I used DALL-E, an AI art generator, to create an art piece inspired by Claude Monet. This is the beginning of a series on Past&Place where we look at AI art inspired by different artists.
Claude Monet was a French painter during the 19th and 20th centuries. He was part of the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Printmakers, along with Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, and others. The actions taken by the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Printmakers were unprecedented because the only acceptable and acclaimed art was included in the Salon. The Salon was an annual exhibition of artwork sponsored by the French government and had an unspoken set of rules on what could and could not be done in art. The Salon was strict about the type of art included, mainly historical events and mythology. Landscape artwork was heavily excluded from the Salon. Many of the most famous impressionist artists, such as Monet, never painted historical events and mythology and instead painted landscapes. This led to their artwork being rejected by the Salon repeatedly. As many artists began getting fed up with the Salon’s strict expectations of art, they banded together to form the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Printmakers.
The Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Printmakers was what the impressionist artists first called themselves. Impressionist artists broke several rules, including what they painted, setting up their own exhibits, brushstrokes, and treatment of light. Impressionists tended to paint what they said instead of historical events and figures. In addition, impressionists’ individual brushstrokes were unique and stood out, bringing the painting together. Their brushstrokes were loose and sketchy, while Salon paintings tended to be flat with no visible brushstrokes. The social norm at the time was for artists to send their art to the Salon, and they would either be rejected or included in the grand exhibitions. However, many impressionists received many rejections from the Salon, so they decided to set up their own show. 30 artists came together in 1874 to open an exhibit of 165 works. 8 exhibitions were organized by impressionists until 1886. The art critics were polarized by these pieces. Some believed these pieces transcended the physical world seen by the naked eye. In contrast, others were not so optimistic about impressionist art, such as Louis Leroy, who said, “A preliminary drawing for a wallpaper pattern is more finished than this seascape.” when referring to Monet’s Impression, Sunrise.
Claude Monet is prominent for his impressionist style, which encompasses loose brushstrokes and vivid colors. He is particularly noted for his landscapes and water lilies.
I was impressed by the art pieces generated by DALL-E. They encompassed some critical characteristics of Monet and impressionist art styles, such as the evident and loose individual brushstrokes, colors, and subjects. However, even though many of Monet’s works depicted landscapes, the DALL-E impressions of Monet were hazier than many of Monet’s landscapes. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the art produced by DALL-E and look forward to comparing future artists with DALL-E art.