Awareness - Artists during the Industrial Revolution
- Nov 13, 2023
- 2 min read
The Industrial Revolution brought many changes in the world of work and machinary, but it also had a very strong influence on artists of the time. Artists became much more open to the idea of expressionism and new media. The Industrial Revolution also allowed artists to reach a much wider audience of viewers, as there were many more depictions of real people doing real work. Additionally, the new use of photographs meant that artists could accurately capture all of the details of the factories.
In the Anchor-Forge at Söderfors.The Smiths Hard at Work
Pehr Hilleström, 1782
Oil on Canvas
This piece by Hilleström showcases the increadible detail artists of the time were working with. One part of this work that I especially enjoy is the dramatic lighting; the light cast by the fire is very sparse and creates deep shadows, particularly around the back of the painting. I would like to try and incorporate more dramatic lighting into my work, because I think it makes the piece look even more interesting and dynamic.
Gare Saint-Lazare: Arrival of a Train
Claude Monet, 1877
Oil on Canvas
This piece is very different from the previous one; it is much less realistic, showing more the impressionist side of the art during the Industrial Revolution. I love how the colors used in this work convey the sense of despair and sadness, and how even the clouds make it look like the sky is polluted from the new creations and factories. I would like to try using this style of painting in my own work because I feel that it is extremely expressive and visually interesting. Although I think I would choose different subject matter, the way the shadowy people are created is very interesting and could be fun to experiment with. Bot of these pieces go along with our current Global Studies unit of the Industrial Revolution, and I think it's helpful to have a visual representation of people's thoughts of the changes happening around them.
Comments