Europe and America 1800 1870 Modernism Realism

Summary

This video script explores the evolution of Western art from the Baroque period to Modernism, emphasizing key shifts in style, subject matter, and cultural context. It covers Rococo's focus on aristocratic leisure, the Enlightenment's rationalism, and Romanticism's emotional intensity, before diving into Realism. Realist artists, rejecting idealization, portrayed everyday life and the struggles of the working class with unflinching honesty. The script highlights how these movements reflect societal changes, including urbanization, scientific progress, and a more secular outlook, ultimately leading to Modernism's embrace of contemporary life and a break from traditional illusionism.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Baroque Period (17th century) focused on religious subject matter, with soft painterly styles reflecting the luxury and love of the French aristocracy in Rococo art.
• 😀 The Enlightenment brought a shift toward rationality and progress, as seen in works like Joseph Wright of Derby's 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump,' emphasizing science and reason over religious influence.
• 😀 Rousseau's philosophy of 'the natural' pushed against Enlightenment ideals, promoting a return to a simpler, less corruptive state, as reflected in art that portrayed nature and rural life in a soft, idealized style.
• 😀 Neoclassicism emerged as a reaction to Romanticism, focusing on moral virtue, civic duty, and ancient Greco-Roman ideals, often with a refined, serious style inspired by Renaissance art.
• 😀 Romanticism, which followed Neoclassicism, emphasized emotion, the exotic, and dramatic subject matter, often conveying intense, turbulent scenes with bold color and dynamic composition.
• 😀 Realism, which arose in the mid-19th century, focused on depicting the lives of ordinary people, especially the poor, without romanticizing their struggles, as seen in Gustave Courbet's 'The Stone Breakers.'
• 😀 Realism rejected the idealization of subjects, aiming for honest, unembellished depictions of everyday life, contrasting with earlier art that romanticized poverty for moral or philosophical reasons.
• 😀 The modernist period, characterized by rapid industrialization and urbanization, was marked by an increasing interest in science, secularism, and the questioning of traditional authority, especially the church.
• 😀 Modernism in art embraced the idea that art should reflect the present, with a focus on capturing the realities of contemporary life rather than idealized or historical subjects.
• 😀 Modernist artists, including realists, were less concerned with illusionism and more focused on the materials and techniques of painting itself, breaking away from the tradition of creating realistic, three-dimensional space in artwork.

Q & A

What major change in artistic philosophy is highlighted between the Baroque and Enlightenment periods?

The major change lies in the shift from religious themes and aristocratic indulgence in Baroque art to a focus on progress, rationality, and the democratization of knowledge during the Enlightenment. Enlightenment artists were inspired by scientific advancements and empirical study, marking a significant shift in subject matter and style.

How does Romanticism differ from the preceding Neoclassical style?

Romanticism emphasized emotion, individualism, and the exotic, contrasting with Neoclassicism's focus on classical virtues, democracy, and civic morality. Romanticism often depicted dramatic, sometimes horrific events, using vivid colors and dynamic compositions, while Neoclassicism adhered to more restrained, idealized forms drawn from ancient Greece and Rome.

What was the main focus of Realism in art, and how did it deviate from past art movements?

Realism focused on depicting the world as it truly was, especially the lives of the working class and peasants. It deviated from past movements like Romanticism and Neoclassicism by avoiding idealization or sentimentality. Realists rejected dramatic or idealized portrayals, instead presenting raw, unembellished scenes of everyday life.

How does the artist Gustave Courbet’s 'The Stone Breakers' exemplify the Realist movement?

In 'The Stone Breakers,' Courbet presents laborers performing a mundane, exhausting task with no idealization or romanticization. The dull, earthy palette and rough texture of the painting emphasize the harsh realities of the working class, marking a departure from the dramatic, emotionally charged works of Romanticism.

What role did industrialization and urbanization play in the rise of Modernism?

Industrialization and urbanization caused a massive shift from rural to urban living, leading to rapid societal changes. Artists in the Modernist period responded to this dynamic transformation, reflecting the new, fast-paced world around them. Modernism embraced these changes, focusing on contemporary subjects and rejecting the fixed, traditional views of the past.

What is meant by the term 'Modernism' in the context of art?

Modernism refers to a broad cultural movement that emerged in the mid-19th century, emphasizing innovation and a break from the past. It involved capturing the rapid changes of the modern world and questioning established artistic norms, including the emphasis on illusionism and deep perspective.

Why did Realist artists reject traditional illusionism in their paintings?

Realist artists rejected illusionism because they wanted to emphasize the artificial nature of art. They focused on creating works that drew attention to the materiality of the painting itself, rather than attempting to create a convincing illusion of reality. This was a reaction against centuries of painting that aimed to mimic real life.

How does the style of 'Funeral at Orans' by Courbet differ from earlier depictions of funerals, like 'The Burial of Count Orgaz' by El Greco?

Courbet’s 'Funeral at Orans' presents a stark, unembellished view of a common funeral, where some mourners are indifferent or even bored, in contrast to El Greco's highly dramatic 'The Burial of Count Orgaz,' which depicts a divine and celestial moment with exaggerated emotion and grandeur.

What philosophical shift did Rousseau introduce, and how did it influence art during his time?

Rousseau’s philosophy promoted a return to nature and the belief that civilization corrupted humanity. His ideas influenced art by encouraging the depiction of simple, natural scenes, as opposed to the artificiality of court life or the grandeur of classical antiquity, as seen in works like 'The Grand Manor Portrait.'

How does the modernist interest in science and empiricism manifest in art?

Modernist artists were heavily influenced by scientific discoveries and the empirical study of the world. This is reflected in their desire to depict the world as it actually appeared, using innovative techniques that emphasized the process of creation, such as the rough textures and brushstrokes used in Realist paintings.