Realism and Impressionism
Watch and Read the links below and respond to the following:
1) Courbet, A Burial at Ornans, 1849
a) The narrators refer to this as Courbet’s “manifesto” – what do you think they mean by this?
b) Courbet’s painting represents a “break” from the traditional French Academy of painting. Describe what is meant by this and refer to specific elements of the painting to support your points.
2) Manet’s Olympia: How does Manet respond to the long history of the nude as a subject in western painting? How does he subvert the trope of the nude in this painting? What message is he conveying to his audience in this painting?
3) Photography and Impressionism
a) What is the hallmark of Impressionism?
b) How did Impressionism represent a “break” from the traditional “French Academy?”
c) In what ways was Impressionism “modern” and how did it reflect the new “modern” life?
d) How did photography affect Impressionism?
e) Explain in 2-3 sentences the shifting role of women in the Impressionist movement, both as painters and subject?
Introduction to Realism https://smarthistory.org/a-beginners-guide-to-realism/
Gustave Courbet, A Burial at Ornans https://smarthistory.org/gustave-courbet-a-burial-at-ornans/
Gustave Courbet, The Stone Breakers https://smarthistory.org/courbet-the-stonebreakers/
Manet’s Olympia https://smarthistory.org/edouard-manet-olympia/
Daguerre and the Invention of Photography https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dagu/hd_dagu.htm
The Case for Impressionism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tw51Eh9vcw
Degas, Ballet Rehearsal, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAXWlfKpHN8
