Title: What is Romanticism? An Art Movement Defined in 8 Minutes
Headings: What is Romanticism?
What is Romanticism?
Romanticism Definition
Romanticism Artists
Techniques and Processes
Romanticism Today
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Content: First defined in literary criticism around 1800, Romanticism flourished until the mid-19th century and championed ideals such as unfettered creative expression, depth of feeling, and spiritual connection. Spurred on by a rejection of the detached rationalism of the Enlightenment and the bloody aftermath of the French Revolution of 1789, Romantics viewed industrialization and cold reason as degrading to man’s transcendent, limitless capacity. Romanticism Definition
Writers, musicians, and artists of the period faithfully elevated this perspective, rejecting what they viewed as an excessive emphasis on the cerebral and instead arguing for heightened emotion as a wellspring of aesthetic opportunity. Horror, passion, and awe, especially when experienced in the face of nature’s sublime landscape, offered an artistic antidote to the perceived disconnect from spirituality occurring as the theory of evolution took hold around the world. Artists longed for an earlier time when the pastoral, untouched grandiosity of nature and its mysteries offered a fountain of self-discovery and wonder. This nostalgia inspired the Romantics to shift the spotlight onto the individual’s imagination and his or her interpretation of the world. John Gast, “ American Progress ,” 1872. Sold via Christie’s for $77,000 on May 28, 1992. Patriotism and burgeoning nationalism also became a focal point for many Romantic artists. Hoping to humanize what they perceived as detached industry, Romantics focused their attention on mankind’s unbridled potential and originality.