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Examples of Tonalist Paintings from the 19th century (click to enlarge)
Ralph Albert Blakelock
1847-1919
Thomas
Wilmer Dewing 1851-1938
Robert Swain Gifford1840-1905
Alexander Thomas Harrison 1854 -1929
Lowell
Birge Harrison 1854-1929
George
Inness1825-1894
John La
Farge 1835-1910
Arthur
Frank Mathews 1860-1945
John Francis
Murphy 1853-1921
Albert
Pinkham Ryder 1847-1917
John Henry
Twachtman 1853-1902
Julian Alden
Weir 1852-1919
James
Abbott McNeill Whistler 1843-1903
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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.
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Key terms and phrase 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
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