Homer Winslow And Jules Breton Essay Example For Students

Homer Winslow And Jules Breton Essay Homer Winslow and Jules Breton, two men painting the canvas of the nineteenth century. Comparing their art gives birth to numerous differences and unique qualities hidden within their work and lives. Dressing For The Carnival, Homer 1877, and The Weeders, Breton 1868, are fine examples of their careers as artists. Beyond the aesthetic merits of his work, Breton is significant as the painter whose vision of French rural life best embodies a set of late nineteenth- century ideals: the charm and wholesomeness of rustic ways, the nobility of living close to the soil, the beauty of preindustrial landscape, and the social harmony of the agrarian community. Sturges Bretons work was unique in content, painting for himself, impressing his personal values to the viewer. Although he did not fit the mold, by producing classical and historical works, there were other artists struggling with expression and values of a newer mind, artists like Winslow Homer. While he was at work in Petersburg, it became known to a group of fine young fire-eaters that he was consorting with the blacks, and they resolved to drive him out of town as a d-d nigger-painter. Word had come to him that the place was to be made too hot for him, but he paid no attention to the warning. Hendricks Both Breton and Homer were leaders for impressionism, however, the two works mentioned above vary greatly. Both artists focused on similar subject matter, figures in a scene or landscape. However a closer observation of specific images, narrative, symbols, sources, and process divide the two pieces to separate sides of late eighteen hundreds paintings. Physical elements such as composition, position of figures in space, brush work, color, viewpoint, and surface treatment all contribute to this separation of similar subject matter. The composition of The Weeders is un cropped, fairly balanced and symmetrical. The foreground is bold, the middle ground is expansive and the back ground strong and deep. Our view is that of perhaps a weeder on the field. Homers Carnival is cropped and less symmetrical with figures emerging from off the canvas. Less emphasis is placed on use of foreground, in turn creating less depth. Bretons figures hold much movement and expression, women working the field are crouched close to the viewer. Farther back a woman stands alone, basket full, gaze and body positioned toward the setting sun. The women weeding are bent and tired. Homers figures hold much more static energy, their gestures are held firmly with out a potential for further movement, like a snapshot. They are mimicking and playful with much variation of size, adults and various aged children. This is easily observed because of the placement of the figures all standing in a line, all the same distance from the viewer. The figure is the focus of the viewer, with the background less important. The figures feet almost meet the bottom of the canvas, out view eye level. This horizontal linear figure focus creates a flow and path of the viewers eye from right to left. The The Weeders flow moves from foreground figures to middle ground left and finally the expansive deep horizon. Front to back as opposed to side to side. Bretons backward recession is also created using the crop lines in the dirt which carry us off into the distance. Bretons brush work is painterly and general compared to his classic roots, though his figures are quite detailed. The texture of the canvas can be seen because of his thin application of smooth layers of oil paint. Homers application and use of the brush is notably different. It is rougher, thicker, and much much more suggestive. Both artists use of color plays an important role in the overall effect of the painting on the viewer. Murals Wall Paintings And Frescoes EssayAt the age of four his mother died and he was placed under the care of nurses and some extended family. His early childhood was carefree and joyous, and though much of his time was spent playing in the gardens and fields with companions of inferior social position, he was not raised as a peasant. This open-minded up bringing perhaps influenced his attitudes of lower class laborers expressed in his work. He received a fine education at a Catholic seminary school and attended college of Douai. It is here that he discovered his talent and passion for art. He later studied at the Royal Academy and was guided by artists like Vigne, Haert, and Rude. He also studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Soon the Revolution was an impact on his life. At twenty years old he witnessed much violence but did not have a passion for Politics. Running from this turmoil, he returned home and found comfort there. This began his works based in Courrieres. Homer and Breton came from different backgrounds and financial situations. Homer was educated by his mother at a very young age whereas Breton was sent to the finest schools , only discovering his love for at at the age of twenty. These facts too explain the severe differences between these two works, and their works throughout their careers. However different their surroundings and subject matter, their works do share an extremely important quality, the type of message conveyed. Breton and Homer both looked passed what others accepted as everyday life. To these men life is more than the class you have been born into. There is an infostructure and roots to every society. And though these people may not be closely examined and accepted, these artists show those who do not stop to catch a glimpse of someone elses life that there is beauty and quality elsewhere. That is the goal of any good artist I believe, to educate the mind and stretch and stimulate the senses. Whether viewers reacted with appreciation or disgust, they were effected which is nothing but praise to an artist trying to show truth.