Lena Rivera
The trauma of WWII, the Holocaust, global warfare, and the rise of fascism led to a break from the past in the art world. Artists rejected realist styles and the rational, analytic principles of geometric abstraction. Instead, they turned to Abstract Expressionism, action painting, tachisme, lyrical abstraction, and art informel. Despite differences in European and American postwar artistic practices, ideologies, and sociopolitical conditions, there was a common interest in the use of the gestural mark and an emphasis on the physical act of painting. The vastness of the Atlantic Ocean creates a physical distance so large that it is impossible for art to evolve in the same direction, and so American and European art movements differ greatly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Physical distance | The Atlantic Ocean separates the two continents, creating a physical distance so large that it’s impossible for art to evolve in the same direction |
| Historical context | American painters became familiar with European modern art only in the early 20th century |
| Themes | American art was enamored by visions of newly acquired freedom, patriotism, and manifest destiny |
| Artistic approach | European artists rejected realist styles as too easily appropriated for propaganda |
| Artistic approach | American artists opposed the rational, analytic principles of geometric abstraction |
| Artistic approach | Both groups of artists shared a common interest in the use of the gestural mark to convey strong expressive content |
| Artistic approach | Both groups of artists shared an emphasis on the physical act of painting as a manifestation of artistic free will |
| Artistic approach | European artists were influenced by Japanese woodblock painting, or ukiyo-e |
| Artistic approach | American artists focused more on painting landscapes and exploring the American way of life |
| Artistic approach | American artists shifted to heroism and nationalistic imagery during the Civil War |
| Artistic movement | Abstract Expressionism |
| Artistic movement | Action painting |
| Artistic movement | Tachisme |
| Artistic movement | Lyrical abstraction |
| Artistic movement | Art informel |
| Artistic movement | Color field painting |
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What You'll Learn
American painters' focus on landscapes and the American way of life
The vastness of the Atlantic Ocean creates a physical distance between American and European art movements, making it impossible for art on both sides to evolve in the same direction. The themes underscoring American and European currents in modern art are inevitably connected to history and politics.
In the 19th century, American painters primarily painted portraits and some landscapes in a style based on English painting. During this time, artists like Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, and Eastman Johnson aimed to showcase the beauty in nature and everyday life. As the United States' territory grew in the 19th century, large landscape paintings depicting the American West proliferated, capturing the sublimity of the natural landscape. This focus on landscapes and the American way of life is a notable aspect of American art.
In the 20th century, American painters became familiar with the European strain of modern art, and the trauma of World War II led many artists to break from the past. Abstract Expressionism, action painting, tachisme, lyrical abstraction, and art informel were dominant approaches in the US and Western Europe after World War II. Artists rejected realist styles, geometric abstraction, and the rational, analytic principles associated with them. They embraced gestural marks and the physical act of painting as a manifestation of artistic free will.
Abstract Expressionism marked a turning point in American art, with international attention shifting from European (Parisian) art to American (New York) art in the 1940s and 1950s. Artists like Gorky, Pollock, de Kooning, Kline, Hofmann, Motherwell, and Rothko were associated with this movement, influenced by Cubism, European Surrealism, and artists like Picasso, Miró, Matisse, and American artists like Avery, Graham, and Hofmann. They abandoned formal composition and the representation of real objects, embracing abstraction.
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European artists' exploration of trauma and personal despair
The trauma of the Holocaust, global warfare, and the rise of fascism led European artists to explore themes of trauma and personal despair in their work. Artists rejected realist styles, which they believed could be too easily appropriated for propaganda, and opposed the rational, analytic principles of geometric abstraction.
German painter Max Beckmann's work, for example, depicts a man surrounded by bodies but emotionally isolated, with human foes on all sides. The painting is disturbing and profoundly expressive, and the man is shown in a claustrophobic space with high-contrast paint. Beckmann's work is an exploration of a deeply personal despair.
Another example is Spanish painter Manolo Millares, whose work reflected the violence of his time. His widow, Elvireta Escobio, reflected on his paintings, stating that they "always have the pockmarks from firing squad executions on the walls, which still existed at that time." Millares' work also expressed a sense of optimistic tenacity and belief in renewal.
Despite the differences between European and American artistic practices, a common interest in using gestural marks to convey strong expressive content united the two schools of art. The physical act of painting became a manifestation of artistic free will in the works of both American and European artists.
It is important to note that the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean separating the two continents creates a physical distance that makes it challenging for art movements to evolve in the same direction. However, by the 1950s, the artistic cross-pollination driven by instant communication and the displacements caused by World War II made it challenging to differentiate European from American art.
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The influence of Japanese art on European Impressionists
The term "Japonisme" refers to the influence of Japanese art and design on Western European artists in the 19th century. This phenomenon is most closely associated with Impressionism, as artists like Claude Monet and Edgar Degas were inspired by the subject matter, perspective, and composition of Japanese woodblock prints.
One of the key characteristics of Japonisme in Impressionist art was the adoption of bold, flat panels of colour, moving away from the realism that was typical of Western art at the time. Japanese woodblock prints often featured solid planes of colour and bold lines, with a focus on everyday subjects and intimate, domestic scenes. This aesthetic was embraced by some Impressionist artists, such as Mary Cassatt, who incorporated it into her works like "Woman Bathing".
The influence of Japanese art can also be seen in the exploration of unusual angles and directional lines of perspective in Impressionist paintings. Japanese artists often utilised wide-angle, panoramic scenes viewed from high vantage points or from one side. This can be seen in the work of Gustave Caillebotte, who incorporated sharp angles and directional lines in his busy street scenes.
Additionally, decorative and brightly coloured floral motifs, a common element in Japanese art and design, captivated the Impressionists. Claude Monet's late artwork, such as "The Japanese Footbridge" (1899), showcases the influence of Oriental flowers and Japanese flora and fauna. Monet's water garden at Giverny was inspired by Japanese plants and featured a curved Japanese bridge as its focal point.
Japonisme extended beyond the visual arts to influence architecture, landscaping, gardening, and even performing arts in Western Europe. For example, German drama adopted the Kabuki revolving stage, which became a trend in Berlin.
Regarding the differences between American and European paintings after WWII, there was a common interest in the use of gestural marks and an emphasis on the physical act of painting as a manifestation of artistic free will. However, the specific approaches and styles varied greatly between the two regions. American artists, such as Gorky, Pollock, de Kooning, and Rothko, were associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement, while European artists tended to stick to their cultural and art historical traditions.
By the 1950s, the artistic cross-pollination driven by instant communication and the displacements of World War II made it challenging to draw a distinct line between European and American art. Many European artists found themselves in exile in New York, contributing to the thriving art scene there.
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The emergence of Abstract Expressionism in America
The vast Atlantic Ocean separating America and Europe created a physical distance that influenced the distinct directions taken by art movements on the two continents. Historical contexts, political ideologies, and sociopolitical conditions further contributed to these differences. By the 1940s and 1950s, international attention shifted from European (Parisian) art to American (New York) art, with Abstract Expressionism playing a pivotal role in this transformation.
Abstract Expressionist artists in America often abandoned formal composition and the representation of real objects. Instead, they explored the gestural mark and emphasised the physical act of painting as a manifestation of artistic free will. This approach resulted in the creation of powerful expressive content that conveyed the emotional turmoil and complexities of the time.
The Abstract Expressionist movement in America was influenced by various artistic movements and masters. The Cubists, European Surrealists, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Henri Matisse, and Americans like Milton Avery, John D. Graham, and Hans Hofmann all left their mark on the Abstract Expressionists. This fusion of influences and the unique historical context of post-World War II America shaped the emergence and evolution of Abstract Expressionism as a defining force in American art.
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The historical and political themes in American and European art
American Art
Early American art, from the late 18th to the early 19th centuries, was dominated by history paintings and portraits, with artists like John Singleton Copley and Charles Willson Peale capturing important figures and events of the American Revolution. American painters emulated British styles, and portraiture communicated the subject's wealth, social standing, and cultural significance. Landscape paintings also emerged during this period, with artists like Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, and Eastman Johnson capturing the beauty of nature and everyday life in the expansive American West. This period also saw the development of Native American art, with artists like David Cusick and Edmonia Lewis employing European styles to depict native subjects and tell their stories.
In the 20th century, American art underwent significant changes. With the country's involvement in World War II, artists began to reject realist styles and the analytic principles of geometric abstraction, turning towards Abstract Expressionism, Action painting, and Color Field painting. Artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko gained international recognition for their abstract works, marking a shift in the art world's focus from European to American art, particularly the New York School.
European Art
European art has a long history that includes various movements and influences. In the 19th century, French artist Thomas Couture coined the term "Realism" to describe art that represented contemporary life and the physical world with precision and empathy. This shift towards Realism coincided with social and political upheavals, including revolutions and industrialization.
Post-World War II, European artists also explored Abstract Expressionism, but their work was influenced by the trauma of the Holocaust, global warfare, and the rise of fascism. Artists sought to convey strong expressive content through the use of gestural marks and an emphasis on the physical act of painting as a manifestation of artistic free will. German painter Max Beckmann, for example, depicted modern man as alienated, with a sense of profound despair in his post-WWII works.
In summary, while both American and European art have explored historical and political themes, their approaches and styles have been shaped by their respective cultural, social, and political contexts, resulting in distinct artistic movements and expressions.
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Frequently asked questions
American painters became familiar with European art only in the early 20th century. The vastness of the Atlantic Ocean creates a physical distance so large that it is impossible for art to evolve in the same direction. American paintings are concerned with seeing and accurately rendering whatever is in front of the artist, while European paintings refer to the cultural and art historical traditions that preceded them.
American artists focused on landscapes and explored the American way of life. Themes of heroism and
European artists focused on the trauma of the Holocaust, global warfare, and the rise of fascism.
Gorky, Pollock, de Kooning, Kline, Hofmann, Motherwell, Gottlieb, Rothko, and Still, to name a few.
Max Beckmann, Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, and Eastman Johnson.
