The History of Art And The Curious Lives of Famous Painters

HOME    


 

Search:: Artists Alphabetically   Artists by Country   Artists by Century   Artists by Movement

John Francis Murphy

1853-1921

American Tonalist Painter

Stylistically influenced by the following painters and movements - Symbolism George Inness, John La FargeRobert Swain Gifford and James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Education - primarily self-taught

Cause of Death - Old Age



John Francis Murphy was one of the most original and talented American artists of the nineteenth century. He was a leading tonalist landscape painter of the American Barbizon.  His palette was minimal, characterized by warm hues of brown, soft greens, golden yellows and muted grays. Murphy's favorite themes were incandescent moonlight nights an luminous landscapes.

Description of the Tonalist Painting Style and Technique

 Tonalism is rooted in the French Barbizon movement, which emphasized atmosphere and shadow. The Tonalist style employs a distinctive technique by the use of color's middle values as opposed to stronger contrast and high chroma. Resulting in a understated and compelling overall effect. The tonalist subject matter is never entirely apparent; their is no effort to communicate a message or narrate a story.  Instead of relating a story, each sensitively chosen color, composition, and line is arranged to create an intriguing visual poem.

The interiors of tonalist paintings are generally elegant and sparsely decorated, tonally uniform, simplified and indistinct; the figures are usually presented alone in silent contemplation.  Landscapes are typically luscious and luminous with evocative atmospheric effects featuring misty backgrounds illuminated by moonlight. Tonalists painters were drawn to both the natural and spiritual realms. They sought to awaken the viewers consciousness by shrouding the subject in a misty indistinct veil of emotionalism. The palette is minimal, characterized by warm hues of brown, soft greens, gauzy yellows and muted grays. Preferred themes were evocative moonlight nights and poetic, vaporous landscapes. Tonalist painters seemed to favored unconscious states and psychological experiences over reality.


Principle Painters of Tonalism Movement

Ralph Albert Blakelock American, 1847-1919
Thomas Wilmer Dewing American, 1851-1938] 
Robert Swain Gifford American, 1840-1905
Alexander Thomas Harrison American, 1854 -1929
Lowell Birge Harrison American, 1854-1929
George Inness American, 1825-1894
John La Farge American, 1835-1910
Arthur Frank Mathews American, 1860-1945
John Francis Murphy American, 1853-1921
Albert Pinkham Ryder American, 1847-1917
John Henry Twachtman American,1853-1902
Julian Alden Weir American,1852-1919
James Abbott McNeill Whistler American, 1843-1903




  

 Important words and phrases associated with the Tonalist movement - obscured details, single-figure themes, the natural and spiritual domain, waking, unconscious states, sleep, dreams, death, aura, religious significance, emotionalism, emotionalists, pictorial space, compositional space, diffused light, incandescent glow, organic forms, artistic inspiration, illusionistic representation, luminous, transcendentalist, glowing, metaphysical, emotional expression, poetic, evocative

Require more facts and information about Tonalist Artists? Poke around every nook and cranny of the known universe for information this subject. Search Here


If you feel you have worthwhile information you would like to contribute we would love to hear from you. We collect essential biographical information and artist quotes from folks all over the globe and appreciate your participation. When submitting please, if possible, site the source and provide English translation.  Please submit your comment to the editor, via e-mail and if possible site the source. Thank you!

millardmulch@gmail.com


© HistoryofPainters.com If you like this page and wish to share it, you are welcome to link to it, with our thanks.

copyright 2017 - historyofpainters.com

 

art  movements

top 50 painters

symmbolism


100 greatest paintings

artist biographies