Romantic Era

 Realism V.S. Impressionism 

Romanticism, or the Romantic era, was ushered in by the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was an intellectual period that emphasized reason, knowledge, freedom, and the separation of church and state. While the Enlightenment focused strongly on reason, Romanticism placed more emphasis on emotion and imagination. Realism and Impressionism are both offshoots of Romanticism.


                                                             Edward Hopper Nighthawks 



Edward Hopper was an American-born realist artist, born on July 22, 1882, and, unfortunately, passing away on May 15, 1967. He painted realistic depictions of urban scenes. Nighthawks (pictured above) is an oil-on-canvas piece created in 1942, depicting a diner on an empty street with large glass windows. Inside, a couple sits at the counter, and nearby is a man facing away from the viewer, turned toward the server who works diligently behind the bar. Through this piece, Hopper intended to portray the loneliness of a large city.


This piece is truly my favorite in today’s blog, and I believe Hopper successfully achieved his goal of depicting a lonely city. Nighthawks is praised as an iconic work, with its use of fluorescent lighting, curved forms, and the intriguing absence of a door in the diner



                                                  Gustave Courbet The Desperate Man




Gustave Courbet was a French realist painter, born on June 10, 1819, who unfortunately passed away on December 31, 1877. He painted The Desperate Man (pictured above), an oil-on-canvas work created between 1843 and 1845. This piece depicts Courbet with wide, staring eyes and his hands gripping his hair, wearing a white shirt and looking directly at the viewer. The artist’s intention was to create a self-portrait that displayed his own distress, as he was a struggling artist who had not yet gained recognition. 

I believe Courbet effectively conveyed his sense of distress to the viewer.



                                                           Claude Monet Water Lilies


Claude Monet was a French Impressionist painter, born on November 14, 1840, who unfortunately passed away on December 5, 1926. Water Lilies (pictured above) is one of a series of 250 paintings depicting various views of water lilies in the pond at his home, which he transformed into a beautiful Japanese garden with plants, trees, and a bridge. This series, painted in oil on canvas, was created over several decades, from the 1890s until his death in 1926. Monet's intention was to capture the beauty of the garden he had cultivated.


Monet was a remarkable artist, and his talent is evident in this piece. The colors are beautiful, as are the subjects but for me, it still leaves something to be desired. Nonetheless, I do believe he accomplished what he intended.


                                  Pierre-Auguste Renoir Luncheon Of The Boating Party 


Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French Impressionist painter, born on February 25, 1841, who unfortunately passed away on December 3, 1919. When he was young, he worked in a porcelain factory before deciding to pursue painting. Luncheon of the Boating Party (pictured above) depicts men, women, and children enjoying a lunch gathering, with tables filled with food, wine, and even a few animals. This oil-on-canvas painting, created in 1881, was intended to capture the warmth and joy of a leisurely meal shared among friends

This is probably my favorite Impressionist piece. From the warm summer colors to the lively atmosphere and beautiful depictions of food, I believe Pierre-Auguste Renoir excelled in capturing the joy of friendship and good company.


                                                                  Citations

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024c, September 20). Romanticism. Encyclopædia Britannica.          https://www.britannica.com/art/Romanticism

Duignan, B. (2024b, September 15). Reason and religion. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Enlightenment-European-history/Reason-and-religion

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024c, September 16). Realism. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/realism-art

Harrison, J. (n.d.). Nighthawks. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nighthawks

Fernier, R. (n.d.). Gustave Courbet. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gustave-Courbet

Fiore, J. (2018, November 20). Gustave Courbet’s “The desperate man” is the ultimate self-portrait of the artist as mad genius | artsy. Artsy. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-probing-gustave-courbets-inner-thoughts-the-desperate-man

Seitz, W. (2024, October 13). Claude Monet. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Claude-Monet

Welton, J. (2024, September 19). Water Lilies. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Water-Lilies-Monet-series

Davies, W. (n.d.). Luncheon of the Boating Party. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Luncheon-of-the-Boating-Party

cogniat, R. (2024, October 11). Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pierre-Auguste-Renoir



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