A book in my library which remains a favorite is called “Paris et les Naifs.” It is a compilation of paintings about Paris, including some children’s work and some adult works. But all are accomplished in the genre of art called naif. When I pull the book from my library I find myself gazing at the paintings with a rapt appreciation for the beauty of the uncomplicated style.
In contemporary America there is a school of naif art which is sometimes referred to as primitive. My hope is that the word is used more in the sense of the French word “primitif” rather than in the more pejorative sense of “simple, or lacking in quality.” Even the definition at Dictionary.com says the meaning of the word is an inexperienced person.
To the contrary, I find that those who have chosen to employ the naif style of painting have embraced a style which requires skill and unusually gifted perspective, as well as the ability to exercise restraint to accomplish the piece. The temptation to be more sophisticated and technical has to be restrained in order to accomplish a piece which speaks to a special place in the eye of the patron. That is not a lack of experience; to the contrary, it is a very effective style.
One of the more recognized artists of the naif/primitive school of American art was known as Grandma Moses, whose paintings delight those who have embraced her. Her child-like paintings, completed in her “golden years” prior to her death in 1961, are recognized as a compendium of 19th and 20th century agrarian society in this country. Because of their simplicity they have an authenticity which speaks to the hearts of those who view her works.
The two-dimensional quality of naif art lacks many of the qualities of more sophisticated art forms. However, the attention given to color, human interplay, and simple landscape are appealing.
In the Paris et les Naifs collection there is a quality of the city of Paris which is not found in the more famous paintings of Lautrec or Degas. Their paintings are more adult and more sophisticated in their use of accepted techniques of professional art. At the same time, however, they miss the simplicity of the unsophisticated tourist which is captured more in the paintings of the naifs.
Children’s art, with some exception, begins in a more naif form, quickly being adapted by instruction to a style with more flourish and attention to artistic style. But there is a reason why the parent displays and packs away children’s paintings, including those simple fingerpaintings and crayon drawings. The innocence of children, expressed in their paintings, is something to be embraced and retained.
But there is an adult form of naif which is detailed and complex. That almost sounds like an oxymoron: complex naif. But without losing its simple style and visually pleasing qualities, adults of the naif school may incorporate abundant detail, pointillism, and clever perspective.
It’s a wonderfully refreshing school of art.
(*The word is usually written in its French form, naïf. But I have chosen to use the Anglicized form of the word for this posting.)
Graphic Credit: www. naif-art.com
