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12: A non-narrative synthetic art: an art about the feeling or mood evoked by the arrangement of landscape elements to project an emotion, rather than a realistic or representational depiction of a specific place:
It is important to note that Tonalist art differs from French Impressionism and American Impressionism.
While Tonalism is not in direct competition with these styles, it offers an alternative approach that focuses on expressing the subjective feeling of landscapes in subdued light, without relying on a story.
Tonalism is mainly created in studios and draws inspiration from field sketches and memory, using formal and abstract elements to evoke emotions.
One of the main advocates of this non-narrative style was Whistler, who believed that memory played a crucial role in creating Tonalist paintings.
James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Nocturne: Blue and Gold—Old Battersea Bridge, 1872-1875
Leonard Ochtman, writing in Palette and Brush around 1909, emphasised the importance of memory in Tonalist art.
He explained that his own paintings were not specific depictions of certain places, but aimed to capture the character, colour, and atmospheric conditions of the landscapes he experienced throughout the year.
While Tonalists were skilled in using Impressionist techniques, they rarely used broken brushstrokes and vibrant primary colours. Instead, they preferred expressive brushwork with closely matched tones, which evoked visual emotions rather than the fleeting effects of intense sunlight or everyday life scenes.
Leonard Ochtman
A Silent Morning, 1909
William Gedney Bunce's Venetian pictures, for example, did not include figures or tourist activities.
Even a traditional beach scene like Bunce's Beach Tides, 1889, portrayed the emotional essence of a beach at sunset through broken brushstrokes and abstract elements.
William Gedney Bunce
Beach Tides, ca. 1900
William Gedney Bunce
Sunset Variations, ca. 1900
Similarly, urban or town settings depicted by Tonalist artists such as Alexander Shilling and Charles Fromuth did not feature pedestrians or daily life scenes. Instead, they focused on muted colours, formal arrangements, and the exploration of natural elements in the landscape.
In many technical aspects, Tonalism was a progressive force in the art scene of its time.
By avoiding traditional narratives and specific locations, Tonalist artists conveyed a subjective arrangement of natural symbols that told untold stories, both personal and universal in their significance.
Charles Fromuth
Concarneau, 1893
Alexander Shilling
Winter Road, 1883
Henry Ward Ranger
The Woodland Scene, 1905
Henry Ward Ranger
Ranger, Hillside Trees, 1905
Summary
Summary
1. Tonalist art is different from French Impressionism and American Impressionism.
2. Tonalism focuses on conveying the subjective feeling of landscapes under subdued light.
3. Tonalism does not rely on narratives.
4. Tonalism is primarily a studio art form that draws inspiration from field sketches and memory.
5. Memory plays a crucial role in creating Tonalist paintings.
6. Tonalists use expressive brushwork and closely matched tones.
7. Tonalist art evokes visual emotions rather than intense sunlight or everyday life scenes.
8. Tonalist paintings do not include figures or tourist activities.
9. Tonalist art focuses on muted colours, formal arrangements, and exploration of natural elements.
10. Tonalism conveys untold personal and universal stories through a subjective arrangement of natural symbols.
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