The Similarities and Differences Between Bahr and Hal Foster’s Articles on Expressionism
1. Introduction
Expressionism was an idea that started in the 20th Century. The first use of the term “Expressionism” was by Eduard Hanslick in his 1878 book on contemporary music, Vom Musikalisch-Schönen. He said that the word could be used to define new music that abandoned traditional form and harmony in order to express inner emotions (Seymour-Smith, 1986). The term was then used again by a critic in 1905 to describe art that showed obvious signs of inner turmoil or violence (Seymour-Smith, 1986).
The first Expressionist artists were German painters who formed The Blue Rider group in 1911. These artists were inspired by African and South Seas Art, as well as by the spiritualism movement (Seymour-Smith, 1986). They believed that art should express the spiritual side of life, and they sought to create abstract works that would evoke emotion in the viewer.
Expressionism quickly spread to other media, such as film and literature. One of the most famous Expressionist films is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which was released in 1920. This film used distorted sets and acting to create a nightmarish atmosphere. Expressionist literature often made use of stream-of-consciousness techniques to convey the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters.
The ideas of Expressionism were later taken up by artists in other countries, such as America. Abstract Expressionism was an American offshoot of Expressionism that developed in the 1940s and 1950s. This movement was led by painters such as Jackson Pollock, who created works using a technique known as “drip painting”. Abstract Expressionism sought to communicate the inner emotional state of the artist, often using chaotic or violent imagery.
2. What is Expressionism?
As we have seen, Expressionism is an idea that began in the 20th Century. It was first used to describe new music that abandoned traditional form and harmony in order to express inner emotions. The term was then used again by a critic in 1905 to describe art that showed obvious signs of inner turmoil or violence.
The first Expressionist artists were German painters who formed The Blue Rider group in 1911. These artists were inspired by African and South Seas Art, as well as by the spiritualism movement. They believed that art should express the spiritual side of life, and they sought to create abstract works that would evoke emotion in the viewer.
Expressionism quickly spread to other media, such as film and literature. One of the most famous Expressionist films is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which was released in 1920. This film used distorted sets and acting to create a nightmarish atmosphere. Expressionist literature often made use of stream-of-consciousness techniques to convey the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters.
The ideas of Expressionism were later taken up by artists in other countries, such as America. Abstract Expressionism was an American offshoot of Expressionism that developed in the 1940s and 1950s. This movement was led by painters such as Jackson Pollock, who created works using a technique known as “drip painting”. Abstract Expressionism sought to communicate the inner emotional state of the artist, often using chaotic or violent imagery.
3. The Similarities Between Bahr and Hal Foster’s Articles
There are some similarities between the articles written by Bahr and Hal Foster. Both authors discuss the idea of Expressionism and its connection to spiritualism. They both believe that Expressionism is a way to express the inner emotions and spiritual side of life.
Both authors also discuss the idea of empathy in relation to Expressionism. Bahr argues that empathy is essential to the understanding of Expressionist art, as it allows the viewer to identify with the emotions being expressed. Hal Foster agrees with this, but he goes further to argue that empathy is also essential to the creation of Expressionist art. He says that the artist must be able to empathize with his or her subject in order to create a successful work of Expressionist art.
4. The Differences Between Bahr and Hal Foster’s Articles
There are also some differences between the articles written by Bahr and Hal Foster. Bahr focuses mostly on German Expressionism, while Hal Foster discusses both German and American Expressionism. Bahr also discusses the idea of primitivism in relation to Expressionism, while Hal Foster does not mention this at all.
Bahr argues that primitivism is a major influence on Expressionist art, as it was for the artists of The Blue Rider group. He believes that primitivism allows the artist to tap into a “ primal energy” that can be used to create powerful works of art. Hal Foster does not mention primitivism in his article, but he does discuss the idea of abstraction. He argues that abstraction is another important element of Expressionist art, as it allows the artist to distill the emotions being expressed into their purest form.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, we can see that there are both similarities and differences between the articles written by Bahr and Hal Foster on Expressionism. Both authors agree that Expressionism is a way to express the inner emotions and spiritual side of life. They also both believe that empathy is essential to the understanding and creation of Expressionist art. However, Bahr focuses mainly on German Expressionism, while Hal Foster discusses both German and American Expressionism. Additionally, Bahr argues that primitivism is a major influence on Expressionist art, while Hal Foster does not mention this at all.