ART F200X: Faith's Blog

      The Romantic period was a time marked by intense and continuous change in nearly every circle. Scientific developments, political upheaval, and social unrest all contributed toward rapid and unceasing change in the art world. While the Romantic era was divided into many categories, I am going to compare the Realist and Impressionist styles.      Realism developed as a reaction against the emotional idealism of Romanticism. Instead of portraying intensely dramatic scenes, Realists focused on average people living out their everyday lives. Common subjects were the lower classes, peasants, farmers, and other working class people. Instead of trying to beautify their subjects, the Realists frequently painted them hard at work in gritty, unglamorous situations.      Take, for example, The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet.       Painted in 1849 in France, this work shows two French peasants, one young and one old, hard at work...

 The Classical era was a time of dramatic change within the arts, along with society in general. With the advent of the Enlightenment, various scientific developments, and several revolutions, western civilization took an important step towards becoming the world we live in today.  This era was divided into two very different styles: Rococo, and Neoclassical. The Rococo style was characterized by a lightheartedness not in preceding times. For the aristocracy, it was a time of ease and freedom to engage in activities and lifestyles previously deemed frivolous or downright immoral. The Enlightenment changed a lot of that, bringing an increased emphasis on humanity's nobility and intellect. The result was the Neoclassical era, which focused on lines, history, and self-sacrifice.  ("Rococo Vs Neoclassical Art - Artst") The first half of the Classical era was characterized by the Rococo style of art and architecture. Rococo artists used light, pastel colors, curving forms, and...

  The Baroque period was marked by a distinct departure from the traditional values and ideals of the Renaissance. Art was more emotional and captured moments in time, as opposed to Renaissance art, which prioritized stability and timelessness. Baroque artists were less interested in perfection, and more interested in showing real glimpses of human life, without the idealized beauty of the Renaissance. ("Renaissance Philosophy") The church played a major part in this shift. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) was a gathering held by the Catholic Church as a response to the growing threat of Protestantism. The importance and impact of the Council cannot be understated. It has been described as the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation. A myriad of topics were discussed at the council in an attempt to purge Protestantism from the land, including the arts. Realizing they needed to make Catholicism more accessible to the common person, church leaders began encouraging religious art...