Defining Naturalism Art
Naturalism Art is a work which details a natural environment where an artist refrains from adding to, or taking away from its setting. The artwork is made to be more representational like what a photograph would capture.
This is done without personal interpretation or realism being impressed upon the work. Naturalism Art depends upon this trait of refraining from impressing the artists perspective upon the art.
Naturalism provides a great study between two concepts in art. Harmony and contrast in art combine together beautifully within nature. It is a classroom by which one can bridge two concepts and understand Unity.
Confusion Between Naturalism and Realism
The terms Naturalism and Realism can often be found used interchangeably. In some art it is true that it can be hard to tell the difference. At times a classification is made due to the period of the work rather than what the art itself represents.
In doing this there have been Naturalist works within history that have been misclassified. Nevertheless we need to understand the difference between these two classifications.
Where Naturalism is an attempt by the artist to capture a literal representation of what is present in the natural world, Realism does not do this. Rather Realism allows for the artists interpretation or expression to some view or moral end with artistic license.
Here is where Naturalism and Realism part from one another. While both can be representations of the natural world, one is purely natural while the other carries the message of its symbols or subjects.
Both concepts of representation can be seen easily within Forest Art by those like Courbet or Monet. While one may capture the literal representation, the other can add interpretive qualities like emotion.
There is also a difference in the who, what, and how in the making of these works. Who and what are often associated with Realism, whereas how a work is made is associated with Naturalism.
I look less to the differences in the who, what, and how. These semantics can at times be parting hairs from one to another in trying to find a difference. There is far more to be had within the work itself as it pertains to subject and composition.
When Did Naturalism Art Begin?
Context is everything. If you are speaking of the Naturalism Movement then one would be looking to the 19th century. This is often the most cited beginning for Naturalism if not the 17th Century rise in popularity before Romanticism.
The credit given to these two eras within art do not encompass the truth behind Naturalism Art and its beginning. It would be true that this is the birth of the modern Naturalist Movement. Yet this art existed long before our modern eras of recent history.
While painting with this art is fairly new by comparison, it would be sculptures that would be the first to be found in this art. The Greeks would be the most recognized for this kind of art. Here one must not get confused with the Idealism or Realism which is easy to think of first within Greek culture.
The Hellenistic Period is where we find the most Naturalism Art within Greek culture. A shift within art itself led to the artist desiring to capture their subjects as they were.
The art would show their age young or old, and their condition within that time. It was a rare break away from the traditions of their past.
Naturalism Art Post Greek Period
After the Greek world passed there is a long period where Idealism and some Realism came to the front of the world. The ideology of a people was set into stone by the ruling class. Yet it would be after the Dark Ages that a new era would begin.
It would be within the Renaissance that Naturalism would again be brought back to the people. While it was not always within its pure form it was allowed to be reborn.
Many artists of the period used what at times is called Figurative Naturalism. Emphasis within their works brought great unity in art.
To see the works of this period all one must do is look to the names such as Leonardo or Michelangelo. The works of this time while often religious in nature gave way to Naturalist Art but at times in secret. An artist would place themselves at risk if their work was seen as being too focused on the subject rather than the ideology.
It would be the Dutch Baroque era in the 1600’s where true to life painting came to the forefront. Here we find artists that sought to replicate nature through art as accurately as possible. Yet it is interesting to note that this form of art was most popular in Holland first, not France.
Names such as Jan Davidsz de Heem, Willem Kalf, and Jacob Van Ruisdael came to be known for their works. It was among the middle class that the still life works and landscape paintings as wall art were most popular.
This era came within what is known as the Protestant Reformation but was short lived. The Catholic Counter Reformation brought a swift end to this art by around 1680 and would last for nearly 100 years. By around 1780 Romanticism became the focus within art as a result of this Catholic movement.
Naturalism Art In The 1800’s
As the world moved into the 1800’s a divergence began to sweep across the world in art. It would be out of Romanticism that a push towards Naturalism would begin once again. Where Romanticism appealed to the senses and emotion, Naturalism would appeal to the intellect.
It would be here that Realism would also find its birth into the modern era side by side with Naturalism. While different in their message and representation they both would at times use many similar traits.
Of the most famous schools in Naturalism Art was the Barbizon School in France. Their focus was primarily on landscapes. This school influenced artists around the world from Europe to Australia.
It would be from there that Impressionism within Natural Art would find its birth. Men such as Monet would perfect the Impressionist style.
The concept was built around capturing light in how we perceive a landscape such as at sunset or dawn, the shadows, and contours which the light creates.
In this way at times colors which normally were not previously used in a composition found their way into art. While pure Impressionism is without a doubt Naturalism, there were times when Impressionism moved more towards Realism.
When Is Artwork Not Natural?
Naturalism by definition must represent subjects within their natural state. While we can easily assume that these subjects are always of nature itself this is not true. It is the natural state of any setting including people.
Yet with this can come many other avenues for an artist to intervene within a work. It is done by altering the literal setting or scale in art by what they represent within the art. Here concepts such as Atmosphere or Figurative painting come into play.
With the concept of Atmosphere the artist intercedes by altering the mood of the work. It no longer is pure to the natural state which he witnessed. Rather the artists decides to create an atmosphere to express an emotion.
Figurative art extends even further than when Atmosphere is altered. One can take a Naturalist work and alter its content in art to further express the artists vision.
This is often seen in the early works of Naturalism within religious art. A natural setting could be used yet it is given a meaning beyond the natural state which existed. The artist John Martin was famous for this style of work.
Pure Naturalism Art Is Difficult To Create
It is difficult for many artists to create Naturalism Art. The problem for the artist is removing oneself from the work in order to recreate a scene as the eyes see it. Removing the mind and emotions in our modern era can more easily be done with a camera in photography.
Nevertheless photography itself while capable of capturing what is seen, it still is difficult to remove oneself from influencing the picture.
The angle of the shot, its focus, what is placed at its center, or how space is used within the photograph can alter the outcome by emotion and perspective.
It is from this that we can more easily understand how difficult it is for an artist to completely remove themselves from the artwork. Some may say it is impossible for any art to be purely Naturalism. Yet there is a clear difference between an attempt to capture the natural world and injecting the ideals of the artist.
Here is where the real separation in style comes into play. If an artist does their part in an attempt to remove themselves as best as possible then the art is a more natural representation. While it may not be perfect, or pure, it becomes like the camera as it captures from that vantage point what is seen.
Where Art History Can Misinterpret Cultures
Of the many purposes within art we find that archeology itself can depend heavily upon what is discovered about a culture through art. What we find left by these peoples of history can make it difficult to truly know what the culture was like.
Through the icons, subjects, and composition we do gain great insight to what that culture may have been like. Yet how much idealism, romanticism, or figurative meaning was placed into these works? Does looking at what we find truly represent the common man?
More often than not there is a divide between the ideal imagery we find and the reality within which the people lived. Art can often speak to what a people envisioned themselves to be rather than who they were.
At other times art can depict what those who ruled demanded of their people to become rather than capture the suffering they endured. Here we must be careful when accepting works within history in what and how they represent any given culture.
Perspective By Creation And Interpretation
Those who create art, or were told to create it, will have one perspective. If Naturalism within Art is not the clear objective then one must seek the perspective by which the art was made. Then we must know who’s perspective it is.
If it is the artists perspective then we must also understand the artist. Yet if it is created by some national ideology we also must understand the why behind the work. This plays into our present interpretation of history within art.
As we study art our interpretation must be within a given historical context to that time. Without this context we miss the true culture of the people and rather see the ideal which is represented within their works.
Naturalism Art is not a new idea. Nevertheless it was not widely practiced throughout history. There are certain bright spots such as the Hellenistic period where it was openly more accepted than at other times.
When Naturalism swept the world to be broadly accepted we find ourselves looking more to the modern eras of art than that of history. Comparing the works of artists to any period is required much like comparing the notes of historians to that era.
Future Of Naturalism In Art
Naturalism is very much alive and healthy today. Yet it is not often of the purist mindset which we find artists of history sought after. The reason for this is due to technology and its ability to easily capture the natural world.
Among the most prolific arts where Naturalism thrives is within photography more than any other art. Obviously the camera would be the perfect tool for this. Yet with its ability comes a unique vantage point for the artists who use them.
With a camera a natural setting can be captured but also the genius and creativity of the photographer. It is a unique art which allows the artist to generate as much input as they wish to the atmosphere while still allowing a viewer to see the natural environment.
Within painting, sculpting, and other arts, Naturalism is still alive and well. It continues to follow in the footsteps of history and there is no apparent near change coming to this reality.
The advances in technology will begin to incorporate Naturalism Art into concepts such as virtual reality and augmented realities for people on a daily basis. Never in history has Naturalism been as prolifically desired or used as it is today.
How we use this art form may change. The names we give it may represent its purpose. Nevertheless its growth is set into stone for quite some time within the foreseeable future.