Post-Impressionism: The Beginnings of Modern Art

Course Description
Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Post-Impressionism, the daring movement that reshaped Western art at the turn of the 19th century. Across 24 lectures, trace the lives and works of Cézanne, Seurat, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, and their contemporaries. Discover how science, philosophy, politics, and cultural change influenced their styles, and how their revolutionary experiments with color, line, and symbolism paved the way for Cubism, Expressionism, and Modernism.

Lecture List

01: Where Post-Impressionism Began – Introduction to the movement, its themes, and its roots in Impressionism. (28 min)
02: The Founder, Paul Cézanne – Cézanne’s youth, training, and transformation under Camille Pissarro’s influence. (25 min)
03: Paul Cézanne’s New Way of Seeing – Cézanne’s innovations in perspective, form, and their influence on Cubism. (27 min)
04: How Science and Industry Are Changing Art – Impact of technology, color theory, and Parisian life on artists. (26 min)
05: Camille Pissarro’s Experiments in Style – Pissarro’s journey from Impressionism to Post-Impressionism. (25 min)
06: Georges Seurat’s Vision of the People – Seurat’s divisionism (pointillism) and iconic Parisian works. (26 min)
07: Politics and Religion on the Canvas – Art shaped by war, the Paris Commune, and the Dreyfus Affair. (28 min)
08: Divisionism: Using the Science of Color – Seurat’s followers and the political ideals behind their art. (26 min)
09: Japanese Influence and Les Nabis – Symbolism and spiritual visions in Bonnard, Vuillard, and Denis. (26 min)
10: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Paris by Night – Lautrec’s posters and nightlife scenes of Montmartre. (26 min)
11: How Photography Is Transforming Art – The role of photography in freeing painting from realism. (25 min)
12: The Singular Talent, Vincent van Gogh – Van Gogh’s early life and first works. (24 min)
13: Van Gogh’s Genius and Tragedy – His mature works, color mastery, and struggles with illness. (27 min)
14: Cloisonnism: Bold Colors and Dark Contours – Bernard, Sérusier, and Anquetin’s use of defined color fields. (25 min)
15: Paul Gauguin’s Complicated Legacy – Gauguin’s brilliance and controversies in Tahitian and early works. (28 min)
16: Suzanne Valadon’s Rebellious Vision – A model turned painter who defied convention. (26 min)
17: How Philosophy and Culture Are Shaping Art – Nietzsche, Freud, and popular culture’s influence. (29 min)
18: Symbolism: Dreams and Metaphors – Symbolist artists expressing myth, fantasy, and the subconscious. (27 min)
19: Odilon Redon’s Fantastic Worlds – Redon’s evolution from dark drawings to luminous color. (27 min)
20: Henri Rousseau’s Jungles of the Mind – Rousseau’s naïve style and imaginative depictions. (25 min)
21: Post-Impressionism beyond France – The movement’s spread to artists worldwide. (28 min)
22: Edvard Munch’s Emotional Palette – Munch’s tragic vision and psychological symbolism. (27 min)
23: Gustav Klimt’s Journey to Art Nouveau – Klimt’s golden style and symbolic portraits. (27 min)
24: Why Post-Impressionism Matters – Transition from Post-Impressionism to Cubism, Fauvism, and Modernism. (36 min)