Romanticismvs.
Realism
Romanticism is born…
Romantic definition
• Reaction to 18Reaction to 18thth century classicism & century classicism & rationalismrationalism
• Viewed as revolutionary, emphasized Viewed as revolutionary, emphasized changechange
• Events now affect human thought & Events now affect human thought & expression and society & politicsexpression and society & politics
Romantic facts
• Height from 1800 – 1850, but varied by Height from 1800 – 1850, but varied by countrycountry
• Seen in painting, architecture, music, Seen in painting, architecture, music, literature, philosophyliterature, philosophy
• Spawns humanitarian movements against Spawns humanitarian movements against poverty, slavery, & industry evilspoverty, slavery, & industry evils
• Destroys simplicity & unity of 18Destroys simplicity & unity of 18 thth c c thought, now many views of Western thought, now many views of Western civilizationcivilization
Romantic elements• Emotion over reasonEmotion over reason
• Optimism, flexibility, personal feelingOptimism, flexibility, personal feeling• Rejection of classic emphasis on rules & Rejection of classic emphasis on rules &
order, imagination & intuitionorder, imagination & intuition• Rejection of Nature as a harmonious Rejection of Nature as a harmonious
whole, now alive & changingwhole, now alive & changing• Rejection of Past as counter-progressive, Rejection of Past as counter-progressive,
now growing & changing nationallynow growing & changing nationally
Realism definition
• Reaction to 19Reaction to 19thth century Romanticism century Romanticism
• Seen in realistic detail, no Seen in realistic detail, no interpretationsinterpretations
• Subjects now everyday life & peopleSubjects now everyday life & people
Realistic facts• Approximately 1840s – end of centuryApproximately 1840s – end of century• Seen in painting, architecture, music, Seen in painting, architecture, music,
literature, philosophyliterature, philosophy• Also seen in new medium of Also seen in new medium of
photographyphotography• Spawns naturalism and all anti-realist Spawns naturalism and all anti-realist
movementsmovements• All later experimentations came as a All later experimentations came as a
reaction to this!reaction to this!
Realism elements
• Positivism: faith in & consequences of Positivism: faith in & consequences of close observation of humans & natureclose observation of humans & nature
• Accuracy & objectivity when portraying Accuracy & objectivity when portraying ordinary worldordinary world
• Inclusion of new science & Inclusion of new science & technological advancementstechnological advancements
Romantic Painting
Characteristics
• Loose, fluid brushworkLoose, fluid brushwork
• Strong colorsStrong colors
• Complex compositionsComplex compositions
• Contrasts of light & darkContrasts of light & dark
• Expressive poses & gesturesExpressive poses & gestures
Ingres Large Odalisque
Gericault Raft of the Medusa
GrosNapoleon in Plague House
Delacroix Liberty Leading the People
DelacroixMassacre at Chios
GoyaThird of May 1808
GoyaFamily of Charles IV
Friedrich Monk by the Sea
Friedrich Wanderer
JMW Turner Slave Ship
Turner Snowstorm: Hannibal
and His Army Crossing Alps
Constable Clouds
Constable White Horse
Realism Painting
Corot Le Pont de Mantes
Corot Volterra
Rosa BonleurPlowing in Nivernais
Millet The Gleaners
Millet Woman Baking Bread
Courbet Burial at Ornans
Courbet The Stonebreakers
Daumier Third Class Carriage
Liebl Three Women in a Village Church
Repin Bargehaulers on Volga
Romantic Architectu
re
Characteristics
• Classical revival: Greek after 1815Classical revival: Greek after 1815
• Romantic classicism: individual, Romantic classicism: individual, intuitive creation that emphasizes intuitive creation that emphasizes classic detailsclassic details
• Picturesque: Gothic motifs & fantasyPicturesque: Gothic motifs & fantasy
John Nash’s Royal Pavilion
Houses of Parliament
Realism Architectu
re
Characteristics• Experimentation & new materials, steel & Experimentation & new materials, steel &
glassglass
• Combinations of design, material, & spaceCombinations of design, material, & space
• Skyscraper in AmericaSkyscraper in America
• Cramped space in urban areasCramped space in urban areas
• Needed elevatorNeeded elevator
• Sullivan: form flows from functionSullivan: form flows from function
Paxton Crystal Palace
Monadnock Building
Louis Sullivan
Romantic Music
Characteristics
• Form subordinate to feeling & harmonies a Form subordinate to feeling & harmonies a means of expressionmeans of expression
• Emphasis on lyrical & expressive melodiesEmphasis on lyrical & expressive melodies• Experiments in new meter & patterns of Experiments in new meter & patterns of
rhythmrhythm• Emotional conflict suggested by Emotional conflict suggested by
juxtaposition of differing meters & juxtaposition of differing meters & rhythmic irregularityrhythmic irregularity
Musicians• Franz Schubert: “art song”Franz Schubert: “art song”
• Frederich Chopin: piano compositionsFrederich Chopin: piano compositions
• Richard Strauss: program musicRichard Strauss: program music
• Johannes Brahms: symphonies & Johannes Brahms: symphonies & choral musicchoral music
• Richard Wagner: operaRichard Wagner: opera
Nationalism• Folk tunes & themes, local rhythms & Folk tunes & themes, local rhythms &
harmoniesharmonies
• Peter Ilyich TchaikovskyPeter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• Cultural past & political Cultural past & political circumstancescircumstances
• ““Violin Concerto in D Major”Violin Concerto in D Major”
Realism Music
Characteristics• 1870 – 1914: huge change!1870 – 1914: huge change!• Development of elaborate programs to Development of elaborate programs to
explain major plots vs. simple storiesexplain major plots vs. simple stories• Composers much more Composers much more
autobiographicalautobiographical• Birth if program symphonies & Birth if program symphonies &
symphonic poemssymphonic poems
Musicians• Franz Liszt: program musicFranz Liszt: program music• Richard Strauss: symphonic poems & Richard Strauss: symphonic poems &
opera, influenced by German opera, influenced by German expressionismexpressionism
• Tchaikovsky: autobiographical Tchaikovsky: autobiographical “Symphony No. 6 in b minor”“Symphony No. 6 in b minor”
• Gustav Mahler: lately appreciated Gustav Mahler: lately appreciated Bohemian, straddles modern centuryBohemian, straddles modern century
Romantic Philosophe
rs
Immanuel Kant• Lived through 19th century optimism,
so has a positive outlook
• Art unites opposing principles, such as reason & imagination
Georg W. F. Hegel
• Also maintains positive outlook• Art synthesizes opposites of thesis
(pure beings) & antithesis (natural world)
• Applies to human mind & world history patterns
• Contributes to modern art criticism
Arthur Schopenhauer
• Polar opposite of Kant & Hegel
• Dominating will in world is evil
• World is doomed to be ravaged by misery & strife
• Popularity rises after failed nationalistic revolutions of mid 19th c
Karl Marx• Revolution is necessary• Capitalism is evil• Masses are sedated by religion• “Workers of the world, unite!”• Materialist concept of history• Art can determine history & contribute to
change• Realistic style fits struggle best
Charles Darwin• On the Origin of the Species by Means of
Natural Selection• Theory of evolution explains species are
capable of variation• Evolution occurs by natural selection, survival
of fittest• The Descent of Man: humans evolved from
anthropoids• Spawned Social Darwinism, but never
personally endorsed
Realism Philosophe
rs
Friedrich Nietzsche
• Attacked accepted ideas of timeAttacked accepted ideas of time• But readers should not agree!But readers should not agree!• Human helplessness in mechanical Human helplessness in mechanical
world under inflexible lawworld under inflexible law• But human courage in face of this is But human courage in face of this is
best qualitybest quality• Will spawn superhuman raceWill spawn superhuman race
Sigmund Freud
• Developed psychoanalysis, study of Developed psychoanalysis, study of unconsciousness & dreamsunconsciousness & dreams
• Charted levels of mindCharted levels of mind• Symbolism of dreams can also apply to Symbolism of dreams can also apply to
literature, 20literature, 20thth c criticism c criticism• Also influenced stream of Also influenced stream of
consciousness styleconsciousness style
Carl Jung
• Collective human unconscious shared Collective human unconscious shared by all with archetypal imagesby all with archetypal images
• Artists influenced more than everyone Artists influenced more than everyone elseelse
• Artistic creations are unconscious Artistic creations are unconscious representation of archetypal imagesrepresentation of archetypal images
Romantic Literature
Characteristics
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe transitions from Neo-classicism
• Romantics use both prose & poetry
• Lots of groups & partnerships
Poetry
• Peak in English literature
• Themes of nature, human existence, reaction to art
• William Wordsworth founder
• Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Prose• Literate public eager for fiction• Jane Austin: more Neo-classic & comedy
of manners, Pride and Prejudice• Bronte sisters: Wuthering Heights and Jane
Eyre• Charles Dickens: fence sitter• Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karenina and War &
Peace
Realism Literature
Prose Characteristics
• Depicts life with absolute honestyDepicts life with absolute honesty• Specific & verifiable details vs. Specific & verifiable details vs.
sweeping generalitiessweeping generalities• Value impersonal, photographic Value impersonal, photographic
accuracy vs. interpretationaccuracy vs. interpretation• Influenced by science, reaction to Influenced by science, reaction to
RomanticismRomanticism• Stresses commonplace & brutalStresses commonplace & brutal
Feodor Dostoevski
• Theme of human suffering producing Theme of human suffering producing salvationsalvation
• Crime and Punishment:Crime and Punishment: psychological psychological novel, explores multiple personalitiesnovel, explores multiple personalities
• Theme of moral redemption through Theme of moral redemption through sufferingsuffering
• Morality is what a person is, not what Morality is what a person is, not what they showthey show
Ibsen & Chopin
• Henrick Ibsen: Norwegian playwrightHenrick Ibsen: Norwegian playwright• A Doll’s HouseA Doll’s House: discusses women’s : discusses women’s
rights, controversial playrights, controversial play• Kate Chopin: American, not well Kate Chopin: American, not well
known, novels & short storiesknown, novels & short stories• The Awakening:The Awakening: oppression of women, oppression of women,
controversialcontroversial
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