Activity #9

The camera was invented in the 19th century and its use became more widespread during the industrial revolution. The use of the camera freed painters and sculptors from their traditional role of recording appearances and events (219). Pictures were now able to do this task. This essay will briefly explore some of the changes noted in artwork after the widespread use of the camera.

The use of the camera allowed artists to begin exploring the abstract and art that was not representative of real life. First, Monet led the impressionist movement. Monet used short brush strokes and painted directly onto the canvas, without sketching first. These brush strokes caused the paint to have a texture and not be smooth as was the fashion prior to photography. This also allowed him to delve into the design elements of color and light. The subject of the artwork did not necessarily take over the piece anymore, but the design allowed for the artist to make observations and it gave them a more free hand.

Next, post impressionism and expressionism came into vogue. These artworks made the elements of design even more important than during the impressionist movement. Van Gough was an artist during this period. He explored the use of color in his pieces and they no longer reflected reality.

Finally, cubism became popular. Cubism allowed artists to explore multiple perspectives in their work, a technique that could not be done using photography at the time.

The advent of the camera and its widespread use allowed artists the freedom to express what they saw in their minds eye, and not necessarily what is actually there to be seen. It allowed for design principles such as the use of color, light, and symmetry to be explored. This made art, in my opinion, more interesting.