Romantic art was characterized by a renewed interest in history and religion and by the new idea of nationalism, that emerged after the French Revolution.
Romanticism refers to the cultural movement of the late 18th century through most of the mid 19th Century. During the time period, artists rejected the classical ideals that were the trademark of the Enlightenment. Instead they viewed their art as an outlet for human expression and emotion. Most of the art in Europe during the 19th Century was influenced by the Romantic Movement. While the movement was most popular in Germany and England, and later France, it’s influence was far reaching through the rest of Europe and the United States.
Art during the Enlightenment had been heavily influenced by classic forms of ancient Greece and Rome. Enlightenment art reflected rationality, order and restraint. People figured that since the Greeks and the Romans had obviously gotten the human form down to perfection, why bother change it? Romantics had other ideas. They drew inspiration from nature and the elements. The social setting of the early 19th century also influenced Romantic artists. A new sense of nationalism mixed with a reemergence of Christianity and renewed interest in Medieval Times. The French Revolution and other European wars also led to a rejection of all things associated with the Age of Reason.
The three main ingredients of Romantic Art include:
- Religion- During the French Revolution, Christianity was banned, in favor of the Cult of Reason. Romantic art reflected the religious revival, embracing Christianity and incorporating it into many styles and mediums.
- Nationalism- The idea of nations was a new concept in Western Europe in the late 18th Century. With the emergence of the United States, and then the French Republic,
- Literature- Romantics had a preoccupation with history and historical literature. Coupled with the growing sense of nationalism, people were encouraged to look back to the glorious past of their nation. In a newly unified Germany, this would have far reaching consequences by World War II.
Early Romantic Artists
John Constable (1776-1837) was a master of Romantic Art. His paintings, mainly of English landscapes, reflected the beauty and awesome power of nature. This was a great departure from the tame English gardens of paintings from the Enlightenment. Constable saw a great deal of spirituality in nature, claiming “Nature is Spirit Invisible.” Théodore Géricault (1774-1840) also viewed nature as an awesome power that defied reason and logic. His famous painting, The Raft of Medusa, depicts survivors at the mercy of the ocean, after a shipwreck. Many Romantic painters found beauty in the heart of European cities. Eduard Gaertner (1801-1877) was famed for his use of light and dark when portraying the streets of Paris.
Later Romantic Artists
John Everett Millais (1829-1896) painted rather ordinary scences, but with such depth and color, they were hard to forget. The Black Brunswicker tells the story of two lovers, and exhibits a deep sense of feeling and longing. Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) created beautiful Gothic revival works, which were popular during the end of the Romantic Movement. His homage to Medieval times was his Briar Rose series (see below) that decorated Buscot Park in Oxfordshire.
Sources:
Johnson, Paul. Art: A New History. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc, 2003.
Lang, Sean. European History for Dummies. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, LTD. 2006.
Mckay, Hill, Buckler. A History of World Societies: Volume II Since 1500. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1992.
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