Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter known for expressive color, energetic brushwork, and a highly visible paint surface.
Painting Movement
Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism describes several distinct approaches to painting after Impressionism, from expressive color to symbolism and structured form.
Post-Impressionism quick facts
Although often called a movement, Post-Impressionism is a later art-historical label for painters who pursued different directions after Impressionism.
| Approximate period | 1886–1905 |
|---|---|
| Main geographic focus | France, with artists from several countries |
| Term introduced | 1910 by British critic Roger Fry for an exhibition in London |
| Classification | Retrospective umbrella term, not an organized movement with a shared manifesto |
| Defining characteristics | Expressive or symbolic color, structured forms, and varied approaches beyond Impressionism |
| Major painters | Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat |
| Common subjects | Landscapes, portraits, still lifes, figures, and symbolic scenes |
| Painting methods | Varied by artist: impasto and directional strokes, constructive brushwork, flat color, or divided color |
| Paint types | Oil paint, among other media |
| Painting surfaces | Canvas and paper, depending on the artist |
| Representative works | Van Gogh's The Starry Night, Cézanne's Still Life with Apples, and Gauguin's The Seed of the Areoi |
Sources: MoMA: Post-Impressionism, The National Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland, and MoMA: Cézanne's Still Life with Apples.
Famous Post-Impressionist painters
Van Gogh, Cézanne, Gauguin, and Seurat are major figures associated with Post-Impressionism, but they did not belong to one organized school.
Related painting movements
Impressionism emphasized observed light, while Neo-Impressionism pursued a more systematic use of divided color within the wider post-Impressionist period.
| Movement | How it relates |
|---|---|
| Impressionism | Its focus on fleeting light and direct observation influenced painters who later explored more personal, symbolic, or structured forms. |
| Neo-Impressionism | A distinct, organized approach within the broader period that used separate touches of color and optical theory. |
Sources: MoMA: Impressionism, MoMA: Neo-Impressionism, and National Galleries of Scotland: Post-Impressionism.