Between the Stages / phases of Modernism It includes its antecedents in the nineteenth century, its appearance during the first decades of the twentieth century, its definitive constitution in 1930 and its subsequent evolution over time, gradually becoming what we now know as postmodernism (Mastin, 2008 ).
According to different experts, the modernism Was derived from romanticism In response to the Industrial Revolution And the values of the bourgeoisie of the nineteenth century.
J.M.W. Turner, Fort Vimieux,
Modernists, champion of romanticism, criticized bourgeois social structure and the order and structure of the world (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2017).
France, the first modernist school appeared, known as Impressionism during the year 1870, being promoted largely by Manet.
This school initially focused on the results beyond the technique, maintaining that the human being does not see objects, but sees the light in them.
At the beginning of the 20th century, modernism had a complex relationship with tradition. Its principles were revolutionary and reactive; however, it was still linked to the idea of nihilism , And certain prior creative techniques.
For this reason, much of the artistic production of this time still evokes tradition, but in turn breaks with the schemes proposed by it.
The main stages / phases of modernism
Background: The 19th Century
The trigger that made modernism begin was the reaction of the standard bearers of Romanticism to the Industrial Revolution and the attitude, perspective of the world and social order of the new bourgeois class.
It can be said that modernism began with the painter J.M.W. Turner, who decided to break with the traditional schemes of pictorial representation and with his study of color anticipated what would later become the first school of modernism: French Impressionism.
The ideal of improving quality of life Of the working classes that inhabited the cities, along with the desire to produce any type of artistic piece, whether literary or pictorial, inspired the followers of romanticism to believe that art had the ability to impact the way society was structured , Improving the conditions of the working class.
Thus were born the Pre-Raphaelites, a group of writers who defended the absence of technique in favor of an experimental literary production, free and of the people.
Between this group and Manet, it is considered that modernism began formally in the late nineteenth century (Inc, 2017).
Beginning of Modernism in France
Many historians agree that modernism began in France in the year 1870, with the emergence of the theory of thermodynamics, the development of Seurat's divisive works, Baudelaire's books, Flaubert's prose and Manet's paintings.
In general, it is believed that modernism was born as a new way of thinking reality that encompassed all disciplines of knowledge and art.
Thus, it is evident that modernism not only appeared in art and literature, was expressly manifest in all branches of knowledge in a reactive way to the consequences of the Industrial Revolution and the attitude of the bourgeoisie.
Modernism presented an ironic, conscious and experimental attitude that sought to transgress traditional norms and parameters (University, 2017).
France appeared the first modernist school, known as Impressionism. This school initially focused on results beyond the technique.
The Impressionists sought to demonstrate that the human being does not see objects, but sees light in them. Initially it was rejected, but with the time gained adepts and its works were presented / displayed in Hall of Paris in years 1870 and 1880.
It was the work of Manet as a pioneer of Impressionism that opened the doors definitively to modernism in France.
Thanks to this, new schools of modernism emerged in France, as was Symbolism, with the books of Charles Baudelaire and the poems of Arthur Rimbaud.
Beginning of the 20th century until 1930
During this stage of modernism the aspects that gave it its distinctive touch were defined. His interest in adopting new techniques, rewriting what was already written, revising history, and parodying it in new ways became increasingly evident.
Modernism for this moment in history had a complex relationship with tradition.
Its principles were revolutionary and reactive, yet it was still tied to the idea of nihilism, and to certain earlier creative techniques.
During the first decade of the twentieth century, painters appeared as Pablo Picasso And Henri Matisse, who attracted the attention of critics by rejecting the perspective and structure of traditional painting.
In 1907, Picasso painted the Misses of Avignon, and with this he would define once and for all the bases of Cubism. In the same way, great architects like Le Corbusier appeared, defiant of the norm and the esthetic tradition.
The movement of expressionism would also appear during this stage of modernism, this time in Germany, bringing with it other"isms", such as Futurism, vorticismso, Surrealism and Dadaism. This stage of modernism goes until the year 1930, when Adolf Hitler comes to power (Taunt, 2017).
From 1930 to 1945
By the year 1930, modernism had spread throughout Europe, adopting names like"Avant-gardé"in France.
The intellectuals of different schools continued with their artistic production, arriving at America in the year 1940 when the newspaper the New Yorker decided to include in its pages some jokes of surrealistic humor.
For this moment, modernism was facing a period of adaptation to new technologies.
The appearance of the telephone, the radio and the car, together with the prevailing need to repair them, created a social change as disruptive as that which took place in the year 1870.
The speed of communication became an element of daily life and the rapid urbanization of certain cities led to changes in life and social structure.
With the emergence of Marxism , The modernists who were still active, took a rational tint. In this way, modernism would soon cease to be so called and would mutate into what is now known as postmodernism.
References
- Encyclopædia Britannica, I. (2017). Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Obtained from Modernism: britannica.com
- Inc, J. (2017). Jalic, Inc . Obtained from Modernism: online-literature.com
- Mastin, L. (2008). The Basics of Philosophy . Obtained from Modernism: philosophybasics.com
- Taunt, A. V. (2017). Tate Museum . From MODERNISM: tate.org.uk
- University, S. (2017). Shmoop University . Retrieved from MODERNISM: shmoop.com.