modern art

by

Humanities

As usual, this post contains both the reading and writing assignments for next week.

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Reading assignment: The next class will cover the invention of photography and the emergence of a new style of art called Realism, which was arguably the first true modern (or, more accurately, Modernist) art. Here’s what to read for next time:

  • part one of chapter 2, pages 14 to 24 (stop at “Seizing the Moment”)

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Writing assignment: This assignment deals with the mutual influence that photography and painting had on each other during the early Modernist era.

  • After you’ve done the reading, go back and choose one photograph that was influenced by painting in some way, and one painting that was influenced by photography.
  • Write a short piece (a half a page to a full page) describing each piece and how that cross-influence is shown in them. Note that the influence might be visual, but it could be philosophical or technical instead…or all three.
  • At the end of your answer, I’d also like you to answer following question: what do you think were the good and bad effects that photography had on painting at that time? (Obviously, this is an opinion question, with no final right or wrong answer; I want to see what you have to say, and what art-historical facts you use to back up your opinion.)