniques.
  • Influences from Pollock's splattering and dripping.

Gerhard Richter

• Use of oversized squeegee for abstract layers.
• Combines base layers with abstract paint applications.
• Watercolor work: Reminiscent of stained glass with layered washes.

Wu Guansong (1980s - 2010)

• Merges realism with abstraction and geometric simplicity.
• Uses confident brushwork and splatter to represent natural forms.
• Combines multiple brushwork styles to create unique artistic expression.

Conclusion

• Artists' brushwork can often identify their unique style.
• Evolution of brush techniques reflects broader changes in art and culture.