Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic style emphasizing imagination, freedom, and emotion. It was a shift from urban interests to more rural, and natural interests. Romanticism was a reaction to writers of the enlightenment who have turned to classical Greek, and Roman literature. It took place in parts of Europe. Many artist, composers, and architects were followers of romanticism. Romanticism was so popular during this time that it took place in all aspects of life.
ROMANTICISM IN LITERATURE
Romanticism had a large influence on literature and books. In the book Lyrical Ballads, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor showed their interest for romanticism by emphasizing genuine language, personal emotion, and imagination. Wordsworth's love for romanticism was expressed in his poem "The Prelude". Other writers such as Lord Byron were influenced my romanticism. Lord Byron had a rebellious wondering life, but later he joined Greek forces. He wrote Poems such as "Darkness", and "She walks in Beauty". Unlike enlightenment literature, romantic writing included simple, direct language, intense feeling, and glorification of nature.
ROMANTICISM IN ARTS
Romantic painters broke free from the rules, and disciplines of the enlightenment. J.M.W Turner for example practiced painting the beauty and power in nature. Romantics painted a range of art beginning with simple peasant life to medieval knights, and even current events. They focused more on rural areas than urban city life. Usually brighter colors meant violent energy. Romantic art was influenced by the Industrial revolution, and the French revolution. Caspar Frederic was a protestant romantic, he lived during a time where German philosophies, and art was infiltrated with nationalism, and Deutschheit meaning Germanness.
The Shift to REALISM
In the mid-1800s, a new artistic movement began to take root. This new artist movement was known as realism. In realism artists looked at the world as it was, instead of the emphasizing the emotion like Romanticism. Realists focused a lot of their work on hectic city, and village life. English novelist Charles Dickens for example writes his novel "Oliver Twist" on the lives of slum dwellers, and factory workers. French writer Victor Hugo portrays the ills of the time. Hugo began as a romantic author and shifted to a realistic author. He wrote novels such as Germinal. Realism also had an impact on Drama. Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian dramatist brought realism to the stage. In his play A Doll's House he shows a woman caught in a straight-jacket of social rules. As realism spread the idea of romanticism is rejected. People began to focused on ordinary subjects, such as the working-class of men and women.
Impressionism
In the 1840's a new form of art know as photography was emerging. As photography emerged it caused a challenge to painters. Artists began to take art to a new level known as impressionism. Impressionism is a literary or artistic style that seeks to capture a feeling or experience rather than to achieve accurate depiction. This movement took root in Paris. Unlike renaissance painters impressionist painters like Claude Monet brushed strokes of color side by side without blending. Impressionists focused on visual impressions rather than realism. Monet, for example painted the cathedral at Rouen, France, multiple times from the same angle, capturing how it looked in different lights at different times of day. Later painters known as post-impressionists came along. George Seurat made small dots of color to define the shapes of objects. Vincent Van Gogh experimented with sharp brush lines and bright colors. These post-impressionists influenced today's artists.
MLA CITATIONS
"Art History Appreciation." Art History.net. Art History.net. Web. 15 Nov 2012. <http://www.arthistory.net/>.
"Art History Appreciation." Art History.net. Art History.net. Web. 15 Nov 2012. <http://www.arthistory.net/>.