A-level Art key vocabulary on Style for analysis of Art -H Wolfflin: 5 theories to interpret form

German Art Historian, Heinrich Wolfflin in his “PRINCIPLES OF ART” (1915) isolated five opposing factors which he defined as the difference between
High Renaissance and the Baroque style. This can further relate to the contrasts in MODERN ART MOVEMENTS

There are the 5 main ways of interpreting forms with examples of the work of Heinrich Wolfflin that is:

1. painterly, linear,
2. closed, open,
3. planes and recession,
4. multiplicity, unity,
5. clearness and unclearness.

Wolfflin supports a theory on ways of analysing a painting and examples of style which he formulated between the Renaissance and Baroque style and this gives a good interpretation of the differences in ways of depicting a subject.

In the slide presentation examples are chosen to show the differences in style and hopefully students begin to understand the terminology used and begin to look at the ways different works are composed.

The styles of Wolfflin also link to modern art movements like for example, painterly characterizes the work of Pierre Bonnard, Francis Bacon, Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt or Renoir.

Linear characterizes the work of Vermeer or Ingres.

The Impressionists and the Abstract Expressionists tended strongly to be "painterly”, while movements such as Pop Art or photo-realism emphasize flatness and could be referred to more as linear.

This also helps A-level students find their particular strengths and to make them reflect on what particular style they enjoy doing in their own work and gives them an excellent sense of vocabulary to use when analysing artworks and gives them an understanding of using art vocabulary when critically analysing their own and artist’s work.

Students after reviewing the following slides on Wolfflin’s theory and discussing what the differences are in style begin to formulate their own essay on style using 2 artworks of your choice.

TASK: Write an essay on two different artworks and analyse the composition and structure of the artwork in relation to the theories of style of Wolfflin. Begin to not only discuss the visual appearance of the subjects but try to relate this to the influences and background of the particular artists you choose.