 |
Jeanne d'Arc Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879 / Oil on canvas, 100x110 in Metropolitan Museum of Art |
One of the first “isms” I learned about as a young painter was French Impressionism. Like an infant, I was enchanted by its bright, shiny things. The vibrancy of complement-on-complement, the loose and energetic brush work, the apparent lack of a need for good drawing skills—these helped me develop into a sloppy painter.
Much later, I stumbled upon Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848-1884) and French Naturalism. Appreciating this style of painting required a more mature, sophisticated outlook: one that craved good drawing, controlled brush work and, above all, an ensemble of colors that did not involve a brass section. I think I saw his “Jeanne d'Arc” first and fell in love with the muted silvery greens, the dull earth colors, the accuracy of the drawing. The artist had created a world beautifully unified in mood.
Naturalism is related to Realism. Here's what Wikipedia says:
Realism in the arts is generally the attempt to represent subject matter truthfully, without artificiality and avoiding speculative fiction and supernatural elements. The term is often used interchangeably with Naturalism, even though these terms are not synonymous. Naturalism, as an idea relating to visual representation in Western art, seeks to depict objects with the least possible amount of distortion and is tied to the development of linear perspective and illusionism in Renaissance Europe. Realism, while predicated upon naturalistic representation and a departure from the idealization of earlier academic art, refers to a specific art historical movement that originated in France in the aftermath of the French Revolution of 1848.
Even though I rarely think about how to paint something—I paint without trying consciously to achieve a particular style—once in awhile I try to paint the scene exactly as I see it, and sometimes, the result looks like a Bastien-Lepage landscape. I recommend this practice to anyone who wants to hone their observational skills.
 |
Les foins Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1877 / Oil on canvas, 180x195 cm Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France |
 |
Pauvre Fauvette Jules Bastien-Lepage |
 |
Weary Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1881 |
