European Beliefs and Science Before 1914

Nietzsche believed Western society was weak and unable to create great culture due to its emphasis on reason, neglecting emotions and instincts.

Nietzsche blamed Christianity for weakening Western civilization by suppressing human will and the desire for life.

Nietzsche argued that Europeans had rejected God, and with it, traditional moral codes. This freed individuals from the old ideas.

Nietzsche's ideal human, a superior individual who creates their own values and leads the masses.

Nietzsche opposed political democracy, social reforms, and universal suffrage.

Bergson was a prominent French philosopher whose lectures made him a substantial influence in early 20th-century French thought.

The 1920s period in physics where Einstein's theories gained acceptance, revolutionizing the scientific world.

Before 1914, there was a clash between belief in progress and reason, and the rejection of those ideas by some intellectuals.

Bergson believed reality is a continuous 'life force' that cannot be broken down into parts, only grasped intuitively.

Sorel, combining Bergson and Nietzsche's ideas, championed violent action and the general strike to overthrow capitalism.

Freud's theory emphasized the strong influence of the unconscious mind, driven by past experiences and inner forces, on human behaviour.

A method developed by Freud and used to understand and treat mental issues by exploring unconscious desires and thoughts.

Sorel's idea for a strike to act as a powerful symbolic image, motivating workers to overthrow the capitalist system through violent action.

Past experiences and forces within us often influence our actions or choices that we don't intentionally make.

20th-century thinkers emphasized limitations of human reason in understanding reality, leading to new approaches that stressed feelings and experiences.

Published in 1900, Freud's work unveiling the basis of psychoanalysis, focused on exploring unconscious thoughts concealed within dreams.

Dostoevsky believed reason alone cannot fully explain human behavior. He argued that human will and instinct also play a significant role.

The Enlightenment held that reason and science could dictate human behavior.

The Underground Man in Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground critiques the Enlightenment view of human motivation by highlighting our desire for freedom, even if it involves hardship.

Dostoevsky emphasizes the role of free will and instinct (will) in human behavior, alongside reason.

Dostoevsky's characters suggest that humans often act against their perceived self-interest, sometimes propelled by a desire for freedom or rebellion.

The central character in Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground, who critiques the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason.

Dostoevsky believed that happiness arose from the expression of free will, not solely from following reason.

Many do things against their own self-interest; influenced more by will than by perceived advantage.

Impressionist paintings depicted everyday scenes of people in urban areas, like streets, cabarets, rivers, and boulevards, showcasing the pastimes of the upper middle class.

Impressionist artists broke away from traditional painting styles and subject matter, aiming for unique and innovative artistic expressions.

Impressionist paintings used vibrant colors, dynamic brushstrokes, and smaller canvases, contrasting with the larger-scale works of earlier periods.

Pissarro, an Impressionist, believed that precise outlines hindered the overall impression, emphasizing the importance of brushstrokes and color for creating the desired effect.

Impressionists painted what they observed and felt, relying on their immediate impressions of light and color, avoiding strict rules and procedures.

Monet, an Impressionist, was particularly interested in capturing the interplay of light, water, and atmosphere, notably demonstrated in "Impression, Sunrise."

"Impression, Sunrise" by Monet gave the name "Impressionism" to this new artistic movement, though the artists later embraced this name.

Berthe Morisot, an Impressionist woman artist, successfully transitioned to professional painting, breaking conventional gender roles in the art world.

Morisot believed women possessed a unique artistic vision, characterized by delicacy and sensitivity, which she contrasted with the typical masculine approach.

Morisot lamented the lack of recognition for women artists, feeling that her work was not taken seriously by men and was not considered equal to theirs.

Post-Impressionism emerged as a new art movement, retaining the Impressionist emphasis on light and color, but introducing a stronger focus on structure and form.

Post-Impressionists aimed to use both color and line to express their personal emotions and interpretations, creating a subjective representation of reality.

Cézanne, a key Post-Impressionist, sought to visually express the underlying geometric structure of his subjects by using a technique that involved direct brushwork, forming cubes of color.

Van Gogh believed that art should be a spiritual experience, emphasizing the power of color as a language to express emotions and personal interpretations.

Van Gogh's artistic style reflects his philosophy, emphasizing personal expression and capturing emotions through vibrant colors.

Post-Impressionism marked a significant shift in art, paving the way for modern art by highlighting the importance of subjective expression and personal interpretation.

By the early 20th century, artists felt a growing disconnect between visual realism and reality, primarily due to advancements in photography and the influence of psychology and physics. Photography captured reality more effectively than traditional painting, and the understanding of reality was challenged by new scientific discoveries. Artists began focusing on expressing individual consciousness and emotions rather than simply mimicking the world.

The invention and widespread use of photography in the late 19th century challenged the traditional role of art in representing visual reality. Artists no longer felt compelled to replicate the world accurately because photography could do that better. This shift enabled them to explore new forms of artistic expression, such as exploring individual consciousness and subjectivity.

A revolutionary art movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by the use of geometric shapes and fragmented forms to represent reality in a more abstract and intellectual way. Artists like Picasso aimed to re-create reality in the viewer's mind, breaking away from traditional perspective and realism.

Picasso and other artists were greatly influenced by the art and artifacts imported from European colonies, particularly those originating from Africa. African masks, textiles, and tools inspired them to explore unconventional forms and perspectives, further contributing to the development of Cubism. This cross-cultural exchange significantly shaped the evolution of modern art.

This groundbreaking painting created by Picasso in 1907 is widely considered the first Cubist masterpiece. It depicts five female figures in a brothel, but in a fragmented and abstract style, using geometric planes and distorted forms. This work revolutionized artistic representation and paved the way for the development of Cubism.