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The end of the 19^th century marked the beginning of arguably the most important period in art history. The influence and scope of the modern art movement continues to mold and shape our conceptions of “fine art”. As a purveyor of fine art prints, Picture Frames, Picture Framing and posters, Digital Picture Printing & Frames recognizes the significance of modern fine art prints that continue to inspire our world.

The long history of modern art  encompasses a variety of movements and styles. The Impressionist movement, which took root in the 1850’s, signals the beginning of the modern art period. Instead of painting classical forms approved by the Academie des Beaux Arts in Paris, Impressionist artists such as Renoir, Degas and Monet, painted with an emphasis on light and movement. Rather than using the Impressionist’s diffused palette, the Post-impressionists, such as Van Gogh and Gaugin, utilized strong, intense colors to create unique modern art masterpieces. Neo-impressionism, like Post-impressionism, diverged from Impressionism’s subdued palette. Influenced greatly by George Seurat, Neo-impressionism or “Pointillism” used undiluted pigments of color applied in small dots to create brilliant pieces of art. Developed alongside neo-impressionism, Fauvism flourished in France during the late 19^th century. Fauvists used vivid, pure colors to create explosive works of art. The term “Fauvism” derives from the Fauvist’s first exhibition in Paris where they shocked visitors and critics alike. Due to the violent nature of their work, critic Louis Vauxcelles dubbed the painters "Les Fauves", which translates to “Wild Beasts”. Leaders in this movement include Matisse, Derain and Vlaminck.

Like Fauvism, the Expressionist style also took hold in the late 19^th century. This style emphasized raw emotions and desires rather than the tepid nature of external reality. Artists such as Munch, Beckmann and Grosz utilized bold and violent colors as well as distortion and exaggeration to portray inner feelings and sensations. Expressionism forcefully grabbed the public’s interest just like Dadaism, which developed after the destruction caused by the First World War. Tristan Tzara originally coined the German nonsense phrase “Dada” to mean a rejection of the current state of the world. Although the movement intended to alienate popular opinion, the public surprisingly embraced the movement’s refutation of aristocracy and “fine” art. Leaders in the movement included Tzara, Ernst and Erp. Like the Dada movement, the Surrealist movement developed after World War I. This movement focused on Freud and Jung’s psychological theories of the unconscious mind. Surrealists attempted to join everyday reality with fantasy in order to create a “surreal” reality. This reality manifested itself in the dramatic works of Picasso, Miro and Dali. The influential Abstract Expressionism movement developed at the end of World War II. This movement, like Dadaism, tried to reconcile the destructive nature of war with the meaning of human existence. Both Pollock and Rothko, working in this realm, transformed painting into an existential experience with their extreme methods.

Although the effect and importance of modern art continues to be felt and revered, the last half of the 20^th century introduced a new art form-- postmodernism. Postmodern art either rejects modern art and returns to more traditional methods of painting or takes modernism to new extremes. As fine art continues to expand into the beginning of the 21^st century, Digital Picture Printing & Frames promises to provide quality fine art prints—whether they are a modern fine art print, a postmodern fine art print, or a fine art print that has yet to be imagined.

Charlsie Medellin, 2004