Over the past three weeks, our Class 10 students have been on a fascinating journey through the history of modern art, exploring how world events, new technologies and changing global consciousness have impacted art making over time.  

We began this journey in the Italian Baroque period (1650–1750), a time when art became much more dramatic, dynamic and full of energy. Unlike the calm and balanced scenes of the Renaissance, Baroque artists used strong contrasts of light and dark, realistic detail, and movement to bring their works to life. Students explored how changing views of religion influenced art during this time, and compared the works of Caravaggio, known for his intense realism and use of shadow, and Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the few successful female painters of the era. In contrast, students turned their attention to the Northern Baroque and the Dutch Golden Age of painting, where Protestantism, Dutch independence and nationalism influenced artists to focus on landscapes, still lives, and scenes of everyday life. They analysed the quiet, intimate scenes of Johannes Vermeer and the expressive portraits of Rembrandt van Rijn.  

Moving into the 18th and 19th centuries, students saw how art began to respond to a rapidly changing world. The Age of Enlightenment, which focused on logic, reason and order, led to events such as the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. These historical events challenged artists to rethink their purpose and style to reflect the changing world. Art of the Romantic movement (1790s-1850s), for example, saw artists like JMW Turner returning to nature and capturing the beauty, wonder and terror of the natural world through passionate and striking landscape paintings.  

New technologies in the late 19th century, such as photography, led to the rise of Impressionism (1860s-1890s) and Post-Impressionism (1880s–1910s), where painters like Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh experimented with light, colour, and brushwork to capture the feeling of a moment rather than a realistic image. This departure from realism shifted art to become more recognisably ‘modern’. Students closely examined the complex emotions captured by Van Gogh through his creative use of colour and expressed their appreciation for his life and work.  

Finally, we explored how art continued to evolve in the 20th century with movements like Cubism (1907–1920s) and Surrealism (1924–1960s). These modern movements were influenced by the chaos of increasing technological advancements and world wars. As a result, artists began to experiment with more abstract forms and experimental techniques. We examined how modern artists push the boundaries of how we see and interpret the world around us. Students are now applying their knowledge to researching an artist of their choice.  

On this inspiring journey through creativity and change, students have developed a deeper appreciation of how art reflects the ideas, values, and events of its time. This understanding will inevitably inform their own art practices as well as their perception of the world around them.  

Chiara Corbet  

English and Humanities Teacher