Art spans distinct movements which have unique characteristics. In the wake of the 20th century, art experienced rapid changes due to the industrial revolution and urbanization, an era commonly known as modernism. The artists during the early 20th century desired to develop pieces of art that portrayed the values and experiences of industrialization. As such, they used new forms of picture making, such as abstraction, new styles of object making, such as construction, and materials that reflected industrialization.[1] Some artists from the era of modernism include Henri Matisse and Auguste Rodin. This paper analyzes two art pieces from modernism visually; The Serf, made by Matisse, and the walking man, created by Rodin.
Visual analysis of The Serf by Matisse
The Serf is a sculpture by Henri Matisse that was made between 1900-1903 and cast in 1908.Henri Matisse on 31 December 1869 at Le Cateau-Cambresis, Picardy, France and died on 3 November 1954.He is responsible for the significant transformations and advancements in graphic arts that happened in the first years of the 20th century. He was a renowned fauve due to his paintings having an intense color.[2]. The Serf, one of his works, is made of bronze, static, self-contained, and looks malleable. The malleability is attributed to surface agitation, a skill that Matisse learned from Rodin. The surface agitation is against the traditional western culture that requires sculptures to give their works of art life. Matisse uses materiality as depicted by the ungracious proportionality of the model. The model traces a winding curve in space, and undulation stemming from the prominent belly, the sunken thorax, the bent back, and the knee that is bent inwards to the head that is tilted towards one direction[3]. In the latter, the sculpture is one of the first modernist monuments that asserts its autonomy as an object.
Visual analysis of The Walking Man by Rodin
The Walking Man was a sculpture made in 1900 by Auguste Rodin. Rodin was born in Paris, France, on 12 November 1840 and died on 10 November 1917. Despite having challenges such as not being taken seriously by established academies, he is one of the most renowned modern artists who mainly worked with bronze. One striking fact about Rodin is that: he left all his sketches and sculptures to the French government for them to create a museum.[4]. The sculpture is made of bronze, a material representing the era of urbanization and industrialization. In like manner, it is a representation of a man walking. However, the walking man is not walking because his feet are anchored to the ground. As such, the movement is somehow halted. The man in the sculpture looks like a fighter ready to deliver a blow. Additionally, the statue has a gaping hole at the back, which indicates that Rodin was determined to use sculptural processes as a language. In like manner, the artist uses process orientation while working with the bronze, and the anomalies, whether intentional or accidental, make up the art of modeling and casting.[5]. In a nutshell, Rodin was a skilled sculptor of his time, and his work of art is a clear indication of the era of modernism.
Art spans several eras, which have different characteristics. The modernist era was full of changes in works of art. Artists tried new picture-making forms and used different styles and materials that represented industrialization and urbanization. The two renowned artists of modernism are Henri Matisse and Auguste Rodin. Both artists used bronze and made outstanding sculptures, namely The Serf and The Walking Man. The two works of art by Matisse and Rodin clearly indicate the era of modernism due to their style and material used.
Bibliography
Art in Context. 2022. “Henri Matisse – an Exploration of the Life and Art of Henri Matisse.” Artincontext.org. March 15, 2022. https://artincontext.org/henri-matisse/
Art in Context. 2022. “Auguste Rodin – Who Is Auguste Rodin and Why Is He Famous?” Artincontext.org. July 4, 2022. https://artincontext.org/auguste-rodin/.
Foster, Hal, Rosalind E Krauss, Yve-Alain Bois, B H D Buchloh, and David Joselit. 2016. Art since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. 3rd ed. London: Thames & Hudson.
[1] Hal Foster, Rosalind E Krauss, Yve-Alain Bois, Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, and David Joselit. 2016. Art since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. 3rd ed. London: Thames & Hudson. 70
[2] Art in Context. 2022. “Henri Matisse – an Exploration of the Life and Art of Henri Matisse.” Artincontext.org. March 15, 2022. https://artincontext.org/henri-matisse/
[3] Hal Foster, Rosalind E Krauss, Yve-Alain Bois, Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, and David Joselit. 2016. Art since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. 3rd ed. London: Thames & Hudson. 70
[4] Art in Context. 2022. “Auguste Rodin – Who Is Auguste Rodin and Why Is He Famous?” Artincontext.org. July 4, 2022. https://artincontext.org/auguste-rodin/.
[5] Hal Foster, Rosalind E Krauss, Yve-Alain Bois, Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, and David Joselit. Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. 70
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