Romanticism was a cultural, artistic and literary movement that took place in Europe during the transition from the 18th century to the 19th century. Preceded by the German movement Sturm und Drang (storm and impetus), its impact was of such order that it modified the concept and role of art in modernity. This was made possible by the particularly innovative features of the movement. Let’s see.
1. Rejection of neoclassicism and the Enlightenment
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1799) Fragment The dream of the reason produces monsters. Etching and aquatint on paper. Original measurements: 189 mm high x 149 mm wide.
Romanticism initially emerged in Germany, France and England as a contrast to the intellectual movement of the Enlightenment and its neoclassical artistic expression. In neoclassicism, logic, reason and objectivity were valued, which quickly translated into the standardization of forms and content.
2. Exaltation of feelings and subjectivity
Consequently, the center of Romanticism revolved around the exaltation of feelings and subjectivity, which allowed artists to express their creativity more freely.
3. Rebellion against the rules of art and literature
The artists of Romanticism opposed the rigidity of academicism, separating themselves from the canon and traditional rules, which favored an explosion of artistic innovation.
4. Cult of the self and individualism
Caspar David Friedrich (c.1818) Fragment of The walker on the sea of clouds. Oil on canvas. Original measurements 98 cm high x 74 cm wide.
Many artists previously had to create exclusively based on the commission and limit themselves to the intentions of the patron. During Romanticism, artists focused on their individuality, on the expression of their inner “I”.
5. Assessment of originality
Therefore, during Romanticism, originality becomes a criterion of artistic evaluation, so the idea that art must respond to tradition, continue it or perfect it is left behind.
6. Sublimity
Compared to the idea of classic, austere, orderly and balanced beauty, romanticism puts the idea of sublimity first. Thus, they also find beauty in the terrible and uncomfortable, in that which, although not placid, disturbs and moves.
7. Exaltation of fantasy
The romanticist movement is characterized by giving free rein to fantasies, dreams, the supernatural and provocation in both artistic expressions and literature.
8. Nostalgia for the past
Being a movement critical of its sociocultural context and its contemporary, neoclassicism, romanticism developed a nostalgia for the past, which they saw as a better and more genuine time.
9. Interest in the Middle Ages and the Baroque
The Middle Ages, especially that which coincided with Gothic art, were for the Romantics the symbol of spirituality and mysticism, which is why they frequently turned to it as inspiration or as a theme.
The Baroque, for its part, represented compositional freedom, the liberation of emotions, effects and exuberance, which was very similar to the creative and expressive purposes of romanticism.
10. Interest in the exotic
Romanticism seeks a break with Western tradition in the exotic, that is, in the foreign cultures that they idealized. For example, under the paradigm of the noble savage they idealized the figure of the American aboriginal. Islamic culture was exalted by the current of “orientalism.”
11. Interest in popular topics and cultures
Another source of nostalgia for the past was expressed in the interest in rescuing popular wisdom, folklore and legends, which gave romanticism a strong emphasis on nationalist sentiment.
12. Nationalism
Eugene Delacroix: Freedom guiding the people. 1830. Oil on canvas. 2.6 x 3.25 m.
For the Romantics, nationalism was the expression of the collective self, and it was closely related to the proliferation of national states in the transition from the 18th to the 19th centuries. His emphasis, however, was not on the institutionality as such, but on the identity of the town.
13. Assessment of vernacular languages
In Romanticism, vernacular languages gained great importance, since they became a weapon of nationalist expression. National literatures enjoyed an extraordinary diffusion, as did music. And in the latter, operas in languages such as German, Russian and Czech stood out, which challenged the tradition of writing them in Italian.
14. Themes of romanticism
Among the most frequent topics, they addressed the following:
Love, passion and emotion. The nation, history and the people. Religion, Norse mythologies and spirituality. The medieval fantasy imaginary. Orientalism and the Aboriginal world. Death, with emphasis on suicide. The landscape as a metaphor for the subject’s inner world.
15. Strong idealism
This movement was extremely idealistic, not only on an artistic level but also on a political and social level. It was not unusual for Romantic artists to become involved with political causes or various spiritual movements.
Works and representatives of Romanticism
Writers
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 – 1832). Plays: The misadventures of young Werther.Lord Byron (1788 – 1824). Plays: Cain and The Pilgrimages of Childe Harold.Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885). Plays: The Miserables.
Plastic artists
Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840). Plays: Monk at the seashore.Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). Plays: Freedom guiding the peopleFrancisco de Goya y Lucientes, transitional painter (1746-1828). Plays: The dreams of reason produce monsters.
Musicians
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Plays: Symphony No. 9.Franz Schubert (1797-1828). Plays: Ave Maria.Robert Schumann (1810-1856). Plays: Dichterliebe (Love and life of a poet).
Bibliography
Berlin, Isaiah (2015) The roots of romanticism. Taurus. Madrid.
Heath, Duncan & Boreham, Judy (2000) Introducing Romanticism. Totem Books. Cambridge.
See also: Romanticism and Romantic Literature.