Romanticism Romanticism and Realism. Overview - Romanticism “Feeling is all!”

RomanticismRomanticism and Realism

Overview - Romanticism

• “Feeling is all!”

Overview• dates

– music (1820 – 1900)– art (late 1700s/1800-1850)

• mostly in Northern Europe, especially in Britain, France, and Germany

• values: intuition, emotion, and imagination

• inspiration: Medieval and Baroque periods; Middle and Far East

• subjects: legends, nature, violence, exotica

The Romantic MovementThe Romantic Movement

a reaction against classicism

the “Romantic Hero:”

greatest example was Lord Byron

tremendously popular among the European reading public

youth imitated his haughtiness and rebelliousness

a reaction against classicism

the “Romantic Hero:”

greatest example was Lord Byron

tremendously popular among the European reading public

youth imitated his haughtiness and rebelliousness

MusicMusic

• transition between Classical and Romantic

• Beethoven• other key composers

– Schubert– Chopin– Paganini– Wagner

Characteristics of Romanticism1.1. the Engaged and Enraged Artistthe Engaged and Enraged Artist

2.2. Individualism - the Rugged IndividualIndividualism - the Rugged Individual3.3. the Power and the Fury of Naturethe Power and the Fury of Nature4.4. the Danger of Science and Technologythe Danger of Science and Technology5.5. Glorifying Country LifeGlorifying Country Life6.6. Gothic – romanticizing the Middle AgesGothic – romanticizing the Middle Ages7.7. Exotica and the MacabreExotica and the Macabre8.8. NationalismNationalism

Art and LiteratureArt and Literature

The Engaged & Enraged Artist:

the artist apart from society

the artist as social critic/revolutionary

the artist as genius

The Engaged & Enraged Artist:

the artist apart from society

the artist as social critic/revolutionary

the artist as genius

Wandering Above the Sea of Fog

Caspar David Friedrich,

1818

Wandering Above the Sea of Fog

Caspar David Friedrich,

1818

IndividualismIndividualism individuals have unique, endless

potential

self-realization comes through art… artists are the true philosophers

individuals have unique, endless potential

self-realization comes through art… artists are the true philosophers

The Dreamer Gaspar David Friedrich, 1835

The Dreamer Gaspar David Friedrich, 1835

Glorification and Fury of Nature

Glorification and Fury of Nature

peaceful, restorative qualities: an escape from industrialization and the dehumanization it creates

awesome, powerful, horrifying aspects of nature

indifferent to the fate of humans

overwhelming power of nature

peaceful, restorative qualities: an escape from industrialization and the dehumanization it creates

awesome, powerful, horrifying aspects of nature

indifferent to the fate of humans

overwhelming power of nature

The Raft of the MedusaThéodore Géricault, 1819The Raft of the MedusaThéodore Géricault, 1819

The Eruption of Vesuvius - John Martin

The Eruption of Vesuvius - John Martin

The Slave ShipJoseph Mallord William Turner,

1842

The Slave ShipJoseph Mallord William Turner,

1842

Danger of Science and Technology

Danger of Science and Technology

The Hay Wain - John Constable, 1821

The Hay Wain - John Constable, 1821

Glorifying Country LifeGlorifying Country Life

The Corn Field

John Constable,

1826

The Corn Field

John Constable,

1826

Gothic/Romanticizing the Middle Ages

Gothic/Romanticizing the Middle Ages

“Neo-Gothic” architectural style

Medieval ruins were a favorite theme for art and poetry

“Neo-Gothic” architectural style

Medieval ruins were a favorite theme for art and poetry

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows

John Constable, 1831

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows

John Constable, 1831

British Houses of Parliament1840-1865

British Houses of Parliament1840-1865

Exotica and MacabreExotica and Macabre

Exotica: the sexy “other”

a sense of escape from reality

something to keep in mind:a psychological/moral justification of imperialism?

Exotica: the sexy “other”

a sense of escape from reality

something to keep in mind:a psychological/moral justification of imperialism?

Massacre of Chios - Eugène Delacroix, 1824

Massacre of Chios - Eugène Delacroix, 1824

The Fanatics of TangiersEugène Delacroix, 1837-1838The Fanatics of Tangiers

Eugène Delacroix, 1837-1838

The Royal Pavilion at BrightonJohn Nash, 1815-1823

The Royal Pavilion at BrightonJohn Nash, 1815-1823

Exotica and the MacabreExotica and the Macabre

Macabre ghosts, fairies, witches, demons

the shadows of the mind—dreams & madness

the romantics rejected materialism in pursuit of spiritual self-awareness

they yearned for the unknown and the unknowable

Macabre ghosts, fairies, witches, demons

the shadows of the mind—dreams & madness

the romantics rejected materialism in pursuit of spiritual self-awareness

they yearned for the unknown and the unknowable

Mad Woman With a Mania of Envy

TheodoreGericault, 1822-1823

Mad Woman With a Mania of Envy

TheodoreGericault, 1822-1823

Witches Sabbath

Francisco Goya,1798

Witches Sabbath

Francisco Goya,1798

Liberty Leading the People Eugène Delacroix, 1830

Liberty Leading the People Eugène Delacroix, 1830

NationalismNationalism

Detail of theMusket Bearer

Delacoix, himself

Detail of theMusket Bearer

Delacoix, himself

His Majesty’s Ship, “Victory”(Trafalgar) - John Constable, 1806His Majesty’s Ship, “Victory”

(Trafalgar) - John Constable, 1806

The Shooting of May 3, 1808Francisco Goya, 1815

The Shooting of May 3, 1808Francisco Goya, 1815

The Great Age of the Novel

The Great Age of the Novel

Gothic Novels:

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (1847)

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (1817)

Dracula – Bramm Stoker (1897)

Historical Novels:

Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott (1819)

Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (1862)

The Three Musketeers – Alexander Dumas (1844)

Gothic Novels:

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (1847)

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (1817)

Dracula – Bramm Stoker (1897)

Historical Novels:

Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott (1819)

Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (1862)

The Three Musketeers – Alexander Dumas (1844)

Other Romantic Writers

Other Romantic Writers

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm - Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1814-1816)

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm - Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1814-1816)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Faust (1806-1832)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Faust (1806-1832)

The Romantic PoetsThe Romantic Poets Percy Bysshe Shelley

Lord Byron (George Gordon)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

William Wordsworth

John Keats

William Blake

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Lord Byron (George Gordon)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

William Wordsworth

John Keats

William Blake

The Political ImplicationsThe Political Implicationsa key question: how can Romanticism justify liberalism? how could it support conservatism?

contributed to growing nationalist movements

the concepts of the Volk and the Volkgeist

the uniqueness of cultures was emphasized

a key question: how can Romanticism justify liberalism? how could it support conservatism?

contributed to growing nationalist movements

the concepts of the Volk and the Volkgeist

the uniqueness of cultures was emphasized

Overview - Realism

how was this a reaction to both romanticism and neoclassicism?

• rejected romanticism as escapist, fantastical, and inward looking

• rejected neoclassicism as anachronistic

Characteristics of Realism

1. capture visual perceptions without alteration

2. take on serious themes

3. a look at the poorer classes

The Burial at OrnansGustave Courbet, 1849-1850

The Third Class WagonHonore Daumier, 1862