Masterpieces of Art: From Neoclassicism to Impressionism
Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss
Antonio Canova (18th-19th century) embodies Neoclassical beauty in this marble sculpture. The composition centers around the two figures, their bodies intertwined. Cupid’s kiss revives Psyche, a scene filled with tenderness, contrasting with the often-cold Neoclassical style. Canova transforms marble into a lifelike representation of this mythological love story.
Oath of the Horatii
Jacques-Louis David’s 18th-century Neoclassical painting showcases balanced composition
Read MoreThe Essay and Mass Media: A Deep Dive
The Essay: A Literary Genre
Definition and Origin
The essay is a literary genre born from humanistic disciplines. It evolved from doctrinal dialogues, offering a platform for discussing opinions and ideas. The term “essay” originates from Michel de Montaigne’s Essais, which explored various topics through personal experiences and perspectives.
Key Characteristics of the Essay
- Prose form
- Literary title-body relationship
- Diverse content (social, literary, historical, artistic, political, biographical,
Antonio Machado: Enduring Influence and Poetic Language
Machado: Torches of Influence
In 1969, UNESCO declared Antonio Machado “poet of universal values.” After the Spanish Civil War, poets like Blas de Otero turned to Machado as the highest example of poetry and humanity. Machado is the explorer of the soul’s mysterious fevers and a serious meditator on universal temporal reality. He was the poet of time and existence, whose doctrine banished verbal virtuosity that prevented the expression of life’s warmth. The boomer generation poets in Spain, such
Read MoreEvolution of Modern Art: Expressionism to Baroque
Expressionism
Expressionism was an artistic literary movement related to plastics, born in 1890 in Germany and the northern European countries, extending well into the twentieth century. Outstanding artists in this movement included Edvard Munch, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Georges Rouault, and Emil Nolde. Expressionist painting seeks and manages to express violent emotions, going from the inside out, unlike Impressionism, which goes from outside to inside. Its main objective was to create impetuous
Read More20th Century Valencian Novel and Theater: A Literary History
20th Century Valencian Novel
Early 20th Century Narrative in Valencia
Top of the narrative in Valencia was a new genre, widely read popular short narratives, colloquial, naturalist, or romantic.
The Narrative of Early 20th Century Valencia
Eduardo Lopez-Chavarri, a remarkable musician and journalist; Salvador Guinot, Canyissades. Later, Angel Sanchez Gozalbo (Bolangera demons) and Josep Pascual Tirado (Tombatossals; From my Garbera).
Valencia’s Narrative in the 1930s
Creating short novels (“Our novel”
Read MoreRealism and Impressionism: A Deep Dive into 19th-Century Art
Realism
In the mid-19th century, Romanticism, with its idealization of history, society, and nature, gave way to Realism. The 1848 French Revolution’s failures led to disillusionment, shifting artistic focus from political to social issues. Industrialization caused the decline of craftsmanship and a surge in the urban working class, profoundly changing socioeconomic conditions and ideologies. Artists became acutely aware of social problems like child and female labor, long working hours, and poor
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