Preferences and perspectives - The Romantic Era

 The Romantic Era happened around the 19th century and was Characterized by a variety of styles. I will be comparing art from the Romanticism and Gothic Revival styles. Something to keep in mind is that the Romanticism style emphasized the individuals and it celebrated the natural world. Romanticism emphasizes emotion.  The gothic revival was vastly different from the previously popular styles. Many artists got their inspiration from classical forms of ancient Greece and Rome.  

This is Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich. This painting is a part of the Romanticism style. He made it in 1818; where the painting was physically painted is unknown. There was speculation that the painting may have been made in 1817, but was proven to be painted in 1818.  It is currently on display in Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany.

 The painting uses lighting and shadows to create a sense of mystery, with the man standing in stark contrast to the landscape behind him. 

At first glance, you might not think the painting has very much detail, but the longer you look, the more detail you can see within each brush stroke. The painting even has fine line details in the rocks, creating more shadowing.  

The painting shows the beauty of nature with its landscaping and its ability to almost feel the fog yourself with the wet air. The painting emphasizes the grandeur of nature with the towering mountains in the distance.

I personally would own this painting. I feel like it could be interpreted in many ways. I feel that the artist isn't only speaking about nature about also about getting over that hump his point in his painting is that he wants to get out of the fog. So he goes above it. Someone who is struggling mentally may find this piece very impactful. 

This is the Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix. It was painted in 1830 in Paris. The painting is now on display at Musee du Louvre, Paris, France. Eugene was considered one of the most representative French Romanticism painters. The painting is based on a scene from the July Revolution.

Eugene uses color in this painting to create a sense of unity, with the French flag as an element that brings together all of the figures in the composition.

Eugene also uses dramatic lighting to show Liberty standing out from the smokey background. She is almost shown with having this oar around her from the contrast of the woman against the smoke/cloud. 

The painting is shown with attention to detail; most of all, the other living figures are focused on the woman. One to even be staring up at her from her feet. The woman has her chest out as if she just fought a horrific battle to proudly be holding the French flag

I think the artist was trying to show the power a woman can have. If you notice, she is the only woman in the painting, and she is the main focal point in the painting. I feel like although art might not have intended to be in away sexualize the woman in the painting by the man at her feet almost staring at her, not because of her having the flag but for other reasons. I think he painted her the way he did to show a struggle, not intending to sexualize her. 

The Lady of Shalott was painted by John William Waterhouse. He painted it in 1888 in London. This painting is a part of the Gothic Reviolation during the Romantic Era.  

The painting has a woman in a boat. The painting shows. The color contrasts with the orange of her hair and the fall colors in the background of the woman. 

The woman has realistic details her hair looks frizzy maybe because it could be curly or due to humidity. There is fine detailing on the boat and blanket. as well as on the water with the reflections both in the background and in the front of the painting. 

The painting is shown with the beauty of the fall colors met with a woman who seems to match fall. She as well as some of the leaves in the background have the same hues of orange. As well as the grass in the front matching the grass.

I feel the artist was looking to make the woman look lost. She looks as if she has no idea where she is going or how to get to where she wants. The artist did a good job of portraying the landscape and I think that he was trying to make fall a person.

This is The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli it was made in 1781 in London. It is now kept in the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, Michigan.

Henery uses symbolism like the horse's head in the background is a symbol for phallic and the incubus has been seen as a way to represent male desire. 

He uses a lot of shadowing to create this kind of ominous feeling with the woman with the creature sitting on her chest with a horse peeking out of the curtains. The shadowing is these figures coming out of the darkness as if they are evil. 

This painting on the other hand has a composition with the foreground that shows the woman sleeping. The composition creates a sense of depth and adds to the dreamlike state of the woman.

I think that the arts wanted to share what it was like for some of those who have sleep paralysis. Stuck in this uncomfortable position. Sleep paralysis typically happens when you are sleeping on your back, and for many people, they will see a "demon" on their chest. Your body feels heavy, and I think he is portraying that by showing the woman slumped over sliding off the bead. 

I personally wouldn't own the last three I found them to all be beautiful however they are not my style and would no match the style of my home. I think there is art that is right for everyone and this just isn't it for me. 

Both styles of painting show great detail and color/ shadow work. Romanticism was a cultural movement that emphasized emotion and imagination. Gothic Revival was an architectural style that drew its inspiration from medieval architecture. Both styles have an emphasis on reason but they take different approaches.