The Romantic Age1750s-1850s

Vocabulary Idealism – A philosophy contending that

the nature of reality is the nature of the mind –that is, ideal

Romanticism – A literary and artistic movement that sought to assert the validity of subjective experience

Melodrama – A type of theatre characterized by sensationalism and sentimentality

About the Period During the Romantic period there were significant

changes being made throughout the world This period witnessed the industrial revolution, and

the American and French Revolutions Working class citizens lived very harsh lives, leading

to rampant poverty This period is also known as the Victorian Age due

to the overwhelming influence of Britain around the globe.

Under the reign of Queen Victoria, life for British people was very restrained and formal, which made the arts all the more important as they were the only socially acceptable way to express emotions

About the Period In 1748, thorough excavations began on the long hidden

city of Pompeii in Italy The rediscovery of this ancient Roman city sparked a

fascination with the past and a craving for escapism in society during the Romantic period

The idea of escapism also translated into a growing interest in the supernatural and macabre This most likely stems from the idea of being able to use the

arts as a way to explore places and imagery that weren’t morally acceptable in a safe way

Stories of murder and ghosts, and images that showed the darker side of humanity were very popular during this time

About the Period Patronage slowly disappeared leading up to the

Romantic period, leaving artists to make their living on the open market

The Romantics viewed the arts as the gateway to understanding reality Visionary artists that were creative and expressive were

believed to be geniuses that used the arts to express their understanding of the world

This led to highly individualized works that had a very narrow appeal

With the lack of patrons, this meant that many artists were very poor

This is where we find the cliché idea of the “starving artist”

Romantic Painting Romantic painters latched on to the ideas of

Romanticism Inherent in the concept of Romanticism is the appeal to

emotions This allowed Romantic painters to express a wide variety of

subjects with the intent of generating an emotional response from the audience

Another characteristic of Romantic painting is the fragmentation of composition Images lack the geometric principles of earlier painting in an

attempt to create more visually dramatic images Escapism was also a goal for most Romantic painters

Whether the escape was into the imagination or a far off time or place, many Romantics wanted to take their audience on a journey

Painting Géricault This French Romantic painter exemplified the Romantic

Hero A brilliant artist, defender of the lower classes, suffered an

early death His work showcases the heroic idea of human struggles The Raft of the “Medusa” recounts the story of an

unseaworthy vessel that was allowed to leave port by the French government that quickly sank

The survivors made a makeshift raft and managed to survive long enough to find rescue, but not before resorting to cannibalism What does Géricault do to create drama or action in the

piece? What emotions do you feel while seeing this painting?

The Raft of the “Medusa”

Painting Francisco de Goya Known for highly imaginative and nightmarish works Seeks to capture the malevolence of humanity and

nature The Third of May 1808 depicts the execution of Spanish

citizens by Napoleon’s troops Note how the French troops are presented. What do you

notice about them? What about the Spanish people who are being executed? What emotions do you feel while seeing this painting?

The Third of May 1808

Painting JMW Turner English Romantic painter Known for his subjectivity and fragmented imagery The Slave Ship depicts a scene from James Thompson’s

poem “The Seasons” This particular scene depicts the dumping of diseased

slaves into the ocean Note the details that are seen and the ones that are more

obscure Where do you see clear images? What is fragmented? What

kind of emotion do you feel as a result of this painting?

The Slave Ship

Painting Delacroix Known for use of color, light, and shading Attempts to capture high emotion The 28th July: Liberty Leading the People showcases

Liberty herself leading the French citizens during the French Revolution

Note how Delacroix uses colors in this piece. What colors stand out the most?

The 28th July: Liberty Leading the People

Theatre As a result of the fascination with history

that was rampant during the Romantic period, historical accuracy became a goal for most theatre performances Accurate representations of the past could help

transport the audience to far-off places Early Romantic theatre saw a resurgence

of popularity for the works of Shakespeare Most of his History plays were widely performed

Theatre As a result of the social changes brought

on by the Industrial Revolution, theatres began offering lengthy performances that included multiple kinds of shows Theatres tried to offer something for all

audiences over the course of one massive performance

This inevitably drove the sophisticated theatregoers out of the theatre in favor of the massive, lower class audiences

Theatre Characteristics of early 19th

century theatre Set groups of actors, including

stars Stayed in one place performing

multiple productions during seasons

Eventually, stars began to capitalize on their popularity and touring stars became a common occurrence

Theatre One of the most popular

forms of theatre during the Romantic period is Melodrama

Melodrama is a highly exaggerated form of theatre that relies on sensationalism and sentimentality High levels of excitement

and high levels of emotion are essential to melodrama