A Short History of ‘En Plein Air’ Painting.
“En plein air” is a French term that refers to the practice of creating art directly in the natural environment, rather than a studio setting which, had been the norm for several hundred years. This approach to painting emerged in the 19th century and had a profound impact on the development of modern art.
The Duke and Duchess of Urbino. Piero della Francesca (c1415-1492) wiki-image.
Before evolving into a recognised genre, landscapes were employed to enrich the narrative of the main subject matter, providing a contextual backdrop. For example, a garden served as a symbolic representation of a cultivated landscape designed for human enjoyment, or a nobleman’s portrait was often accompanied by an expansive landscape, conveying the vastness of his land ownership.
Reclining Woman in Landscape (between 1520-24) Giovani Cariani (1485-1547) wiki-image
It was the early 17th century Dutch landscape painters, known as the ‘Haarlem School’ who began to paint directly from nature. They developed a keen observation of defused light as well as the use of traditional composition techniques. Low hanging horizon lines topped by heavy rain clouds, were typical features of the country’s coastline and, a popular theme for a growing middle class audience of art lovers.
View of Haarlem(1670) Jacob van Ruisdael (1628-1682) wiki-image
This new practice of out door painting also found ground on the other side of the channel by the likes of British painters John Constable (1776-1837) and J.M.W.Turner (1775-1851). Their dedication to capturing the essence of English countryside led them to work extensively outdoors so dedicated was Turner to his work that, he claimed to have strapped himself to a steam ship’s mast for several hours and, had the skipper sail into a snow storm.
View of Hampstead. John Constable (1776-1837) wiki-image
French artists Rousseau (1812-1867) and Camille Corot (1796-1875) were early participants of the Barbizon School, named after a village near the Forest of Fontainebleau. Members came from various artistic backgrounds bringing with them different styles, however, they all held the same desire to paint directly from nature and elevate landscape painting from mere background or mythological and classical scenes, to a subject matter in its own right.
However, it was the invention of portable paint tubes in 1841 that truly revolutionised this new genre. John G.Rand (1801-1873) an American artist born in New Hampshire, invented and patented the first collapsible artist’s paint tube. The tin tube allowed left over paint to be stored and reused. Prior to this, artists had to mix their pigments manually and store them in animal bladders which, was time-consuming and thereby limiting the feasibility of outdoor painting.
The famous pigment manufacturer Windsor and Newton sought the patent and, for the first time paints could be manufactured in bulk and securely stored in tin tubes with screw caps.
Artist Pierre-August Renoir (1841-1919) is quoted as saying “without paint in tubes there would have been no Cezanne, not Monet, no Sisley or Pissarro” (quoted in Jean Renoir, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, My Father, 1962) In 1860 these artists and others formed a loose group who became known as the impressionists, they were arguably the most important movement in the whole of history of modern painting. The term ‘impressionism’ was coined by art critic Louis Leroy (1812-1885) after seeing a work by Monet (1840-1926) at the first ‘Impressionist Exhibition’ in Paris in April 1874.
Image courtesy of Wiki-Commons
Image courtesy of Wiki-Commons
Monet’s Haystacks painted at different times of the day to demonstrate the effects of fleeing light. Images courtesy of wiki-images-commons.
The traditional slow layering of pigments which had been the traditional method, was quickly superseded by quick, light and looser brush strokes necessary to record rapidly changing light conditions at certain moments in time. The impressionists, with this emphasis on capturing ephemeral affects of light, further propelled the movement into prominence. However, it was not without it challenges. The collective paraphernalia of easels, paints, stools and canvases were cumbersome to transport, not to mention the realties of simply being outdoors, with the artist having to manage animals, bugs, inclement weather and curious on-lookers.
View of Bazincourt Sunset 1892. Camille Pissaro(1839-1899) image wiki commons
In conclusion, the history of plein air painting stands as a testament to the enduring human desire to intimately connect with the natural world through art. From its nascent beginnings with the Dutch painter in the 17th century to the ground breaking work of pioneers like Constable and the Barbizon School in the 19th century, plein air painting has evolved into a cornerstone of artistic expression. It can be reasonably argued that the invention of the simple portable paint tube which enabled artists to venture out doors with ease, help revolutionise the practise of art making. Today, plein air painting remains a vibrant and revered artistic pursuit, continuing to inspire artists (like myself) worldwide to seek inspiration from the beauty and wonder of the open air.
Melbourne artist Aileen Dent painting a scene of Sydney Harbour. wiki-image
Artists Sketching in the White Mountains (1868) Winslow Homer(1836-1910)
