'Masterpiece: The Origin and Evolution' – II

French sculptor and painter Marcel Duchamp say, "a Masterpiece is created by the viewer, not by the artist".

- BY BHAGYA RAJAPAKSE

He highlights the idea that the interpretation as well as deriving meanings of art are subjective and embedded within the viewer's experience, rather than being solely determined by the discretion of the artist. Former Director of the Louvre Museum Henri Loyrette once stated, "It became evident that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to articulate a definition of masterpiece that could be accepted universally".

In terms of body of work, three conducive elements exercise a significant influence over recognising and positioning a creative work in the realm of art as a 'Masterpiece'.

Firstly, a work of Art which showcases technical and artistic innovation is indelible from history books and capable of earning substantive accolades from the spectators. These conditions entitle a work of Art to continue to endure as a 'Masterpiece'.

Created in 1872, Impressionist painter Claude Monet's 'Impression Sunrise' is a work of art which received universal recognition as a 'masterpiece' for its innovative artistic and conceptual approach and technical amelioration. The 'Name' of this artistic tradition derives from the title of Monet's 'Impression Sunrise'. The name was coined by French art critic and journalist Louis Leroy, referring to the Impressionist style in a derisory manner at the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris in 1874. Monet's 'Impression Sunrise' was accompanied by remarkable technical advancement which resulted from research in Optics. Eugene Chevre, a French chemist, discovered that optical illusions could be created by placing certain colors next to each other. Taking advantage of this finding, Impressionists combined visible, short and thick brush strokes with glowing vibrant colors to create a sense of light and darkness, movement of objects and sense of distance.