Summary:
The purpose of this paper is to explore the transformation process of landscape oil painting from the "representation" style that pursues objective truth to the "representation" style that emphasizes the expression of subjective emotions and personality. By analyzing the artworks and genres of different historical periods, the article reveals the internal and external dynamics and external influences of this transformation, including social and cultural changes, the evolution of philosophical thought, and the awakening of individual artists' consciousness.
I. Introduction
Since the Renaissance, Western painting art has undergone a profound transformation from strict imitation of nature to emphasis on subjective creation, a process that not only reflects the evolution of human aesthetic consciousness, but also mirrors the progress of social culture, philosophical thought, and scientific and technological progress. The early art of painting, especially landscapes, was devoted to the precise "reproduction" of natural landscapes, striving to reproduce the realism of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional plane, which reached its peak in the Baroque and Classicist periods.
However, with the rational brilliance brought about by the Enlightenment gradually illuminating the awakening of individual consciousness, and the emphasis of Romanticism on emotion and imagination, artists began to seek expressions beyond physical reality, exploring how to "express" inner emotions and personal perspectives on canvas.
As an important carrier of this artistic transformation, the unique value of landscape oil painting lies in the fact that it can not only carry the delicate capture of the beauty of nature, but also become a reflection of the artist's spiritual world. From Claude Lorraine's poetic pastoral to Turner's drama of light and shadow, to the impressionist capture of momentary feelings, landscape painting has gradually moved away from the strict requirements of form, and has turned to the pursuit of emotional reality and visual intuitive experience. This transformation not only enriches the expressive language of art, but also broadens the audience's aesthetic vision and promotes the diversified development of modern art.
2. Literature review and theoretical basis
A. Conceptual Distinction between "Representation" and "Representation".
In the broad field of art theory, "representation" and "representation" constitute two fundamentally different creative concepts. "Representation", rooted in the classical art tradition, emphasizes that works of art should faithfully imitate nature and pursue the authenticity and objectivity of the image. According to this idea, the task of the artist is to accurately reproduce the external world on the canvas through virtuosity, as exemplified in the works of Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael. At this stage, landscape painting often focuses on the accurate depiction of geographical features, as well as the scientific application of the laws of light and perspective to achieve an almost photorealistic effect.
On the other hand, "Expression" focuses more on the direct expression of the artist's inner emotions and subjective experience, as well as the innovation of forms and techniques. It is no longer confined to the superficial similarity of external things, but conveys the inner world of the artist through the free combination of colors, lines, compositions and other elements. In this context, landscape painting has become a vehicle of emotion, such as Van Gogh's passionate brushstrokes and intense colors, or Monet's keen capture of the instantaneous changes of light and shadow, all of which demonstrate the unique charm of the "expressive" style. This shift marks the shift in artistic creation from dependence on the external world to the exploration of the inner world.
Overview of historical evolution
In the history of Western painting, the transformation of the style from "representation" to "expression" was not achieved overnight, but went through a series of key periods. At the beginning of the 19th century, with the rise of Romanticism, artists began to emphasize personal emotions and imagination, and the depiction of nature gradually incorporated more subjective colors, indicating the germination of the trend of "expression". By the middle of the 19th century, the advent of Impressionism was a watershed moment in this transformation.
Monet, Renoir and others captured the instantaneous changes of light and shadow through outdoor sketching, using bold colors and free brushstrokes, breaking the shackles of traditional painting and promoting the profound transformation of landscape painting from "representation" to "expression". Subsequently, the Post-Impressionists, such as Van Gogh and Gauguin, went a step further, using the exaggerated treatment of color and shape to directly express inner emotions, laying a solid foundation for the "expressive" style. In the 20th century, expressionism, abstract expressionism and other schools pushed "expression" to the extreme, completely detached from the direct imitation of natural forms, and instead focused on the exploration of pure emotions and forms.
C. Theoretical support
The philosophy of art and aesthetic theories provide a deep theoretical foundation for this turn. In the Critique of Judgment, Kant argues that aesthetic judgment is based on the subject's free emotions, rather than on any external purpose or rule, which provides a philosophical basis for the rationality of "expressive" art. In his "Theory of the Will of Art", Nietzsche emphasized that art is the overflow of vitality and the embodiment of the artist's personal will, which encourages artists to pursue individual expression and break through the limitations of traditional aesthetics.
In addition, Croce's theory of "intuition is representation" asserts that the essence of art lies in expressing the artist's intuitive emotions, which further strengthens the value of "expressive" art. Together, these theories provide a strong theoretical support for the transformation from "representation" to "representation" in landscape oil painting, revealing the profound philosophical logic of art from objective imitation to subjective creation.
3. The characteristics and limitations of "reproduction" art
A. The practice of "representation" in landscape painting
In the early development of landscape painting, the "representation" style dominated, and artists focused on capturing and replicating the magnificent scenery of nature with their brushes, striving to present the realism of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional plane. The practice of landscape painting in this period has distinctive technical characteristics, rigorous composition, and scientific and accurate use of color.
In terms of technical characteristics, the artists widely use the principle of linear perspective, creating a profound sense of space through visual effects that are far from small and near. For example, the Renaissance landscape background, although mostly used as a foil for figure painting, has begun to pay attention to the creation of depth of field. In addition, the use of chiaroscuro techniques enhances the three-dimensionality and realism of the picture, and Caravaggio's work demonstrates the mastery of this technique.
In terms of composition, the principle of balance and harmony is followed, and the natural landscape is carefully organized, focusing on the stability and beauty of the overall layout. The arrangement of rivers, sky, and trees in the works of 17th-century Dutch landscape painters, such as Jacob van Rysdal, not only showed the tranquil beauty of nature, but also met the aesthetic expectations of the audience at the time.
In terms of color use, we pursue a high degree of consistency with natural colors, and strive to restore the true color of objects under natural light. Early 19th-century landscape painters, such as John Constable, made their paintings richly coloured and layered through their delicate captures of light and atmospheric effects, presenting subtle changes in natural landscapes.
B. Limitations Discussion
Despite the remarkable technical and aesthetic achievements of "representation" art, its limitations in expressing deep emotions and individual innovation have gradually emerged, prompting artists to explore new artistic languages. First of all, the "representation" style relies too much on the direct simulation of external reality, and often ignores the expression of the artist's individual emotions and subjective experiences. While pursuing objective authenticity, landscape painting may lose its emotional temperature, and it is difficult to touch the deep emotional resonance of the viewer.
Secondly, in terms of individual innovation, the strict rules and traditional frameworks of the "reproduction" style limit the diversity and creative development of art. Artists have found that simply imitating nature is not enough to fully express their personal perspective and the spirit of the times. For example, before the middle of the 19th century, although landscape painting was highly skilled, it tended to be similar in the choice of subject matter and expression, and lacked novelty and individual expression.
These limitations have inspired artists to question and rebel against traditional art rules, prompting them to explore more free and subjective ways of expression. In order to convey emotions more deeply and express individuality, artists began to try to break the boundaries of "representation" and use more abstract and symbolic techniques to depict landscapes, which gave birth to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and even modern art. This transformation not only broadened the expressive power of landscape oil painting, but also profoundly changed the direction of the entire art history, opening a new era from objective representation to subjective expression.
Fourth, the rise and motivation of the "performance" trend
A. Socio-cultural context
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, with the rapid advancement of industrialization and modernization, profound changes took place in the social structure, way of life and people's way of thinking, which inevitably affected the field of art and promoted the transformation from "representation" to "expression". The development of industrialized cities and the progress of science and technology have brought new aesthetic needs and experiences, and people's attachment to nature and tradition has gradually been replaced by the perception of speed, machines, and modern life. This socio-cultural shift has prompted artists to move away from merely imitating the exact representation of the external world, but to seek new ways to express their inner emotions and psychological states.
At the same time, the rise of modernism, emphasizing the emancipation of individuality and self-expression, further catalyzed the change of artistic style. In the face of a rapidly changing society, modern people are full of complex emotions, such as loneliness, anxiety, longing, etc., and these inner experiences have become the focus of artists' attention. Therefore, the trend of "expression" came into being in such a social and cultural context, which is not only a breakthrough in traditional art forms, but also a reflection of modern social psychology.
B. Individual Artist Factors
Individual factors such as the artist's personal experience, emotional state, and philosophical thoughts have played a key role in the rise of the trend of "expression". For example, Vincent van Gogh expresses inner pain and longing with his unique brushstrokes and strong emotional colors, and his work "Starry Night" is a direct expression of the intense emotions of the inner world. Claude Monet, on the other hand, showed momentary beauty that transcends physical appearances through his keen capture of the changes of light and shadow, such as the "Water Lilies" series, reflecting the artist's unique sense of natural beauty and the peaceful pursuit of the inner world. Through a personal visual language, these artists integrate personal emotions and understanding of the world into their works, promoting art from the expression of the external world to the exploration of the inner world.
C. Technological and material innovation
Innovations in technology and materials have provided important conditions for the development of the "expressive" style. The Impressionists' new exploration of light and color, especially their preference for outdoor sketching (en plein air), promoted the innovation of color theory. Instead of relying on traditional palettes to mix colors, they capture the transient changes of natural light directly on the canvas, using unmixed solid color dots to create vivid color effects in the eyes of the viewer through visual mixing. This technique not only revolutionizes the expressiveness of color, but also makes the picture vibrant and dynamic, providing a technical basis for the artistic language of "expression" style.
In addition, the emergence of new materials, such as new pigment types and canvas textures, has given artists a wider creative space. The increased stability of the pigments and the brighter and more durable colors allow artists to express their inner emotions more freely without being limited by the material. These advances in technology and materials have jointly promoted the development of "expressive" art, enabling artists to convey personal emotions and inner experiences more directly and purely, and promoting a major transformation of landscape oil painting and the entire history of Western art.
5. The way to transform "representation" into "representation".
A. Shift in the language of color
As a powerful medium for emotional expression, color plays a central role in the transition from "representation" to "representation". Early landscape oil paintings focused on the objective authenticity of color, and strived to faithfully reproduce the color relationship in nature. However, with the rise of expressionism, color was endowed with the color of subjective emotion, which is no longer a simple reproduction of external physical phenomena, but a direct reflection of the artist's inner emotions.
The artist began to adjust the colors according to his own emotional needs, using exaggerated and contrasting color combinations to create a specific atmosphere, such as Van Gogh's passionate yellow and deep melancholy blue, which not only depicted natural scenes, but also revealed the fluctuations of the painter's inner world more profoundly. This shift in the language of color makes landscape painting a bridge of emotional communication, and the audience can intuitively feel the artist's mood fluctuations and mental state.
B. Liberalization of composition and form
Traditional landscape painting follows strict rules of perspective, striving for a realistic representation of three-dimensional space. Under the trend of "expression", artists began to challenge and break these rules, adopting non-naturalistic compositional techniques in order to achieve the goal of expressing emotions and thoughts more freely.
They may use extreme perspectives, distorted spatial layouts, or flattened treatments, such as Matisse's paper-cut art and the deconstruction and reorganization of space in the Cubist Cubism, all of which are subverts traditional compositions. These innovative compositions not only enhance the visual impact of the paintings, but also provide artists with more diverse ways of expression, allowing emotions and thoughts to flow freely within a framework beyond reality.
C. Expressiveness of brushstrokes and textures
The individual use of brushstrokes is an important hallmark of the "expressive" style. In the "reproduction" period, delicate and even brushstrokes pursue the smoothness of the picture and the fineness of details, while in the "expression" art, the brushstrokes become rough and powerful, and even obvious smearing marks can be seen. This change in brushstrokes is not only about visual effects, but also a direct physical manifestation of the artist's emotions.
For example, Van Gogh's thick brushstrokes and swirling lines not only shape the texture of the picture, but also convey his inner excitement and uneasiness. The direct expression of texture, through the simulation of different materials and the creation of visual touch, enhances the emotional tension of the picture, so that the viewer can feel the emotional depth behind the work through the dual experience of visual touch.
D. Selection and abstraction of thematic imagery
With the deepening of the trend of "expression", the thematic imagery of landscape painting has gradually moved from figuration to abstraction, and has become a symbol that carries the artist's emotions and thoughts. The artist is no longer limited to the depiction of objective scenes, but selects symbolic elements and transforms them into abstract forms with emotional connotations through deformation, simplification or extreme magnification.
Abstract landscapes, such as Mondrian's abstract landscapes, convey spiritual harmony that transcends the material world through a combination of geometric shapes and pure colors. This transition from figurative to abstract gives new life to the subject of landscape painting, becoming a visual metaphor for the artist's inner world and philosophical reflections, and the audience can often experience a spiritual resonance that transcends the visual level when interpreting these abstract images.
VI. Conclusion
In the long history of landscape oil painting, the alternating evolution of "representation" and "expression" constitutes an important vein of its development. In the early days, the "representation" style dominated, and artists devoted themselves to accurately imitating nature, pursuing the scientific reproduction of light and shadow, color and spatial structure. However, with the passage of time, artists are no longer satisfied with mere imitation, but instead explore the inner world and the expression of personal emotions, so the "expression" style came into being.
It breaks the traditional visual limitations and uses color, composition, brushstrokes and thematic imagery as direct outlets for emotions and thoughts, ushering in a new era of landscape oil painting expression. In the context of contemporary art, the "expression" technique not only consolidates its unshakable position, but also becomes a bridge connecting individual emotions and collective consciousness with its unique aesthetic value and far-reaching social influence, highlighting the infinite potential of art as a mirror image of the human spirit.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
History of Western Art
The History of Landscape Painting
Disclaimer: All articles (including graphics, papers, audio and video, etc.) under my account can be reprinted or quoted at will after 72 hours from the date of publication, without informing me. If you need to request a manuscript, please contact [email protected]