Postimpressionism

Post-impressionism is a term applied to painting styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries — after impressionism. Post-impressionism was both an extension of impressionism and a rejection of its limitations. Post-impressionists continued using vivid colours, thick application of paint, distinctive brushstrokes and real-life subject matter, but they emphasized geometric shapes and figures more. The post impressionists were disatisfied with the triviality of subject matter and the loss of structure in impressionist paintings, though, they were not sure of the way forward. Georges Seurat and his followers concerned themselves with pointillism. Paul C?zanne set out to restore a sense of order and structure to painting. He achieved this by reducing objects to their basic shapes while retaining the bright fresh colours of impressionism. Vincent Van Gogh used colour and vibrant swirling brushstrokes to convey his feelings and his state of mind. Although they often exhibited together, they were not a cohesive movement. They worked in geographically disparate regions and in various stylistic categories, such as fauvism and cubism. Art critic Roger Fry first used the term to describe the Les Nabis group.