Romanticism
Romanticism was most popular in Europe in the late eighteenth
century and developed in the mid-nineteenth century. The movement represented subjects of the time
period, concentrating on imagination, the sublime, human feeling and emotion,
nature and individualism. The movement
was a rejection to the neo- classical movement which represented subjects of
horror, madness, violence and the supernatural.
Nature was also one of the main sources of inspiration for
the Romantics. Set against the
background of the Industrial revolution, Romanticism was an escape from the
problems associated with progress.
Romanticism presented different characteristics in different
countries.
The French Romantic painters and sculptors showed a love of
movement as in Gericault’s ‘The Race of Barbary horses’, ‘The Raft of the
Medusa’.
Eugene Delacroix’s representation of the July 28 Revolution
of 1830, ’Liberty Leading the People.
Exotic and mystical themes were also popular.
‘La Grande Odalisque’ by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and
‘Wanderer above the Sea of Fog’ by
Casper David Friedrich are two examples.
The Romantics in England found inspiration in nature. Nature was the ultimate source of all beauty
and all wisdom.
Turner‘s travels
helped his growing awareness of the grandeur of nature and its destructive
force.
An example from his works is Snowstorm: Steamboat of a
Harbour’s Mouth, 1841.
The painter John Constable wrote,’ by a close observation of
nature, the artist discovers qualities in her which have never been portrayed
before and so form a style which is original’.
It is exhibited in Musée
du Louvre, Paris.
This image shows the July revolution in 1830.
This painting portrays a woman that represents liberty. She
leads charging people, trampling over the dead bodies beneath them.
She commands attention by holding high the French flag which
is placed in the center of the canvas. She is at the peak of the pyramid technique
with the corpses placed on the lower part.
Smoke from the battle fill the background with the brightest
smoke surrounding Liberty to give her more importance.
It is a strong depiction of the horrors of a battle
scene.
It is in the Louvre
in Paris, France.
Gericault chooses a dramatic episode for his painting. The
subject is contemporary. He painted a
tragic event which happened three years before. It is the story of a captain who abandoned his
crew and passengers and left them to die.
The painting sends the message not only of a tragedy but also a
political one.
Gericault used a strong palette and sharp contrast of dark
and light which produces dramatic poses.
It is a muscular figure study. It
shows both horror and hope. The figure
waving the red cloth and the figures at the front of the raft are hoping for
the faraway ship to see them. The figures at the back of the raft which is
coming apart have given up hope.
The figure stands in contemplation
of the dramatic landscape before him. It
seems like the sea of fog is full of mystery. Friedrich was inspired by German landscape
and deeply moved of the beauty he found in his homeland. He depicts the
mountains, the trees, and the heavy mist above the sea.
Caspar David Friedrich chose to paint the
landscape vertically instead of the commonly used horizontal shape. The upright
position of the canvas gives the figure prominence and focus in the painting.
The figure stands right in the middle of the painting, and the horizontal lines
of rocks and mountains lead towards him. His poise is one of a confident man,
he leans on his cane, and a relaxed hand rests in his pocket. Gericault paints
the figure with his back towards the viewer. This makes the figure something of
a mystery to the viewer. The figure in Wanderer above the Sea of Fog could be a
particular person, a high-ranking forestry officer, Colonel in the Saxon
Infantry or a self-portrait.
Friedrich used a light palette. He
mixes blues and pinks across the sky with the mountain and rock in the distance
echoing these Colours. He paints the figure in a dark green coat - typical
German attire.
Light seems to be coming up from
beneath the rock, somehow illuminating the fog. The rock the figure stands on
remains mostly in silhouette.
This painting is called The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya.
(Prado, Madrid, Spain). The subject is very straight forward. With arms wide
open a man kneeling is waiting for a brutal execution. Civilians have been executed and others are
waiting for the same cruel faith. These
were rebellions against the French army in Spain (Peninsular War in
Spain (1808-1814).
The sky is dark. The town is a sinister backdrop. The
execution is taking place outside the city. In the foreground the composition
is tight. The soldiers form a barrier and the light from the lantern is focused
on the central figure and the condemned men.
The light separates the soldiers from the martyrs. The man with the white shirt is depicted
larger than the other figures in the painting. With his arms open he is
representing a Christ-like figure.
The condemned men look terrified and they all have different
expressions. Some cover their eyes and
one looks straight at the executioners.
The monk says a final prayer. He
is a reminder of the Spanish Inquisition and shows that during executions, no
one is spared.
Goya uses dark colours and form. He used a palette with browns, black and
greys to create a nightmarish atmosphere.
Goya used bold and dynamic brushstrokes.
He could have used his fingers or palette knife to create an expressive
style.
Biography
(online) Available at:< http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm (Accessed 24th March 2014)
(online) Available at:< http://www.artble.com/artists/caspar_david_friedrich/paintings/wanderer_above_the_sea_of_fog
(Accessed 24th March 2014)
(Online) Available at:<http://www.artble.com/artists/eugene_delacroix/paintings/july_28:_liberty_leading_the_people
(Accessed 24th March 2014)
Book
Janes, K.H.,Chivers, I and Zaczek, I., 2011. Great Paintings, London: Penguin Group
Biography
(online) Available at:< http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm (Accessed 24th March 2014)
(online) Available at:< http://www.artble.com/artists/caspar_david_friedrich/paintings/wanderer_above_the_sea_of_fog
(Accessed 24th March 2014)
(Accessed 24th March 2014)
Book
Janes, K.H.,Chivers, I and Zaczek, I., 2011. Great Paintings, London: Penguin Group
