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'Expressionism' is the term, not 'Impressionism'. I had the same problem, my mind kept saying 'Im' while my ears were hearing 'Ex' 'cause it was a totally unexpected and unfamiliar word.

I agree about the drawing ability of Impressionists, in fact it was their insightful perception of the softer edges mandated by binocular vision that led them to their softer-edged treatment. I have no problem with the great Impressionists, AAMOF I admire their work immensely.

I still haven't been able to find an understandable description of just exactly WHAT makes something Expressionistic except that the appearance MUST NOT replicate reality exactly, rather it must be evocative of the artist's mood & mental state & viewpoint of the world & some other stuff that escapes me now. Kinda like wine-tasting I guess, the terms really don't have the FULL meaning for such a heathen as myself (grin). And besides I like whiskey anyway.
Regards, Joe

Joe, I'm just a beer snob myself, so clearly I'm unqualified for just about everything above breathing. Nonetheless, it strikes me that there are two distinct groups within the gun-nut club. One group is made of folks that like what they like and they don't much worry about what others like. Some of them might fawn over a Frogmoor Ballard while another will opt for an art-deco double, but they are of the same club.

Then there is a group that likes what they think they are supposed to like. I've never understood this, but they are found in many other leagues of eccentrics

Of course, there are many in between these two groups, and that's all fine and good because it keeps stuff interesting.

Brent

Curious how you identify this group.

Picasso painted the way he did later in life because he felt traditional painting constrained his creativity. To think he painted like a child because he couldn't do any better is erroneous.

This is his first large scale painting, The First Communion, done in 1896 at age 15.




The Old Fisherman done at 14 years of age.

Well, there goes that theory out the window!

I call them 'The Rules' people. As in, 'The Rules' nowadays say that all contemporary custom Mausers MUST have special name-brand $500 bottom metal and Talley or special custom rings. As in, 'The Rules' back in the '80s said that all custom rifles must have their sling bases mounted in little pedestals that stood up proud from the smooth line of the rest of the stock. Remember that? 'The Rules' back in the '60s said that white-line spacers were required on everything!

It's one manifestation of The Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome. Lemmings.
Regards, Joe

Thanks for posting those, Rob!

Actually I don't recall ever mentioning Picasso, but no matter. It would be interesting to see if others of his paintings during the same period showed further or more definitive examples of his (apparent to me) improvement in the use of interesting details and layout of white space. It's easy to see that the second picture, although seemingly less aesthetically pleasing to me in some ways, is nevertheless technically superior in these areas.

Apparently (OBVIOUSLY!) his talent translated quite well into his ultimate new genre choice, but I'll still take these earlier examples, 10 to 1.
Regards, Joe

I am not an artist at all, my brothers and sisters are the artist in my family, however in an art class one time a professor explained a layman's definition to the terms fine art and folk art.
Fine art is art for arts sack and nothing more, stiring the inter emotions of the viewer, for pleasure or sometimes the opposite. That is why you can like or dislike a persons painting or sculpture; while folk art is the embellishment of the plain, the boring. An example would be rosemaling on dinner plates, which most Scandinavian amoung you will know, or the fanciful decoration of a weather vane on top of the barn, or engraving on a gun. A fancy painted plate or engraved gun is more pleasing to look at then the plain utilitarian.
Picasso's work is fine art. Kornbrath was a folk artist.
We may be mixing apples and oranges.

..and Elmer Crowell decoys may still bring over a million dollars at auction.

A mason decoy is a utilitarian, the plain...Elmer is folk art..