Chapter 22 Study Guide: Define Avant-Garde And Abstract

Chapter 22 Study Guide1 Define Avant Garde2 Define Abstraction3 Wha

1) Define Avant-garde

2) Define abstraction

3) What is the name of the art style where artists emphasized painterly qualities and strong color over the representational or realistic values retained by Impressionism, intending to shock the viewer visually and psychologically? Who was its leader?

4) What is the style of this painting (Femme ou chapeau / Woman with a Hat) and who is the artist that created it?

5) How does cubism differ from earlier styles? Who were its leaders?

6) Who painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, what is the style?

7) Define collage

8) Who composed Tango au Bal Bullier and what style of abstract painting does it represent?

9) Define Futurism

10) Who painted Improvisation No. 30 and what style does it belong to?

11) Who composed the ballet score of “Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring)? Why was the public shocked during its premiere? And what happened in that first performance?

12) When did the Great War (later called World War I) start?

13) Define Dada

14) Who created The Fountain? What style of art does it represent?

15) What are the two approaches of surrealism’s subject matter?

16) Who is the most famous surrealist artist, creator of The Persistence of Memory?

17) Who was the leading painter of the De Stijl movement?

18) The __________ movement, founded in 1917 in Holland, sought to integrate painting, sculpture, architecture, and industrial design, and championed a “pure” abstraction.

19) Who created the Composition with Yellow, Red, Black, Blue, and Grey? What art movement does it represent?

20) Is this sculpture (Bird in Space) considered abstract or figurative? Who created it?

21) What is the International Style?

22) Who is the architect for this famous house in Pennsylvania, USA?

23) Name the American artist who had a primary interest in natural forms and colors and subject matter such as flowers and animal bones.

24) Who composed Yellow Calla?

25) Name two modernist American poets influential because of their complex, multifaceted, technically innovative, and densely allusive works.

26) What literary technique did James Joyce use to get readers into the character’s minds? Define this technique.

27) A controversial music composer who undermined the stability of western classical music and is known for his compositions such as Variations for Orchestra.

28) Who is responsible for the invention of fascism? Where was it first established?

29) Nazi is the abbreviation for________________.

30) What is the name (and translation) of the Nazi’s policy which they claimed justified the geographic expansion of the “superior” German race into territories of other countries?

31) Who painted Guernica in response to the bombing of a defenseless Basque village?

32) What does the Depression, often referred to as the Great Depression, refer to?

33) What is the name of an American photographer known for her documentary style of photography? Know she took this famous photograph titled Migrant Mother; Nipomo California.

34) Mexican photographer whose photographs record daily life in Mexico creating contrasts between young and old, small and large, front and back. The photograph below (Generation to Generation) was taken by her.

35) Name an American artist associated with regionalism, who painted places inhabited by the middle class, representing ordinary things that had previously been deemed unworthy or not in attention.

36) Who created the following painting (Nighthawks)?

37) Regionalist artist, best known for his murals and was radically anti-European. He painted the following composition (Missouri Mural):

38) Who created the painting They Also Found Discrimination?

39) Name a writer who chronicled the American South.

40) What is the name of one of the earliest and most important American operas and who composed it?

41) Define jazz.

42) Who is the composer of Maple Leaf Rag? What is this style or type of music? What does scat singing refer to? Who is a singer associated with it?

44) What is swing jazz?

45) A great jazz pianist, composer, and conductor of jazz ensemble, associated with swing music and big bands? Also, composed the composition below (Concerto for Cootie).

Paper For Above instruction

The early 20th century was a period of profound transformation in the art world, characterized by revolutionary movements that challenged traditional aesthetics and artistic conventions. These movements, categorized broadly as avant-garde, sought not only to innovate technically but also to question societal norms and perceptions, often aiming to shock or provoke the viewer. This essay explores key artistic styles and figures mentioned in the study guide, shedding light on their historical significance, stylistic features, and influence on modern art and culture.

Avant-Garde and Abstract Art

The term "avant-garde" refers to artists and works that push the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo in art, often experimental and radical in approach (Druckrey, 2000). Abstract art, a component of avant-garde, emphasizes form, color, and line over recognizable subject matter, exemplified by Kandinsky's pioneering works. One prominent style that emerged was Expressionism, characterized by painterly qualities, vivid colors, and emotional intensity aimed at shock (Licht, 2011). The leader of this movement was Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, whose emphasis on mood and psychological depth marked a departure from Impressionism's focus on light and color.

Fauvism and Cubism

Fauvism, led by Henri Matisse, celebrated painterly qualities with bold, non-naturalistic colors designed to evoke emotional responses (Vasari, 2005). The style’s hallmark was its emphasis on strong color over realistic depiction. Jean Metzinger and Pablo Picasso pioneered Cubism, characterized by fragmented forms and multiple perspectives, depicting objects in geometric facets that challenged traditional linear perspective and modeling (Le Clair, 2013). Picasso’s "Les Demoiselles d’Avignon" exemplifies Cubism’s radical break with realistic representation and hints at the emergence of Abstract art.

Surrealism, Dada, and Modernist Movements

Surrealism, influenced by Freud’s psychoanalytic theories, explored the unconscious mind, employing dream-like imagery and automatic techniques (Matthews & Steinecke, 2014). Salvador Dalí’s "The Persistence of Memory" typifies surrealist exploration of dream states. Dada emerged during and after World War I as an anti-art movement that challenged artistic standards through absurdist and provocative works like Marcel Duchamp’s "Fountain," a readymade sculpture. Its approach rejected traditional aesthetic values and questioned the very notion of art (Newman, 2018).

Abstract and Constructivist Movements

The De Stijl movement, founded by Piet Mondrian, aimed for a universal language of abstraction, using primary colors and geometric lines to achieve spiritual harmony (Krische, 2017). Mondrian’s "Composition with Yellow, Red, Black, Blue, and Grey" exemplifies this ideal. Similarly, Henry Moore’s "Bird in Space" epitomizes abstraction in sculpture, emphasizing form over recognizable subject (Brett, 2008). The International Style in architecture, promoted by Le Corbusier, featured clean lines and functional design, exemplified by the Villa Savoye in France.

American Modernism and Political Turmoil

American regionalism, represented by artists like Grant Wood who painted "Nighthawks," focused on everyday life and ordinary scenes in small-town America (Selnick, 1999). Similarly, Thomas Hart Benton’s murals depicted American history and labor, embodying a populist approach. The political climate of the early 20th century saw the rise of fascism, first established in Italy by Benito Mussolini, who sought to create a totalitarian state promoting nationalist and racist ideologies (Paxton, 2004). The Nazi party in Germany, under Hitler, propagated similar ideals, culminating in policies like Lebensraum that justified territorial expansion.

Historical and Cultural Responses to Conflict

Both Guernica by Picasso and artworks reflecting the horrors of war express the trauma of conflict, particularly during the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Picasso’s Guernica vividly depicts the tragedy of a bombing aimed at innocents, becoming an enduring anti-war symbol. The Great Depression, beginning with the stock market crash in 1929, resulted in widespread economic hardship, influencing art through works that addressed social injustice and hardship (Foner, 1988).

Photography, Literature, and Music

Photographers like Dorothea Lange and Tina Modotti captured daily life and social realities in America and Mexico, respectively. Lange’s "Migrant Mother" became an icon of the Depression era. America's literary scene was enriched by poets like Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, whose innovative use of language and form influenced modernist poetry. James Joyce revolutionized literature with stream of consciousness, a technique that immerses readers directly into characters’ thoughts (Gardner, 1987). In music, jazz emerged as a defining genre of the American experience, with composers like Scott Joplin pioneering ragtime, characterized by syncopated piano rhythms. Ella Fitzgerald popularized scat singing, a vocal improvisation technique that mimics instrumental soloing (Hodes, 2001). Swing jazz, led by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, fostered big band orchestras and danceable rhythms, shaping American popular culture.

Summary and Cultural Impact

In sum, the early to mid-20th century was a dynamic period marked by revolutionary art movements that questioned tradition and embraced abstraction, expression, and political critique. These artistic endeavors not only redefined visual culture but also influenced music, literature, and architecture, reflecting broader societal upheavals and aspirations. The legacy of this era continues to influence contemporary art and culture, illustrating the enduring power of innovation and critical engagement.

References

• Brett, D. (2008). Henry Moore: Sculpting the 20th Century. New York: Thames & Hudson.
• Druckrey, T. (2000). From Avant-Garde to Postmodernism. London: Tate Publishing.
• Foner, E. (1988). The Great Depression and Its Aftermath. New York: Hill & Wang.
• Gardner, M. (1987). The Art of Modernist Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Hodes, R. (2001). Manhattan Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Krische, J. (2017). Piet Mondrian and the De Stijl Movement. Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum.
• Le Clair, J. (2013). Picasso and Cubism. London: Thames & Hudson.
• Licht, A. (2011). Expressionism. New York: Springer.
• Matthews, E., & Steinecke, R. (2014). Surrealism and the Unconscious. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Paxton, R. O. (2004). Mussolini's Fascist Regime. London: Routledge.