Classical Realism : A Brief Synopsis

It is said that Michelangelo, before his death, had all of his preliminary sketches and studies burned. This was to add to the illusion that artwork is something that spontaneously flows from the hand of the artist in a miraculous manner.

However, careful study of the life and work of the great master reveals that he himself was the first to say that the production of artwork involves only a modicum of desire and talent and a preponderence of hard work, study, and practice of his craft. Fine art is a science as well as an art and has developed over centuries of human consciousness and teaching that has been passed from master to student for eons----Michelangelo was no exception, he learned from master teachers of his time.

Michelangelo in fact prepared literally dozens of preliminary drawings to work out compositional elements, proportions, design, perspective, and color prior to painting any major work as did any of the great masters. These drawings were based on the proper use of compositional components learned from teachers, the ancient Greeks, such scientist/artists as Leonardo DaVinci, and other masters. Creativity and inspiration may appear spontaneously, but most typically through someone who is already well honed.

The group of artists that became known as the Impressionists were all trained in this classical tradition that had been passed down from master to student for centuries. They added an important element---that of going outdoors and painstakingly learning to see colors and impressions in outdoor light, hugely expanding our range of color vision. They were not inventing the colors they saw, they worked and honed and practiced their abilities to see and paint as they observed. Classical draftsmanship became secondary to this effort in many cases. Having their works repeatedly rejected from entry into the competitive Salons of the day, they formed their own shows and once the public eye was smitten their work was and still is in high demand. But with this wave came some outcomes that the Impressionists themselves probably would have regretted. One is the idea, again that artwork suddenly springs forth. The extension of Impressionism, to Abstract to Expressionism became fashionable. And with this the idea that sound skills in drawing, composition, draftsmanship, design and color need not be learned or taught. There began to be fewer and fewer master teachers, art schools began dropping curriculum of classical training and expression of the artist's emotions onto the canvas became more important. No doubt there was purpose to all of this yet there is now beginning to be a swing of the pendulum back in the direction of rigorous classical training----training that may then be combined appropriately with Impressionist techniques and vision. The best of both worlds is perhaps the next wave in fine art.

At around the turn of the century in the United States there was a group of artists that had formed out of the classical training from the Boston Museum School of Fine Art. Joseph DeCamp, Frank Benson, Phillip and Lillian Hale, William Paxton, RH Ives Gammell, Edmund Tarbell were some of the classical artists from this school. John Singer Sargent also became associated with this group. Some members of this group also spent time in Europe with the Impressionist painters, especially Claude Monet and Edgar Degas. The influence and integration of the classical and the impressionistic can clearly be discerned in their works which are shown in museums and serious private collections. These artists became known as the Original Boston School Painters. William Paxton had also studied under Gerome in the Paris Ecole des Beaux Art. The teaching lineage of this group goes back to the 19th century Ateliers and eventually back to the master Jacques Louis David. Some members of this group were committed to carrying on the tradition and took on students into this demanding training. RH Ives Gammell, a wealthy mentor, trained a group of artists in hopes of passing on the tradition which seemed to be disappearing rapidly. Fortunately all was not lost and such present-day masters as Robert Cormier, Richard Whitney, Robert Douglas Hunter, Paul Ingbretson, Thomas Dunlay, Gary Hoffman, and Robert Scott Jackson have continued the tradition in their painting and their teaching.

Classical training begins with months or years of what is called "cast drawing." The porcelein busts and statues, mostly of Greek or Roman origin are set up properly and the student's eye trained to examine and draw precisely outline, shadow shapes, values, proportions and dimensions of the cast in charcoal. There is a process of changing the way the brain literally sees and performs through the eye-hand coordination that is developed over time. It can be a lengthy process and requires the brutally specific critiques of a master. The master must continually challenge the student's mind which has been convinced of the accuracy of the drawing. The master-teacher is proficient enough to point out minute inaccuracies and to recognize when the visual channels have actually changed in the student. Looking at a cast drawing without this knowledge of its purpose one would say it is "just copying" but the master knows what must be passed to the student and the student is forever changed once the brain is 'hard-wired' in this new way of seeing the world. Thereafter these same principles and skills are applied to still life drawing and painting with the addition of sound principles of composition. A beginning student may require weeks or months of learning to set up the elements of a still life to be painted from life. This continues into figure and portrait drawing and painting with the differentiation of the art of painting from that of drawing. This training also includes en Plein Air painting in the shifting light of day with all of its reverse principles from indoor painting.

It is rare to finding such precious training today. It is not present in most art schools and universities. However, there appears to be a resurgence of interest and there are more schools developing and the work of the present-day masters is being passed on. It is indeed a profound privilege to study with such a master and to continue this process into the future.

J.L. Stiles