Who Started the Modern Art?

Art|Modern Art

Modern art is a term used to describe the art movement that began in the late 19th century and continued into the 21st century. It is characterized by a rejection of traditional artistic techniques and materials, and the exploration of new ones. Modern art has been hugely influential on contemporary culture and society, inspiring debates about its purpose, value, and meaning.

The roots of modern art can be traced back to the mid-1700s with the rise of Romanticism, which was a reaction against Neoclassicism. This movement centered around emotion and imagination rather than reason or formality.

During this period, painters began to experiment with new techniques such as lightening colors, creating dramatic contrasts between light and dark, and using expressive brushwork. This period also saw the emergence of Impressionism, which focused on capturing fleeting moments in nature rather than creating highly detailed scenes.

The next phase was Post-Impressionism which emerged in France in the late 19th century as a reaction against Impressionism. This style embraced bold colors and exaggerated forms to express emotion more intensely than before. Post-Impressionists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne and Georges Seurat were instrumental in pushing painting into new directions.

The 20th century saw further developments with Fauvism introducing vivid colors that were applied with expressive brushstrokes; Cubism breaking up objects into abstract shapes; Dada challenging traditional ideas about what art should be; Surrealism exploring dreams and fantasy; Abstract Expressionism emphasizing feeling over form; Pop Art looking at popular culture for inspiration; Minimalism focusing on simplicity; Conceptual Art questioning what constitutes art itself; Performance Art allowing artists to explore their ideas through body movement; Video Art utilizing video technology to create works of art; Installation Art transforming entire rooms into works of art; Postmodern Art exploring themes such as identity politics and consumer culture.

Conclusion: While it is impossible to pinpoint who started modern art exactly as there were many influential figures across different movements contributing to its development over time, some historians point towards French painter Édouard Manet as one of its key figures due to his rejection of traditional styles in favor of experimenting with new techniques that would later become the foundation for modern art.