Post-Impressionism
1886–1910Beyond Impressionism — structure (Cézanne), symbol (Gauguin), emotion (Munch). Each painter found a different path beyond pure optical observation.
New synthetic pigments. Cézanne's constructive stroke, Gauguin's cloisonnism, Munch's psychological distortion.
Vincent van Gogh
1853–1890Dutch
Painting as emotional autobiography. Each brushstroke carries psychological weight. Transformed color into feeling.
Thick impasto with visible directional brushwork. Complementary color juxtapositions for maximum vibration. Chrome yellow and cobalt blue as primary axis.
Paul Cézanne
1839–1906French
Father of modern art. Built form through color patches — every brushstroke a deliberate constructive decision.
The 'constructive stroke' — parallel diagonal marks that build form through color temperature shifts rather than value contrast.
Paul Gauguin
1848–1903French
Abandoned Parisian civilization for Polynesia. Invented synthetism — flat areas of bold color enclosed in dark outlines.
Cloisonnism/synthetism — bold flat color areas. Rejected optical mixing. Anti-naturalistic color as emotional/symbolic language.
Toulouse-Lautrec
1864–1901French
Painter of Montmartre nightlife — cabarets, dancers, brothels. Master of lithographic poster design.
Thinned oil paint on unprimed cardboard — the brown board shows through as a warm midtone. Quick, sketch-like execution.
Edvard Munch
1863–1944Norwegian
Painter of existential anguish. The Scream crystallized modern anxiety into a single image.
Anti-virtuosic technique — thin washes, visible canvas. Color used for psychological, not optical truth.