Preferences and Perspective- The Romantic Era
Romantic vs. Realist
A Calling by William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1896
Autumn in the Catskills by Thomas Cole 1826
I decided to first start with the Romantic style because it is the one that I prefer over the Realist style. Bouguereau was famous for his artwork consisting of children. He was known for his painting representing pure childhood. I feel like Bouguereau intention in his artwork was to make the viewer feel like they aren't looking at a painting but outside a window. I feel like that was also one of Cole's intentions in his artwork. Cole's Catskills series of painting were based off of a creek that was close to his house in upstate New York. I feel like another intention of Cole's was to make the viewer feel like nature is so much bigger than them. It is meant as a reminder how nature can make you feel tiny but also how that is a beautiful thing about it. Now I will move into Realist style
Le Pont de L'Europe by Gustave Caillebotte 1881
The Chess Players by Honore Daumier 1863
Realist style was more focused on people instead of nature. Artist who painted in this style wanted to invoke a sense of drama. Caillebotte piece gives you a sense of loneliness because the man is by himself looking over the bridge. Daumier piece gives you a sense of boredom. You can tell that because of the man facing us facial expression. Romantic and realistic styles both had the intention to give the viewer a wave of emotion that overcome them when they look at it, but Romantic focused on landscapes and realist focused on what every day people are experiencing.
I enjoyed the way you described the artist's intentions, like romanticism wanting to make you feel like the painting is looking out a window. It's a nice idea that I agree with. Personally, I prefer Romanticism to Realism. Many of the Romantic paintings I saw almost looked inspired by the Renaissance with its composition and focus on sparking emotion, which I liked. While I appreciate what Realism has to offer, and I do really like the concept of depicting regular people in common situations, the style has always somewhat bored me in its adherence to staying realistic and not pushing any boundaries. That's why I prefer realism paintings like the two you chose. Caillebotte's is much more visually interesting because of the bridge, and I like the Daumier's use of brush strokes to keep the painting from feeling stale. Something I thought was interesting was I felt Daumier's painting almost looked Impressionistic rather than Realistic. It turns out that his paintings were part of the inspiration for the Impressionist and later Post-Impressionist movements, so that's probably why.
ReplyDeleteHey Lilly, I like the examples you chose and the emphasis you made on the artists' intentions. Like you, I prefer the Romantic style over the Realist because I like art that builds and conveys emotions to a viewer, I find it easier to understand the art and the intention the artist had while making it. I agree with your interpretation of Cole's intention with Autumn in the Catskills, the piece showcases the grandeur of nature and makes one feel small in comparison. But I feel that The Chess Players by Honore Daumier conveys less boredom and more focus or concentration. Also, like what Eddie said, the piece looks more Impressionist than Realism with it's clear paint strokes and chalky lines.
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