Although Post-Impressionism describes French art created during the period of 1886 to 1941, the term itself was not coined until 1910 by English art critic and artist himself, Roger Fry. He named it Post-Impressionism simply because it followed the Impressionist era.
Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Georges Suerat, Henri Rousseau, Paul Signac and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec are among the most notable artists of the Post-Impressionism movement. Each artist introduced their own style to their work. For example, Suerat implemented a technique known as Pointillism which was basically painting a pattern of individual small dots to form a complete image. Although Van Gogh painted primarily landscapes, he is most known for his self-portraits. Paul Cezanne used geometric form to add depth perception to his paintings allowing you, as the viewer, to feel as if you were really there. Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec had an affinity for painting known actors, singers and dancers of the era.
As with many other forms of artistic expression, these artists were trying to reveal something about themselves. They used their talents to convey truths they had discovered about themselves and the world around them. Van Gogh used a great deal of grays and blues in most of his paintings unveiling his struggle with depression and the idea that everyone has an inherently evil soul. Cezanne focused more on the structure of his subjects. He once stated "With an apple I will astonish Paris." Suerat was a believer in optical truth; the idea of using color and form to show the real world.
The most notable and influential examples of Post-Impressionism are Van Gogh's "Starry Night" (painted outside the Saint-Remy mental asylum) and his floral work "Irises", Cezanne's use of depth perception in "The Card Players", Rousseau's almost surreal "The Dream", Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec's inspired work, "Seated Dancer In Pink Tights" and most certainly, Seurat's most famous piece, "Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of Le Grande Jatte."
It would be a gross understatement to say that Post-Impressionism had a tremendous affect on future painters. It has been credited with being the foundation of later styles such as Fauvism, Neo-Impressionism and Cubism. It stands as a standard of artist self-expression, conveying emotion, embracing your environment and questioning the human condition