| Primitivism - The Concept | | | | meaning even while depicting the obvious. This art |
| 'Primitivism' is a term used to define the works of | | | | style had some common characteristics: |
| untrained artist. In the early twentieth century, | | | | - They demonstrated the trends and habitats |
| Primitivism as an art style, developed in reaction | | | | (rituals, sexuality, spirituality) of Non American or |
| to the Enlightenment Era. In the quest to achieve | | | | Non European societies. |
| a sophisticated civilization, the importance and the | | | | - They glorified the simple and primitive nature of |
| pleasures of primitive living were forgotten. Many | | | | non-western environments. |
| artists felt that the progressive culture lacked | | | | - They exhibited a distinct anti-naturalist approach, |
| natural passion and mysticism. They were | | | | such as an abstract representation of figures. |
| disappointed with imitative Academic Arts and had | | | | - They displayed the use of plane geometric |
| run out of ideas in their intolerant superficial | | | | shapes. |
| western society. They found the constricted | | | | - The paintwork was spontaneous and rough. |
| norms of painting, suffocating for their art. | | | | - They had an inherent quality of honesty and |
| Primitivism was an effort to defy the conventional | | | | innocence that appeal to the inner sanctum. |
| laws of painting, to rediscover a back to basics or | | | | The Artists |
| traditional approach. | | | | Paul Gauguin was considered as one of the |
| The Correlations | | | | foremost Primitivists. Most of his works, especially |
| Orientalism might have very well encouraged the | | | | the ones he created during his stay at Tahiti, such |
| idea of this Western Painting style. Primitivism had | | | | as "The Spirit of the Dead Keeps Watch" (1892), |
| an inclination to idealize the rawness, freedom, and | | | | "Te Tamari No Atua" (1896), and "Cruel Tales" |
| the sensuality of non-western cultures. Artists | | | | (1902), are concrete examples of this Western |
| were fascinated with the world outside Europe | | | | Painting style. Primitivism inspired other great |
| and America. In the face of modernization, artists | | | | artists too, such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, |
| set out to explore fresh perspective and unusual | | | | Henri Rousseau, and Vincent Van Gogh. Some |
| subjects. Expressionism, Romanticism, and | | | | great Primitivist examples are "The Sleeping |
| Exoticism can all be seen as the extensions of | | | | Gypsy" by Henri Rousseau, "Les Demoiselles |
| Primitivism. | | | | d'Avignon" by Pablo Picasso, and "Odalisque with |
| The Details | | | | Raised Arms" by Henri Matisse. |
| The artists would inculcate African, Oceanic, South | | | | According to art history, Primitivism was not |
| American, Japanese, and Indian motifs in their | | | | essentially an art movement, but it signified a new |
| works. According to them, the biggest virtue of | | | | way of thinking. It created some awareness |
| the traditional eastern cultures was that they | | | | amongst the western societies on the simplistic |
| were closer to nature unlike the west. Primitive | | | | living of the east. |
| paintings were stimulating and suggested deep | | | | |