Art Like No Other
I have always been fascinated with the surrealism movement. While I admit that I do not know many details about it, I am always moved when I see I work of surrealism. Perhaps it is the abstractness of it all, or perhaps certain surrealist artworks remind me of dreams I cannot remember. There is something in these works that gives me a certain feeling that I cannot explain. Surrealist works often work outside of the realm of what is real and what we as humans are used to seeing in our lives. However, I or anyone for that matter would not be able to enjoy such works if it wasn’t for a man named J. J. Grandville, who is known for being a forefather of the surrealist genre of art.
The Real Man Behind A Surreal Movement
J. J. Grandville or known by his real name Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard, was born on September 13, 1803 and died March 17, 1847. While his life may have been short, his impact lives on today. His father taught him to draw, and he was skilled in many mediums of art such as drawing, printmaking, painting etc. During the 19th century, satirical writing and drawing became very popular, and because of this popularity, Grandville found himself gaining recognition as a well-known satirist. He was also known for making political cartoons, and his images that depict people with animal faces are very well known. Grandville is very notable in the contribution of illustration in the format of books and he paved the way for many artists after him.
The Extraordinary Impact of The Extraordinary
Grandville was very ahead of his time in terms of his art. The surrealism movement did not start until the 1920s, but many artists have since taken inspiration from Grandville. Grandville’s impact can not just be seen on the artists of surrealism but also on many different pop culture works. His work has been used in such things as an album cover for the band “Queen”, as well as comics and video games using his artwork and style. Perhaps his revolutionary illustrations and ideas were caused by his intense mental problems, or perhaps they are a result of his sense of humour. Whatever the case is, Grandville is clearly one of the most influential and I would say interesting artists and people of his time.
Work Cited.
“Aviary Attorney.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Oct. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviary_Attorney.
“Collections Online: British Museum.” Collections Online | British Museum, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG29591.
“Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard Grandville.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Oct. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ignace_Isidore_Gérard_Grandville.
Manty, Kris. “The Wonderfully Odd World of French Artist J. J. Grandville.” Antique Trader, Antique Trader, 8 Apr. 2020, https://www.antiquetrader.com/art/the-wonderfully-odd-world-of-french-artist-j-j-grandville.