Post-Impressionism

Strong color, directional brushwork, and organized form make image structure prominent.

Visual traits

• Strong color relationships
• Directional brushwork
• Organized form

Expected changes

• Color contrast is more likely to appear strong
• Brushwork direction is more likely to support form

Definition

A historical art style that uses color, brushwork, and organized form to emphasize structure and expressive force over a merely immediate impression. It does not determine a particular artist, work, place, or subject.

In more detail

It constructs an image through strong color, directional brushwork, and simplified form. Subject, period setting, place, and narrative remain separate choices.

Includes

• Strong color relationships
• Directional brushwork
• Organized form

Excludes

• Imitation of a particular artist or work
• A particular place or narrative
• Impressionist brushwork alone

What this does not imply

• A particular artist
• work
• or place
• A particular narrative or period setting
• Photographic depiction

Variability

Because this is based on general art-term indexes, differences among individual strands need separate verification.

Usage

• Strengthen relationships among color
• brushwork
• and form
• Specify subject and place separately

Distinguish similar expressions

• Use Impressionism when changing light alone is the intended effect

Typical uses

• Construct figures or landscapes through strong color and brushwork

Possible failure modes

• Color and brushwork become disorderly and obscure form
• The result becomes imitation of a particular work