The Romantic period in art is known as a time when the Enlightenment influenced everything that was created. This Enlightenment led to a shift from a rationalistic approach, emphasizing more emotion and intuition.
When:
This artistic period emerged towards the end of the 18th century, with the French Revolution (1789) sparking a new movement that inspired artists with ideals of freedom and brotherhood. The height of this Romantic period occurred somewhere in the mid-19th century. During this time, more abstract art movements, such as Impressionism, gained attention.
Why there was a need for Romanticism in art:
The term “Romanticism” itself speaks to the characteristics of how painting and sculpting were done during this period. Things were made to look more beautiful and intense than they were in reality, without deviating from the definition and intent. It was still a tradition to create a realistic representation in art.
This romanticized portrayal of reality came about through the way writers and artists dealt with innovations and challenging situations of that time.
The main characteristics:
The most prominent characteristics of Romantic art include emotion and the rise of the individualization of the artist, distinct from the techniques used.
Technique and Style:
Light and Shadow:
The contrast between different light sources was heavily emphasized in the Romantic period. This technique was called Chiaroscuro. To the extreme, artists like… loved incorporating a strong source of light with very dark shadows in their paintings.
Bright Colors:
As landscapes and natural forms became highly popular, the colors of nature were vividly depicted. Bright colors were used to enhance dramatic effects, while softer, muted tones could be employed for more contemplative and dreamy compositions.
Material and Paint:
Oil Paint:
Oil paint remained the dominant medium during the Romantic period, as it had been in previous centuries. Artists used oils, usually linseed oil, as a binder for pigments. Oil painting allowed artists to work slowly, applying paint in multiple layers, thus adding depth and texture.
Watercolor:
Watercolor paint was popular for creating quick sketches and studies, especially for landscape paintings. It is a transparent water-based paint mixed with water and applied to paper. This technique was often used to capture the atmosphere of nature and spontaneous impressions.
Gouache:
Gouache, a water-based paint with the coverage of oil paint, was sometimes used by Romantic artists for illustrative works and to achieve vibrant colors.
Gouache and watercolor are often compared, but they are not the same. Gouache has a much higher concentration of pigment, and it contains white pigment, which gives it a more opaque and matte finish.
Tempera:
While tempera (paint made with egg yolk as a binder) had historical significance before the rise of oil paint, it was less commonly used during the Romantic period. Oil paint was preferred for its flexibility and the ability to work in layers.
Brushes:
Soft Brushes:
Artists in the Romantic period often preferred soft brushes to achieve subtle transitions in color and texture. Soft brushes allowed artists to create more expressive and detailed brushstrokes.
Fine brushes for details:
Although Romantic artists were often inclined towards expressive, broad brushstrokes, some also used finer brushes for adding details.
Romantic Art: An Individualistic Approach
In the Renaissance and Baroque periods, it was a tradition to primarily use Christian and mystical motifs for paintings. Society and politics were so entwined with faith that artwork portraying these stories aesthetically served a purpose.
In Romanticism, stories became more personal, allowing space for expressing one’s own emotions or feelings in individual works. This is evident in the artwork ‘Wanderer above the Sea of Fog‘ by Caspar David Friedrich. This painting depicts the relationship between man and nature, conveying a sense of isolation.
Thoughts and emotions of individuals took center stage, but this shift did not mean the disappearance of the Christian and symbolic aspects.
It was the approach to faith that changed, with individuals giving their own feelings and interpretations to biblical stories and the symbolism associated with them.
- In this painting, Francisco Goya depicts the Spanish population against the Napoleonic troops on May 2 and 3, 1808. Instead of a traditional religious representation, he chooses an event where innocent people are confronted with violence and suffering. The executed figures are arranged in a manner reminiscent of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Critique of Industrialization in Art
In a time when machines had a significant impact on work and household life, it wasn’t universally celebrated. People left villages as work concentrated in large cities, leading to overpopulation and poor living conditions.
Not only that. Also, the sense of traditional communities was lost. Industrialization gave rise to a strong desire for nature and a simpler life in society. This is not surprising, as industrialization also led to child labor and initially did not prioritize human safety.
Back to Nature in Art
Painting landscapes was not a new movement but was a characteristic of the Romantic period for the aforementioned reasons. However, one thing made these landscape paintings unique during this period.
A landscape or natural area was not just painted but exaggerated and made more beautiful than it actually was in terms of its light and texture. It was romanticized.
This painting by Albert Bierstadt captures the magic of the morning light. The grandiosity of this depiction was a choice made by the painter and is characteristic of the Romantic period.
Detail and color:
For centuries, being considered a skilled artist meant having an eye for detail and depth. This realistic approach was highly appreciated during the Romantic period as well.
The use of color in Romantic art went beyond mere aesthetics; it was infused with symbolism. Red hues, full of passion and vitality, could symbolize love or conflicts, while cool blues could embody melancholy, contemplation, or the sublime. Artists deliberately utilized this symbolism to weave deeper layers of meaning and emotion into their works.
Myths and Folklore Stories:
Where Christian stories and symbols took center stage in the Baroque and Renaissance, Roman and Greek myths became significant subjects for literature, music, and art during the Romantic period.
Stories of gods and goddesses, heroes like Hercules, and mythical episodes like the Trojan War were beloved. It’s especially the epic and tragic elements of these stories that people recognize as sources of art.
Not only myths from southern Europe but also Celtic and Germanic folklore garnered attention in the Romantic period. Writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe played a crucial role in reviving these stories. In his book ‘Faust,’ the protagonist makes a pact with the devil, which is heavily based on myths but also incorporates Christian themes, such as the forgiveness of sin.
Conclusion
The realistic approach remained central in the Romantic period. The freedom to imbue emotion and perspective has paved the way for later movements like Impressionism and modern art.
