Romatic Era Blog
Romantic Vs Realistic
For this assignment, I will be comparing Romanticism and Realism style arts. The romantic era was a mixture of different art styles over time. These two styles have similarities but also differ. For the first two pieces of art, I will start with Romanticism style.
The first example I have chosen is titled The 28th July 1830, Liberty Leading the People. This was created by Eugène Delacroix. Its size is 260 x 325 cm and it can be viewed in Paris at the Louvre Museum.
The painting shows a semi-naked woman who is holding up high in one hand the French tri-color flag, while carrying a musket with a bayonet in the other hand. It is like an action shot, where she is charging forwards, with a group of people around her who are also carrying weapons. On the ground around her are dead soldiers, but I am not sure if they are supposed to be French soldiers.
I think 'Liberty' here must be the human personification of France's soul, Lady Liberty. It feels very patriotic and that she is justified in her actions in her fight for France.
The second example I chose for Romanticism is the "The Raft of the Medusa." This was created by Theodore Gericault and completed in 1819. It's an oil on canvas painting with the dimensions being 490cm by 716cm and can currently be viewed at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
This painting depicts the tragedy of the French naval vessel named the Medusa (or Méduse), which ran aground on July 2, 1816, off the coast of modern-day Mauritania. It is a beautifully painted scene yet tragic at the same time. The raft is on the open water, surrounded by high sea waves. You can see dead bodies among the living, which must have been terrifying. Did some of the dead fall off into the water, or were they pushed off because of the smell as they decayed? I can imagine the horror, the fear, and the anguish of those still alive, wondering if they will make it.
According to the Louvre's website, the survivors resorted to cannibalism to stay alive, which is truly horrific. Only 10 people out of the original 150 survived. It looks like the raft was very poorly built and was clearly falling apart as the waves crashed over it. The color of the sky is somber and heavy, befitting the weight of the scene.
For my first example of realism style, I chose Thomas Eakins's "The Agnew Clinic," from 1889. It is an oil on canvas painting, 214 cm x 300 cm, and is located at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It depicts the renowned surgeon, Dr. Samuel D. Gross at The Agnew Clinic, where doctors could observe in theatre the operations being performed to save lives or after death for further study of anatomy. The painting shows only one woman, a nurse, while all the other spectators and participants are men.
Realistic Style
For my first example of realism style, I chose Thomas Eakins's "The Agnew Clinic," from 1889. It is an oil on canvas painting, 214 cm x 300 cm, and is located at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It depicts the renowned surgeon, Dr. Samuel D. Gross at The Agnew Clinic, where doctors could observe in theatre the operations being performed to save lives or after death for further study of anatomy. The painting shows only one woman, a nurse, while all the other spectators and participants are men.
The lighting shines a spotlight on the patient and immediate participants in the surgery, while perfectly positioned for the onlookers to observe and learn. While medical procedures often make me feel very queasy and uneasy, it must have been fascinating for the onlookers to see these operations performed live by the experts of the time.
It depicts realism because it shows what likely happened during the time and how surgeries were performed, with how it was only men being allowed to perform the surgeries. One thing that catches my eye when looking at this painting is how there is a man on the top row of observers watching while laying down on his side. Maybe it shows how long these procedures can take.
As for my last example, I chose the "Exhumation of the Mastodon". This piece was created by Charles Willson Peale. It's an oil on canvas painting thought to be created between 1806 and 1808 and its dimensions are 49 x 61 inches. I found this painting really interesting. It must have been absolutely incredible to see the event in real life. The painting depicts the retrieval of the most complete skeleton of a mastodon that had been found in a waterlogged marl pit near Newburgh, New York.
As for my last example, I chose the "Exhumation of the Mastodon". This piece was created by Charles Willson Peale. It's an oil on canvas painting thought to be created between 1806 and 1808 and its dimensions are 49 x 61 inches. I found this painting really interesting. It must have been absolutely incredible to see the event in real life. The painting depicts the retrieval of the most complete skeleton of a mastodon that had been found in a waterlogged marl pit near Newburgh, New York.
This would have been during the final months of the American Revolution. What we see in the painting is the pulley system that Peale had created that helped the workers lower the water level in order to get to the bones and pull them up one by one. Peale was a naturalist, among other things, and had set up a museum of natural history where his finds could be displayed. He had exotic birds and these mastodon bones on display, although back then they were still referred to as mammoths.
I like the earthy colors used in the painting, as well as the sky and lighting used. I would imagine that it was a lot of hard work to get to the bones and pull them out, but to have been part of something so spectacularly important must have been amazing.
I also explored the Realistic versus Romantic style for this week's blog post, and I found that I prefer the Romantic style over the Realist style. I love that you included The Raft of the Medusa by Géricault, as I, too, had one of his paintings in my art blog. I completely agree that the raw emotion and lighting in this painting truly immerse the viewer, making them feel as if they are on the raft themselves. I also appreciate the more fantastical approach you took with Romanticism, as I think it strengthens the argument of Romanticism versus Realism.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that bold color choices, along with strong contrasts, help Romantic artists stand out against Realist artists. The muted colors and more observational style used by the Realists made me feel like I was merely witnessing a moment rather than being a part of it. For me, that’s why I find the Romantic style more engaging and preferable to Realism.
If I were to add anything to this discussion, I would highlight how both Romanticism and Realism pushed artistic expression and experimentation even further. I would emphasize that Romanticism embraced imagination and fluidity, favoring flowing structures over rigid ones, while Realism delved deep into the raw truth of situations, forcing viewers to confront reality rather than hide behind a veil of fantasy. I also would have loved to see a deeper exploration of how these movements influenced future art, perhaps by comparing their styles to more modern paintings. Overall, your blog was a pleasure to read!
I love your blog! The pieces you chose are lovely. Both the romantic and realistic styles are gorgeous, but I'm more inclined to the realistic style. While I can appreciate the patriotism and heroic freedom and revolution of the romantic art shown, Liberty leading the people being my favorite out of the two you've shown, I connect so much to the realistic style, especially The Agnew Clinic. Something about the scene showing a blink in time, the mixes of warm and cool tones used throughout for the shades in the background, the coloring of the suits and clothes, but also the warmer, harsher lighting to get a clear view of the subjects, is absolutely striking. I find it interesting how both the realistic pieces and the romantic pieces show a blip in time, but the romantic pieces veer more toward a sense of drama and moodiness, while the realistic pieces make it more mundane, focusing on the moment captured rather than intensifying it. Lady Liberty feels like an action hero, a leader, someone who is meant to inspire, while the figures in Exhumation of the Mastodon, or the Agnew Clinic, are all just people. It's mundane, but its simplicity is what makes it beautiful. Overall, you did a great job on the blog!
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