AliceWang Grigsby HA11/Sec102,Sherry 16April2011 OfNatureWithinCityscapesandViceVersa Rarelybeforethenineteenthcenturyhavetwoartistswhosharedthesamelabelinthis case,Impressionistproducedtwoseparatepaintingsunifiednotbytheirsurprisinglydifferent styles,treatments,orevensettings,butbyasharedtheme.JeanBaptisteArmandGuillaumin's LaSeine(1874)andCamillePissaro'sTheRoadNeartheFarm(1871)bothexploretheideaof theinterplayandexchangebetweenmanandnature,withvariationsinsettingandmoodadding layersofnuancetoeach.InLaSeine,agroupoffacelesslaborersworkonthedocksnearthe Seine,crownedbyasoaringviewofsolidlookingcloudswhicharebisectedbyaflyingFrench flag.InTheRoadNeartheFarm,twoanonymousfiguresareconfrontedbyasplitbetweenthe civilizedfarmandtheuntamedforest.

ButthoughtheideasthatGuillauminandPissarothought toexamineweresimilar,theirstylisticchoicesandtheirconclusionswerenotGuillaumin acknowledgestheideaofmanandmodernityasthedominantaspect,whilePissaroexpresses atacitbeliefinapartnershipbetweenthetwosides. Bothchoosingtorepresentworkratherthanleisurethroughhumanfiguresandthemale ratherthanthefemale,thetwopaintersdisplaytheuseofagreatdealofstructureand compositionintheportrayalofthefiguresandtheirsettings,clearlyscorningthethepopularidea thatImpressionistpaintingswerecreatedwithoutthoughtandwithonlythevisualexperiencein mind.Guillauminacknowledgestherealpowerofthemodernworkingmantoharness(and maybeevenconquer)natureinordertousheralongprogressandelevatesocietyeverhigher. Guillaumin'sfiguresarenotmeanttobetakenindividually,noraretheythecentralfocusofa landscapethatpurportstocommentonhumanability.Withanonymousfacesrepresentedby nothingmorethanburntsiennadaubsandunwaveringbrushstrokesforarmsandlegs,thevery facelessnessandambiguityofthefiguresimplythatthesamesceneshowninLaSeineisbeing playedoutallacrossFranceandthatthewholeofFrenchbourgeoissocietyhasbeencaughtup inthefervorandtheoptimismoftheyearsfollowingtheIndustrialRevolution.Guillauminalso seemstoinjectanoteofnationalisticprideintothepaintingwiththeFrenchflag,thrustinginto andseemingtolayclaimtothesky,justasthemenhaveputtheirstampontheground.Butfor apaintingwhoserecognitionofhumanimpactissocentraltoitsrhetoric,itissurprisinglyempty thehustleandbustleofurbanlife,emphasizedstillfurtherbyitswideandhighview.Why?La Seineisapaintingasmuchaboutmodernityandinnovationasitisabouthumancapability.Like Marville'sphotographsofParisbeforeandafterHaussmannization,whichpurposefullyexcluded peoplebyusingalongexposuretime,theemptinessandtheuniformlightingofGuillaumin's paintingemphasizethewideopenspacesandstructuresofmodernParis,aswellaspointingto whatmaniscapableofwithoutthevisualdistractionofcitydwellersinessence,affirmingthe influenceofhumansthroughtheirexclusion. TheideaofmodernityinLaSeineisforcefullyunderscoredonceagain,thistimebyits specificity.Althoughneitherthetimeofdaynortheseasonarereadilydistinguishable,Guillaumin expectscontemporaryviewerstorealizethatthepaintingissetafterthebeginningofthe IndustrialRevolutionandHaussmannization,andtorecognizethelocationasonefromtheir

everydaylives.ClearlyaparticularpointalongtheSeine,withaneasilyidentifiablebridgeinthe background,andtheobviouscluesofthetwoFrenchflags,LaSeineisdominatedbythe undeniablymanmadeandcosmopolitancobblestones,roads,andstructures,withtheskyand theSeineasitsonlyrepresentationsofnature. YetdespiteGuillaumin'sacknowledgmentandalmostgrudgingadmirationofhuman influenceandpotential(asdenotedbytheFrenchflag),thereisalsoanoteofregretanda recognitionoftheunavoidablecostsofmodernityandurbanization.Guillauminisevidentlydrawn topainttheSeine,oneofthefewremainingnaturalformsinParis,overandoveragain,creating LaSeine,TheSeineatParis,BargesontheSeine,amongothers.InLaSeine,Guillauminpays farmoreattentiontotheurbanformsthanhedoestheriverhedisplayssubtlemodulationsof blue,bluegray,andblackinthecobblestones,incontrasttohisseeminglyindifferenthandlingof theriver,withitsovertonesofinsipidaquamarineandselectivereflectivity.Whenhedoesbother topaintreflections,heavoidsshowingtheindividualripples,givingitasmoothmirrorlikequality andasenseofdeadenedmovementessentiallyrobbingtheriverofthequalitiesthatmakeita river.WhereistypicalImpressionistdelightinreflections?Intheexchangebetweenlightand shadow?Incapturingwhatistransientandthefleetingandtheephemeral?Perhaps commentingonwhathappenswiththejuxtapositionofnaturalformswithinacity,Guillaumin communicatestheideaoftheSeinenolongerbeingstrictlynatural,oftheclearcutboundaries betweencivilizationandnaturebeingsomehowdissolved.Heconfusesthoseboundariesfurther yetbydisguisingplumesofsmokefromthehousesamongthevariationsinvaluesofgray amongtheclouds. ItispartiallybecauseofthosesamegraysthatGuillauminisabletoengineera disconnectbetweenthepaintingandtheviewer.Thecolorpaletteofthepaintingissomewhat subduedforaworkofGuillaumin's,whousesmorevividcolorsinotherpaintingscreatedaround thesametime.Themismatchoftheunsaturatedcolorschemeandthevibrantsplashofblue (thebrightestcolorinthepiece)thatpeeksoutfromagapinthecloudsaugmentsthedivide betweencityandnature.Theskyseemsovercast,dimmingthecityaswellasgivingitfairly uniformlighting,andthusnoshadows.Leavingouttheshadowsprovidesfewervisualcluesto thetreatmentofdepth,makingtherecessionofsomeareas,especiallythedock,apparentlyflat anddifficulttofigureout.Thoughtheemptinessofthepaintingemphasizesthesprawland modernityoftheParisofthepresent,itisatthesametimealienatingintheincongruityofbeinga cityapparentlydevoidoflife.Perhapscommentingontheimbalancebetweenthenaturaland manmadeforms,Guillauminmakesthesceneseematoncebothoptimisticandunwelcoming. CamillePissaro,inhisRoadNeartheFarm,alsoexploresthetensionsbetweenman andnature,thoughhedrawsadifferentconclusion.UnlikeGuillaumin,whopaintedanatural formwithinacity,Pissarochosetoshowahumanbuildingsurroundedbytheforest.Whatwas adominationofnatureinLaSeineisnowapartnershipbetweenthetwostilldistinctsidesin RoadNeartheFarm.Thestructureofthepaintingisimmediatelyapparentthereisasharp divisionofthepieceintotwohalves,onebelongingtotherealmofthefarmhouseandtheother totheforest,afarcryfromGuillaumin'ssubtlerconflictandblurringoftheboundaries.Thetwo pathsrhymeandcontrastwitheachother,oneamanmaderoadandtheotherapatchofforest groundthatseeminglyresemblesapaththroughonlytheunlikeliestofchances.Pissaroshows aconfrontationbetweenthefarmhouseandthetrees,andatthesametimethepossibilityofan

alliancebetweenthetwothemanandthehorse,themselvesoftwodifferentworlds,both literallyandfigurativelystraddlethedividebetweenthemanmadepathandtheforesttrail. ButthoughPissaroechoesGuillaumin'smotifofmanharnessingnature,his interpretationdiffersinthatnatureitselfremainsvirtuallyunchangedandretainsitsmysteryand irregularity.Thescaleoftheforestismuchlarger,andseemstodominatethefocusofthe paintingmuchmorethanthehouse.ThetreatmentoftheshadowsinRoadNeartheFarmis everythingthatLaSeine'sisnotthewoodsaredeeplyshadowed,withverylittledetailinthe shadetoshowwhethertheyarebushesorjustacontinuationoftheforestfloor,makingthe viewerawarethattheforestisstillverymuchanenigma.Mostoftheshadowsareinthehalfof thepaintingthatbelongstotheforest,withveryfewoftheminthesectionthatrepresents civilizedlife.WhileGuillaumincreatessharp,unnaturallydarkshadowsunderthebridgeandfew shadowselsewhere,Pissaroclearlytakesagreatinterestinhowlightreactswithvarious objects,paintingthefallanddiffusionofthetrees'shadowsacrosstheirregularsurfaceofthe bushes,andevenincludingamysterioushorsemanmadeupcompletelyofshadowwhomhe rationalizesasabacklitsilhouette,thoughthesamelogicisnotappliedtothehorse.Essentially, theforestisabletomaintainanimpressionofsecrecyandmystiquethatisabsentinthe bluntnessofLaSeine. RoadNeartheFarmisthemorestructuredofthetwo,withtheimmediatelyapparent andcarefullydefinedschismbetweenthetwoopposingsidesaswellasthesymbolismofthe tworoadsanddeliberateplacementofthemanandthehorseacrossthepaths.Thatisnotto say,however,thatPissaroabandonedopticalityandthephilosophyofplenairpaintinginhis enthusiasmforcomposition.Judgingfromtheunkemptandfarfromidealizedbushesatthe baseofthetrees,PissarovaluedartistictruthfulnessjustasmuchasotherImpressionists,and morethanlandscapeartistsofanearliergenerationwhopaintedpicturesquelymanicured wildernessesintheirstudios. Additionally,inPissaro'spainting,humanshaveareducedroleaswellasareduced presenceunlikeGuillaumin's,inwhichpeoplearethedominantfocusandtheirabsenceonly intensifiestheawarenessoftheirimpact.Thetwoartistsalsomakeitincreasinglyapparentthat thedifferentcontextsofthecityandthecountrysideputuniquecastsonthesharedmotifofwork androutineineachpainting.Inthecityscape,mostofthemenarebentover,arduouslyand tirelesslyworking,inordertosustainthedizzyingpaceofcosmopolitanParis.Inthepaintingof thefarm,onemanisamblingdownapathwhileriderandhorseareatastandstill,givingan impressionofrelaxedmovementandapeacefulroutinethatfitswiththeslowerpaceofthe countryside.InRoadNeartheFarm,thelackofspecificityoflocationandtimeperiod,withwhich LaSeineappealstocontemporaryParisians,reinforcestheideaofanextendedmomentoutside oftime,completelyremovedfromtheultramodernsphereofPariswheretimeandenergyareof theessence. IncharacterwiththeImpressionistmovement,neitherpaintertriestohidetheir brushstrokesormakepretensionsofcapturingreality.Bothrealizethateachpersonhasa uniquewayofperceivingtheoutsideworldandthatmanyrealitiesexistforthesame scenerecognitionsthatarereflectedinthemovementsoftheirbrushes.NotforGuillauminare theuniform,repetitivestrokesofCezanneorSeurat.Hehasauniquewayofdescribingwhathe sees,intimatelytyingvariationsinhisbrushstrokeswiththeviewer'sperceptionofdepth.Instead

ofrelyingonshadowsandlinestoshowrecession,hechangesthesizeandcolorofhis brushstrokestoshowhowperspectiveaffectsthewayheseesanobject.Forthecobblestones inthedockthatareclosertotheviewer,forexample,heusessmallerbrushstrokesandmore variationincolor,representingtheheighteneddetailinnearerobjects.Objectsthatarefarther awayhavelessofarangeofcolorandlongerbrushstrokes,showingthatdetailislostasitis visuallymassedtogetherwithanincreaseindistance.Pissaro'smethodofshowingrecession anddepthissimilar,thoughhisbrushstrokestendtobemoreuniformandinkeepingwithan internalstructure.Thetreethatisclosesttotheviewer,forinstance,hasagreaterrangeof colors,fromlightgreentoadeepgreen,whilethetreesbehinditarecomposedofmostlythe deepgreens. Asfortheirmethodsoflayingdownpaintonacanvas,bothImpressionistshavetheir owndistinctstyles.Guillauminseemstobeinterestedinspeedandease,bothverymuchinline withhispreoccupationwithmodernity.Helaysthepaintonthicklywithbroad,bluntbrushstrokes andwithseeminghaste.Hetendstofillinformswithafewcontinuouslinesofpaint,improvising witheachshapeheencounters.Combined,thesecharacteristicsboostthefeelingofeaseand flowbyallowingtheviewertosee,brushstrokebystroke,howthepaintingwascreated.Pissaro, ontheotherhand,ismoremeticulousandmethodicalinhispaintingstyle.Thoughhis brushstrokesarealsovisible,theyaremostlysmalldaubsinsteadofthelong,thickstrokesthat Guillauminuses,anddonotchangedramaticallyinsizeorshape.Thepaintonhisbrushis thinner,resultinginadrierlookandsmoothersurfaceasopposedtothetexturedridgesofLa Seine,andhetakesthetimetoslightlyblendhisstrokestogetherinsteadofleavingtheminstark contrastashiscolleagueiswonttodo.Altogether,theconscientiousnessanduniformityof Pissaro'sbrushstrokesparallelthecarefullycomposedstructureofRoadNeartheFarm. ThoughatfirstglanceLaSeineandRoadNeartheFarmseemtobeatvariancewith oneanother,onadeeperlevel,thetwoworkssharecertainimportantunderlyingthemesand motifsmostnotably,theboundariesbetweenmanandnature.PissaroandGuillaumintakethe conceptsindifferentdirectionsthroughbothcontentandstyle,presumablyportrayingwhatthey believeisimportant.However,lookingatthesepaintingsbegsthequestion:Canapainterever becompletelytruthfulinhiswork?Pissaro,politicallyoutspoken,andanadherentofanarchist philosophy,neveractivelyfocusesonpoliticallyorsociallydivisivesubjectsinhisart,according toBelindaThomson,becausehewasperpetuallywaryofattractingthenoticeoftheFrench police.LessisknownaboutGuillaumin'sopinions,thoughThomsonspeculatesthatfearof policesurveillancemayhavebeenafactorintheuncontroversialsubjectmatterofmanyofthe otherImpressionistsafter1870.Thoughthesetwopaintingsareassuredlydissimilarand expressagreatdealintheirconceptionandexecution,canweevertrulybesureoftheextentto whichtheyreflecttheactualconvictionsandbeliefsoftheirpainters?