Formalism and Modernism

A detailed Summary of Formalism and Modernism

I. Discuss the idea of 'formalism' in relation to Whistler's, Nocturne and Cezanne's, Madame

The term 'formalism' applies to any type of artwork in which the artist places emphasis solely

on form rather than allegorical or contextual qualities. In this mode of artistic creation the

main goal of the work is the effective organization of the elements of art through the

principles of design. It can also be considered nearly synonymous with Modernism which was 'art

for art's sake', with no reference to the world outside of the piece. It was to be to the eyes

what music is to the ears. Impressionism and fauvism are just two of the styles created from

this way of thinking and in the formalist tradition.

One highly notable artist who experimented with formalism was Paul Cezanne. He was a formalist

in that he was more concerned with form rather than content, so subject matter was always

secondary to the act of painting itself. In Cezanne's work, his the methods and skills were more

important than the image. "That meant the subject of the painting couldn't be so dynamic as to

overshadow [Cezanne's] act of creation. The more he concentrated on this, the less

viewer-friendly his works became. But that suited

abandonment of convention led the use of innovative forms of expression carried out to create

contrast to Impressionism, Primitivism tended toward outlines and areas of flat color for the

Modernism positively changed the face of high art by letting the artists fully express

that contrasted with not only traditional academic art, but with modern Impressionism as well.

abstractions and fantasies rather than simply mirroring the physical world. Due to its

His style in this work is classic formalism and is truly 'art for art's sake'. There is

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Category: Arts

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