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Self-styled modern art in the twentieth century has spawned forms of creative expression that may be described as subversive, sensationalistic, and novel. From hodge-podge installations of ordinary objects to video montages of stylized sex and violence, new forms of artistic expression tend to generate controversy and provoke public outrage as much as serve as alternative avenues of artistic locution. Modern art has obfuscated the boundaries between what is art and what is creative oddity. But there remains a significant population of artists and the art-consuming public that longs for works of art that uphold a generally recognized artistic standard that has been in existence in traditional art since the ancient Greeks. These artists and their patrons seek to promote the highest standards of artistic excellence evident in traditional representation art through a living artistic tradition called Classical Realism . Classical Realism encompasses the authoritative artistic standards and traditions of European art that were handed down from master to pupil since the Renaissance. As an artistic point-of-view, Classical Realism evinces a deep love and respect for the uncompromising discipline of the Western European artistic tradition.
The expression Classical Realism is attributed to artist Richard Lack, founder of the Atelier Lack, a nonprofit school of fine art that follows an apprentice program based on the teaching methods of the ateliers of 19th-century Paris and the Boston impressionists. Lack saw how the indiscriminate use of Realism to refer to any 20 th -century painting suggesting a recognizable object had rendered the term too broad and general in application to be considered meaningful. Lack used the term Classical Realism to differentiate representational art that resolutely upheld the principles and standards of Western European representational art from art that submitted to the expansive scope of Realism.
Classical Realism applies to contemporary works of art that uphold the high standards and principles embodied in traditional representational art. Classical Realism is characterized by elements essential to the Western European artistic tradition: truth to nature, thorough artistic training, beauty, and skillful craftsmanship. The truthful depiction of nature in Classical Realism is achieved through strict adherence to color integrity and the authenticity of light and shadow. Classical
Realism artists draw from nature's inexhaustible repository of forms and colors to create art that compares with the works of masters of European academic and American impressionist art. At what point does inherent talent become professional skill? Classical Realism emphasizes subjecting natural talent to proper training to reach its maximum potential. Under the strict guidance of a master, pupils of Classical Realism constantly hone their skills of representation and acquire the discipline necessary to preserve artistic integrity. Beauty in Classical Realism is defined by the harmonious confluence of lines, patterns and colors. Paintings done in the tradition of Classical Realism must provoke a positive emotional response in the viewer by suggesting patterns that provide a dominant focus and establish a path of orderly movement for the viewer's eyes. Skillful craftsmanship in pupils and painters of Classical Realism is acquired through years of diligent training, constant practice and uncompromising discipline. Technical skill allows Classical Realism artists to convey completeness and thoroughness in their work, from conception to execution.
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