French Art in the 1920s By: Jackie Barry

WHEN IN…FRANCE France, particularly Paris, has been an art hub since the very beginnings of history, and is a very attractive location for artists of all nationalities with all different art styles During the 1920s the art community was in the thick of impressionism, and other forms were on the rise In particular, Art Deco and Surrealism

Art deco Art deco is a form of art utilizing materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, lacquer, in laid wood, animal skins, and basically any unique texturized substance Architecture was heavily influenced by the sweeping curves, stepped forms, chevrons, and zig-zag patterns used by these artists This form of art can be seen in both 3D and 2D pieces. Examples of 3D pieces being furniture or buildings; 2D pieces are characterized by bright graphic colors with the incorporation of a variety of patterns (these pieces are not meant to represent the literal image necessarily, and are more of the artist’s interpretation of an image) It derived its name from the 1925 Paris World fair showcasing French luxury goods

Surrealism Surrealism explored a new form of expression called automatism, which sought to release the imagination found in the subconscious. It officially begun in Paris in 1924 with the publication of the Manifesto of Surrealism by the poet André Breton. It became an international political and intellectual movement, originally defined by just poetry and literature but eventually morphed to include visual arts as well. The founders of this movement were greatly influenced by the studies of Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx, drawing upon the private world of the mind which was normally restricted by societal limitations. Among the first of the French artists to work with surrealist techniques was André Masson, whose drawings featured continuous curves and sweeping lines which brought to life symbolic figures, many of which were akin to the poets’ automatism. Many artists began to migrate towards France in order to learn this new form of art including Salvadore Dalí and René Magritte. Unfortunately following the start of WWII, surrealism largely dissolved in Europe, and many artists moved to the United States.

Surrealism Cont.’d Salvadore Dalí Rene Magritte

Hopefully a familiar name…claude monet! Monet, a French artist, was a hugely impactful figure in the controversial impressionist movement, and his pieces are known and celebrated worldwide Though most of his work was created in the mid to late 1800s, Monet lived to be 86, passing away in 1926. He continued to produce work up until about 1925. In 1923, Monet underwent operations to remove eye cataracts. Interestingly, during this time his paintings had a reddish tone to them, characteristic of the colors seen by cataract victims. Some believe through his surgeries, he was able to see certain ultraviolet wavelengths of light normally excluded from the eye. He passed away on December 5, 1926 from lung cancer

Works cited 1920s Art, www.1920-30.com/art/. “Oscar-Claude Monet.” Claude Oscar Monet - The Complete Works, www.claudemonetgallery.org/. Voorhies, Author: James. “Surrealism | Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art.” The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/surr/hd_surr.htm.