English Research Paper

The Light behind Lyonel Feininger’s ‘markwippach’
By Jordan Greier

INTRODUCTION
a. Art is a huge part of life
b. THESIS: Feininger’s life and art are important subjects of discussion that will be recognized
BIOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS
a. Lyonel Feininger was influenced heavily in Europe
FORMAL ANALYSIS
a. Feininger uses Cubism heavily
THEMATIC ANALYSIS
a. Feininger’s ‘Markwippach’ means something, but what?

CONCLUSION
a. Feininger has shown us that art is complex

Art is an amazing thing. This is a statement meant both literally and metaphorically. Art is not confined to the boundaries of a brush stroke. Art is an expression of someone’s character and whether it comes in the form of music, drawing, or another means of expressing yourself, it is what brings people together. It is even capable of knocking down the barriers between cultures. However, art cannot happen without an artist. Obviously there are some who are more talented or well known than others, such as Lyonel Feininger, but an artist lurks inside all of us. It is the artist who expresses themselves and puts their heart out there for everyone to see. The artist is the MVP in the game we call life. Without the artist, there is no art. Without the art, this world is a much darker place where one might as well be a machine. Art has an impact that we sometimes take for granted. For example, some people claim that without music they would drop dead. While this is not really true, it displays just how much their art means to them. Lyonel Feininger’s ‘Markwippach’ shows us that art is also very complex. The Cleveland Museum of Art says that Feininger based his painting on the small German village of Markwippach, where he frequently hiked through the countryside. While this sounds like a simple scene, there is a lot of thought behind the painting itself and the symbolic meaning of it. Feininger’s life and art are important subjects of discussion that will be recognized. Art is very important and it merits the right to be taken seriously. Lyonel Feininger is an American artist responsible for the creation of numerous paintings, including ‘Markwippach’. “In 1887 Feininger followed his parents to Europe, where he attended the drawing and painting class at the ‘Gewerbeschule’ in Hamburg and then studied at the ‘Königliche Kunst-Akademie’ in Berlin from 1888 to 1892” (Lyonel-Biography). He had his first real experience with art in Europe. However, he originally came to Europe to study music, says Roberta Smith of the New York Times. Although he is American, his influences come mainly from Europe and especially Germany. These influences shaped his art greatly. “For one year he subsequently attended the private art school of the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi in Paris” (Lyonel-Biography). Feininger, in this year of schooling, probably received even more influences to reinforce the base of his art. However, this is still just the beginning of his long journey of learning how to be an artist. Feininger stayed in Paris for 2 more years while maintaining contact with other German artists, states Lyonel-Feininger.com. His contact with the German artists while still experiencing the influences of the French in Paris was invaluable. Lyonel-Feininger.com says that in 1911, he experienced Cubism in Paris. This statement is important because many of his paintings are heavily influenced by Cubism. Feininger even took to calling his unique work ‘Prism-ism’, remarks Smith. This remark models his unique style. Feininger, having found his style, was beginning to kick off his career in art. “In 1913, upon invitation by Franz Marc, Feininger participated in the ‘Erster Deutscher Herbstsalon’ at Herwarth Walden's ‘Sturm’ gallery in Berlin, where he also held his first solo exhibition in 1917” (Lyonel-Biography). These events marked the beginning of Feininger’s adventure as a unique artist. He was also invited to teach graphic art and painting at the fine arts school of ‘Bauhaus’ in

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