Romantic Era Blog

 The Romantic Era was almost like a movement which aimed to push the different boundaries of artistic expression, emphasizing emotions, nature, imagination, individualism, among other factors. This Era had many different styles, ranging from Romantic to Impressionist and post Impressionist. For this blog, I will be discussing the works of art of the Romantic style and the Realist style. 


                              Romantic Style


                                                        Liberty Leading the People

Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People (July 28, 1830), September–December 1830, oil on canvas, 260 x 325 cm (Musée du Louvre, Paris)

This powerful painting was created by Eugène Delacroix in Paris, France. This painting symbolizes the French peoples' courage and fight for freedom and revolution against the monarchy. It commemorates the July Revolution. At first glance, this painting can be interpreted as chaotic but the more you look at the painting, the more you realize that this is an act of subtle order. The first thing I noticed about this painting was the woman holding the french flag with her dress falling off, exposing her breasts. The use of the colors red, white and blue on the flag are also seen on the attire worn by the man looking up at her. The woman looks extremely powerful and confident and she is used in this painting to reveal a moral or political idea of liberty to the viewer. Eugène uses composition, color and symbolism as his key art elements, portraying order and the spirit of revolution. He purposely uses bold colors to relay his message. I think this painting is aesthetically pleasing because to me it demonstrates their strength to keep fighting while keeping order and I would probably own a copy of it.


                                                      The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters

Figure asleep (detail), Francisco Goya, Plate 43, The sleep of reason produces monsters from Los Caprichos, 1799, etching, aquatint, drypoint, and burin, plate: 21.2 x 15.1 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

This very intriguing painting was created by Spaniard Artist, Francisco Goya in Madrid, Spain in 1799. This painting is very interesting and the different animals and creatures surrounding the man do seem to be a little disturbing. This art depicts an artist sleeping and being surrounded by different animals and creatures which are an interpretation of symbols of ignorance. Some of the creatures are staring directly at the viewer which demonstrates how Goya wanted the viewer to become a participant in the art. The painting basically suggest that when reason is absent, darkness and irrationality prevails. The art tools under the artist can possibly represent the artists' creativity and this piece critiques the enlightenment and foreshadows romanticism. There are no clear colors used which could symbolize the mind of the artist at that moment. I don't think this painting is aesthetically pleasing as it seems really dark and disturbing and I would not own a copy of this piece because of that fact.

                                                                 Realist Style


                                                          A Loge at the Théâre des Italiens

Eva Gonzàles, A Loge at the Théâtre des Italiens, 1874 (first exhibited 1879), oil on canvas, 98 x 130 cm (Musée d’Orsay, Paris; photo: jean louis mazieres, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

This painting created by Eva Gonzàles in 1874 clearly shows a couple that stand out against a dark background inside a theater box, who do not quite seem interested in each other and almost appear detached. This painting demonstrates the ability to imply metapictorial narratives where events are taking place outside of the picture frame. The man in this painting seems to be distracted by something else while the woman looks very alert, perhaps paying attention to the stage. The color on the woman's dress matches the flowers and she also has flowers on her dress and her hair which could symbolize down moods such as sadness. This painting is aesthetically pleasing when it comes to the colors used but I'm not a fan of the visual and would probably not own a copy of it.


                                                                          The Gleaners

Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners, 1857, oil on canvas, 33 x 43″ / 83.5 x 110 cm (Musée d’Orsay, Paris)

This painting created by Jean-Francois Millet in 1857 in Paris, France, depicts the everyday life of rural areas in poverty. The three women are seen gathering grain after the harvest which was a common thing to do among individuals in the lower class in France. This painting has muted colors and a simple composition. The muted, earthy colors help emphasize the simplicity and humility of the subject matter along with the hard reality of rural life. I don't really think this painting is aesthetically pleasing but I enjoy the muted colors and nature part of the painting. 


                                                                            REFERENCES

Dr. Bryan Zygmont. (2015, November 22). Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People – Smarthistory. Smarthistory.org. https://smarthistory.org/delacroix-liberty-leading-the-people/

Eva Gonzàles, A Loge at the Théâtre des Italiens – Smarthistory. (n.d.). Smarthistory.org. https://smarthistory.org/eva-gonzales-a-loge-at-the-theatre-des-italiens/

Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners – Smarthistory. (n.d.). Smarthistory.org. https://smarthistory.org/millet-the-gleaners/

Schaefer, S. (2015, August 9). Francisco Goya, The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters – Smarthistory. Smarthistory.org. https://smarthistory.org/goya-the-sleep-of-reason-produces-monsters/

Comments

  1. Cassidy DolanMarch 26, 2025 at 9:26 PM

    I, too, did the Romantic style versus realistic style in my blog post this week. I prefer the Romantic style over the Realist style, especially with The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. In this particular etching, I quite enjoyed the line work and shading that fades out to add some depth to the art. I like the use of the animals as the monsters and the painting as well. For me, the realism style does not work as well as the romanticism style, as with realism, it isn't as fanciful as I would prefer it to be. With romantic style, it can be somewhat real, as seen in Liberty Leading the People, and wars breaking out, and it can have that added element of fantasy.

    In contrast, while I appreciate realism and the social commentaries it provides, I don't like the emotional responses it can elicit from me. I know that that is what the art is intended to do and that it is supposed to be engaging in that aspect, but I do not like it much. For me, this is seen in The Gleaners painting, as it makes me feel bad that this was the lower class's job. I do, however, like your response that while the painting might not be aesthetically pleasing to our eyes, the muted colors in the painting do help delve into the realism of the time.

    Some additional commentary I would have liked to see would have been how the romantic and realist movements weren't just stylistically different but they also reflected shifts in society at the time. with romanticism being a reaction to Enlightenment and our industrial revolution, with an emphasis on imagination over reality and rationality. Realism was developed as a response to social changes, specifically to the rise of our working class. It was meant to mirror what hell life truly was, with all of the good and the bad.

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    Replies
    1. Oslyn NixonMarch 30, 2025 at 6:21 PM

      The analysis successfully reveals both the energetic structure of the painting and its deep symbolic meaning. A strong female figure which represents Liberty guides a diverse array of revolutionaries through her depiction in Delacroix's painting to symbolize the nation's fight for freedom during the July Revolution. French unity and resolve during the revolution are represented through the use of the tricolor flag and the presence of fighters from different social backgrounds. Delacroix expertly combines striking colors with symbolic imagery to illustrate the tumultuous fervor of the uprising while creating a timeless tribute to the perpetual spirit of revolution.

      Delete
  2. dakotaMarch 27, 2025 at 7:52 PM

    This is overall a great read in general, but my favorite portraits are the realist style. These stand out to me the most because they are either one super vibrant with color or it shares a lot of emotional value. There is a lot of great guesses in your perspectives about what could possibly be happening within the frames or outside. However, the intentions of the artists are oddly realistic and educational. These are all great choices to talk about.

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