Post-Impressionism

After the Impressionists changed art in the late 1800s, a new group of artists pushed things even further. They are called the Post-Impressionists. They used even bolder colors and stronger shapes. Each artist had their own special style. Some used thick swirling brushstrokes. Others used tiny dots or flat blocks of color. These artists helped lead the way to modern art.

Famous Post-Impressionists

Vincent van Gogh painted with thick, swirling brushstrokes and bright colors. His painting The Starry Night shows a spinning night sky full of energy. Paul Cezanne painted with blocks of color and simple shapes. He liked to paint mountains and fruit. Paul Gauguin traveled to the islands of Tahiti and painted colorful scenes of life there. Each of these artists saw the world in their own unique way.

New Ways to See

Post-Impressionists did not just copy what they saw. They changed colors, shapes, and sizes to express how they felt. Van Gogh might paint a sky bright yellow to show excitement. Cezanne might make a mountain look like a stack of blocks. These new ideas excited younger artists. Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were both inspired by Post-Impressionism. It opened the door to all kinds of modern art.

Fun Facts

• Vincent van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime, but today his paintings are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
• Paul Gauguin gave up his job as a banker to become a full-time artist.
• The word Post-Impressionism was invented by an art critic after the movement had already happened.

Did You Know?

Vincent van Gogh made about 900 paintings in just 10 years, which means he finished a new painting almost every four days!