The Academy set up the hierarchy of genres, and the most important one is history painting, followed by portraiture and genre painting. Still life and landscape art are younger, and they were considered less important for long time. They keep fifth and fourth place in this hierarchy, but some people have different opinion about it. Van Gogh's Sunflowers, for example, cannot be considered as less important, by all means.
Although there were some attempts before, still life art first emerged in the sixteenth century. This specific genre feature natural or man-made, inanimate objects. In Tate Museum Glossary, motifs are described as anything that doesn't move or is dead. When it comes to natural objects, there are usually flowers or food, while man-made objects include books, vases and similar things.
Flowers can be just beautiful flowers, and nothing else, but they can also be highly symbolic. For example, lilies symbolize purity, and may refer to Virgin Mary's purity as well. On the other hand, Cezanne was more interested in shapes and colors of his motifs, and didn't care much about symbolism. Other authors sometimes used this genre just to practice their technique.
Caravaggio's basket of fruits, made in 1596, is considered to be the first major work of this genre in Western art. In seventeenth century, Netherlands was the most important for the development of this genre. At first, all works were mostly symbolic and usually religious. Flowers were especially popular. Their immortal beauty was saved on numerous beautiful paintings.
Other popular motifs were breakfast and banquet pictures, game pictures and vanities. Paintings usually have neutral background, with cool gray and warm tan colors, combined with silver and gold details. Bright colors of a main theme are in the front plan, emphasized by this neutral background. Different reminders of death are often present, for example skulls or watches.
Landscape art, on the other hand, emerged at the same time, but with different motifs. It feature nature, including water, mountains, woods, vegetation, rivers and lakes. Some works are highly realistic, while others are impressionistic or idealized, depending on the period. Predominant is oil, but numerous artists rather use water colors or pastels. You will also find mixed techniques.
Landscape officially became an independent genre in the 1600s. In this early period only a few authors were interested in painting landscapes. The situation will soon be changed, and this genre is popular today as well. Modern landscapes feature industrial buildings, roads and similar things.
Landscape had more important role in China, of course. In Western art, it was merely used as a background. Dutch and Flemish schools made a great difference in the seventeenth century in Europe. Some prominent artists, for example Vermeer, gave it more important role and it became finally respected and accepted as independent genre, as well as popular.
The nineteenth century is the period when some of the most amazing paintings were made. England and France were the centers, and artists like Turner and Constable changed the picture. In France, several famous painters, for example Renoir and Pissaro, painted some really beautiful landscapes. Sometimes people are also found on their works, but the nature is the prime motif.
Although there were some attempts before, still life art first emerged in the sixteenth century. This specific genre feature natural or man-made, inanimate objects. In Tate Museum Glossary, motifs are described as anything that doesn't move or is dead. When it comes to natural objects, there are usually flowers or food, while man-made objects include books, vases and similar things.
Flowers can be just beautiful flowers, and nothing else, but they can also be highly symbolic. For example, lilies symbolize purity, and may refer to Virgin Mary's purity as well. On the other hand, Cezanne was more interested in shapes and colors of his motifs, and didn't care much about symbolism. Other authors sometimes used this genre just to practice their technique.
Caravaggio's basket of fruits, made in 1596, is considered to be the first major work of this genre in Western art. In seventeenth century, Netherlands was the most important for the development of this genre. At first, all works were mostly symbolic and usually religious. Flowers were especially popular. Their immortal beauty was saved on numerous beautiful paintings.
Other popular motifs were breakfast and banquet pictures, game pictures and vanities. Paintings usually have neutral background, with cool gray and warm tan colors, combined with silver and gold details. Bright colors of a main theme are in the front plan, emphasized by this neutral background. Different reminders of death are often present, for example skulls or watches.
Landscape art, on the other hand, emerged at the same time, but with different motifs. It feature nature, including water, mountains, woods, vegetation, rivers and lakes. Some works are highly realistic, while others are impressionistic or idealized, depending on the period. Predominant is oil, but numerous artists rather use water colors or pastels. You will also find mixed techniques.
Landscape officially became an independent genre in the 1600s. In this early period only a few authors were interested in painting landscapes. The situation will soon be changed, and this genre is popular today as well. Modern landscapes feature industrial buildings, roads and similar things.
Landscape had more important role in China, of course. In Western art, it was merely used as a background. Dutch and Flemish schools made a great difference in the seventeenth century in Europe. Some prominent artists, for example Vermeer, gave it more important role and it became finally respected and accepted as independent genre, as well as popular.
The nineteenth century is the period when some of the most amazing paintings were made. England and France were the centers, and artists like Turner and Constable changed the picture. In France, several famous painters, for example Renoir and Pissaro, painted some really beautiful landscapes. Sometimes people are also found on their works, but the nature is the prime motif.
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