Romanticism: Historical Context, Art Features, and Evolution
Romanticism: Historical and Cultural Context
Romanticism shares some historical and cultural context with Neoclassical features, including the Industrial Revolution, the emergence of the proletariat, revolutions in transport, the Academy, and the Salon. It was a period of bourgeois revolutions, where the bourgeoisie faced absolutist and monarchic restorations in the riots of 1820, 1830, and 1848. There was a generic concept of people as a whole, not just privileged social classes. The proletariat and intellectuals aided in these riots, leading to the emergence of nationalism and the unification of Germany and Italy. Greek Independence (from the Turks) and Belgium also emerged during this time. Some intellectuals, like Lord Byron, the English Romantic poet, even struggled in Greece. The wide dissemination of media, such as newspapers and magazines, allowed ideas and artistic fashion to spread quickly.
The philosophy of Kant emphasized sentiment as a vehicle of knowledge, while Fichte argued that nothing exists outside of individual consciousness. Rousseau’s thought focused on the love of nature and the passions.
Features of Romantic Art
In principle, Neoclassicism and Romanticism are opposite and contrary movements, but the distinction isn’t always clear. They mutually influenced each other, as seen in the Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe. Both advocate a move to escape reality, but they differ in where they escape to.
Art is closely tied to literature. In fact, the name derives from “Roman” (in French, roman, meaning novel). Works such as Goethe’s Faust or Shelley’s Frankenstein represent the Romantic spirit well. Romanticism is an attitude that affects all aspects of life; the Romantic artist lives as such. It is a way of conceiving the world. The Romantic movement leaned towards the exotic, including world tours and/or Eastern cultures, or pre-Middle Ages and Renaissance periods (called Historicism), and towards a world of fantasy and exuberance. It is an idealization of these environments, the majority of which were unknown to artists.
There was a break with classical tradition and uniformity of the Academies in two aspects:
- Thematic: With the emergence of new issues such as historical or contemporary revolutionary themes (which, oddly enough, David introduces).
- Technical: With complex compositions, casual views, predominance of color above the line, loose brushwork and light, etc., valuing diversity in front of uniformity.
There was an exaltation of individualism and national traditions and customs, rather than accepting a single model. The expression of emotions and pain became important, and beauty was not always the main object of art. There was also an assessment of ingenuity and sketches of previous work, but not as definitive. Nature was the source of inspiration where man took refuge in search of happiness. Sometimes, this led to a mystical state in touch with nature.
Romantic Painting and Sculpture
Color is predominant over drawing, with dramatic treatment of light, including sfumato, chiaroscuro, light storms, auroras, and sunsets. Compositions are dramatic, with concern for movement and compositional complexity. Violent gestures, foreshortening, and anatomical details are important. Sometimes, people are depicted on an unstable technical swift strokes loose and pasty.
There was great interest in landscape, with two main types:
- English: Imposing man nature. It is an uncontrollable force fighting against man (Turner).
- German: Landscape, spiritual, mystical treatment (Friedrich). Man enters into communion with nature. Sometimes you feel small and alone in front of the immensity of the landscape.
Painting is the art that reflects the Romantic attitude. In sculpture, there is still a big classicist trend, depending on official orders.