History of Abstract Painting
This is an example of nearly pure abstraction, The Yellow Curtain, painted by Henri Matisse in 1915 with his drawing Matisse and Fauvist color.
Visual language that uses any form, line, or color to generate a masterpiece which has its unique existence distinct from visual references is known as abstract art. Before abstract paintings, traditional European art attempted to reproduce an illusion of visible reality.
As other cultures became accessible over time, artists were exposed to other ways of showcasing their art. By the end of the 19th century, many artists wished to express their artwork in a more abstract way that would show the fundamental changes happening in technology, science, and philosophy.
Deviation From Reality
Abstraction shows a departure from reality by depicting imagery in art. This deviation from reality can be anywhere along a continuum from slight to total abstraction. Freedom taken to alter any form or color makes artwork partially abstract.
Total Abstraction Art
Total abstraction occurs when a piece leaves no reference of recognition to the original piece. As it is nearly impossible to perfectly recreate an object, even art that claims to be highly distinct can also be considered abstract.
Symbols
In ancient times, people used to put symbols and marks on rock, pottery, and clothes that were simple, linear and geometric forms just to reveal a symbolic or decorative purpose. This art communicated just the primary level of visual meaning, just as we enjoy the attractiveness of Chinese or Islamic calligraphy even without being able to read and interpret it.
Main Art Movements
Romanticism, Impressionism, and Expressionism were the three main art movements responsible for the recognition and development of abstract painting in the 19th century. James McNeill Whistler was one of the first to introduce this new art, by giving greater importance to visual sensation rather than the simple portrayal of objects, in his painting Nocturne in Black and Gold: The falling Rocket, in the year 1872.
Expressionist painters created emotionally charged paintings that were reactions to their contemporary experience. They experimented with the bold use of the canvas, drawing exaggerations and distortions with intense colors.
Famous Painters
Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, and Paul Cezanne practiced post Impressionism, which had a huge impact on the art of 20th century and resulted in the creation of 20th century abstraction.
Famous painters including Henri Matisse and Raoul Dufy revolutionized the Paris art world by drawing wild paintings of landscapes and figures that were multi-colored and expressive. Paintings by Henri Matisse that resemble pure abstraction because of his expressive use of color and imaginative drawing include French Window at Collioure (1914) and View of Notre-Dame (1914).