Western Painting - Precisionism - The Timeline of Art History

Precisionism - The HistoryThe Correlations
Precisionism (also known as Cubist Realism) wasPrecisionist Painting style is believed to be strictly
an American style of painting that developedAmerican; however, the style reflected high
around 1920 post World War I. It reached itsinfluence of European Cubism, Futurism, and
crescendo during the Inter-war phase. PrecisionismOrphism. Targeted at American industrialization
focused on industrial subjects. The paintings had aand modernization during early 1900s, the favorite
very smooth and precise technique, sharplytopic of these Precisionist, as indicated above,
delineated colors, and geometrical forms.included the industrial landscape of factories and
Precisionists were never properly structured as asmokestacks, skyline (both urban and rural)
group; instead, they were connected through theirbuildings and machinery, and the country
painting styles and subjects. Precisionism was alsolandscape of crumb elevators and barns. Many of
influenced by the works of the Americanthe Precisionists used their new, hard-edged style
Photographers like Paul Strand (1890-1976), whoto long-familiar American scenes, such as
used sharp focus & lighting, unpredictedagricultural structures and domestic architecture.
cropping & viewpoint, and had a bentArtists used these patterns to make formal
towards the abstract form of the subject.designs; a good amount of Abstraction work is
Precisionism also displayed a pride in America,involved in their painting. The image developed by
during the era of political and economic struggle -Precisionists is the combination of both Realism
the increasing amount of industries in the US wasand Geometric Schematization.
considered as symbol of country's power andPrecisionism was significant in the growth of
accomplishment. Dealing with its pure form,American Modernism and Precisionist works were
Precisionism was popular until World War II, slowlypresumed to be greatly influenced by the Pop Art
it went towards Abstraction, and eventually fadedaesthetics.
away as an important inspiration.