1. Neoclassism -Oath of the Horatii This painting by Jacques-Louise David portrays the power and dominance of imperial figures that was often seen in the late 1700s. It shows the apparent surrender of one man holding multiple swords to three men, while women cower in the background. The painting shows an understanding of its time period by the women that hide crying in fear and appearing weak behind the men. It expresses control and fear. It appears to be somewhere in Greece or Rome, where the now classical ideas of art originated. As a neoclassic piece, this is an appropriate setting. I feel that this painting does a fine job of showing the common feelings of many during the late 18th century, and that the artist made a good point with showing the helpless women behind the men.
2. Romanticism-The Third of May This well-known painting by Francisco Goya shows one well organized army taking control of a smaller, less organized military. They appear to have already shot a few men and are not afraid to do so again. The scene is taking place on the outskirts of town. This painting really captures the Romantic Movement by showing many common themes in romantic art, such as emotion, passion, and revolution. It also has many of its characteristics, including dramatic scenes, expressive use of color in the blood of the men, and images of death. In my opinion, the painting is frightening. It shows ruthless men and it seems to be a message that revolution will end in bloody death.
3. Realism- The Gleaners This painting by Jean-Francois Millet depicts three women collecting some kind of harvest from a field. They are dressed in ordinary clothes and they are turned so that their faces cannot be seen. A small town can be seen in the background. This is the most appropriate representative of realism because it shows many of the common themes and characteristics seen in realist art. For instance, it shows ordinary women in the very ordinary situation of collecting a harvest. They are not rich or special in any way. The painting is not at all dramatic and very plain. I think the painting shows how many peasants were faceless and plain; none of them were special or stood out because they all did the same work in the same way.
4. Impressionism- Sunrise This painting by Claude Monet captures the essence of impressionism. Boats can be seen sailing on the water in the early morning. The sun has just begun to rise and is reflecting on the water. A figure can be seen paddling one boat through the water. It shows many common characteristics of impressionist work, such as the primacy of color over lines. The water and the sky nearly blend into each other because the color schemes are so similar. It can be seen that Monet used short and choppy brush strokes when painting the sky, and he shows the reflection of the sun on the moving water, all qualities that were associated with impressionism. I love how the water can be seen moving away from the boat, and how though the sun can be seen reflecting on the water, it has only lit the sky away from it.
5. Post-Impressionism- Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte In this George Seurat painting, a scene is shown of a lot of people spending an afternoon at the park. Some are alone, others have brought children, and some are sailing small boats. The sun is out and many women are wearing hats or holding umbrellas. This painter had obviously thought Impressionists had lost structure because his painting had plenty. It is similar to Impressionism with its use of color, but much more detailed. It also features pointillism, small dots that were used to create the whole picture. I think the painting captured the easiness of a Sunday afternoon and the enjoyment that one can find outdoors. In one image, he shows sunlight, trees for shade, water to play in, and animals running about.
6. Expressionism- Erna The painting by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner shows a woman sitting at a table with a tea set in front of her. She appears to be alone is the room, and looks upset or anxious about something. The image of the tea set is slightly distorted. It is obviously an expressionist painting because of the feeling it conveys. Anyone one can tell by viewing this painting that this woman is feeling some strong emotions. Kirchner also used bold colors in her face and walls. I get the feeling from this painting that the woman may be feeling anxious about living alone because she just lost a loved one. It creates a dark and sad mood.
7. Cubism- Portrait of Picasso This cubism painting by Juan Gris shows a man, who is apparently Pablo Picasso. The man is tilted to the side and appears to be holding something. Most of his facial features can be identified, but only part of one of his hands. The colors are very plain and neutral, as was common in cubism. It obviously is not an attempt to mirror reality; the man has become disjointed, or transformed into a mass of simple shapes and colors. This painting feels sad to me, as if the man shown has fallen apart and can’t put himself back together fully.

Contrast Question: Contrast the depiction of workers in Pissarro’s Hay Harvest at Eragny and Courbet’s The Stone Breakers. Courbet’s The Stone Breakers is a realism painting, while Pissarro’s Hay Harvest at Eragny is an Impressionist work. The Stone Breakers was more focused on portraying common people and rejecting romanticism by using landscapes and ordinary situations. Hay Harvest at Eragny also showed ordindary people in ordinary situations, but it was meant to show how the world was experienced. The Stone Breakers was meant to portray how the world was seen. These differences can be seen in the faces on the workers. In The Stone Breakers, neither of the men’s faces can be seen because they are just two more workers out of many. The colors are plain and dull. In Hay Harvest at Eragny, facial expressions can be seen on many of the women working, and Pissarro used bright colors to show how they experienced the world.