Preferences and Perspectives - The Romantic Era

Romanticism, a phrase used to characterize a movement in art, literature, and music that prized freedom of expression; this gave rise to the Romantic period, beginning in England, Romanticism expanded across Europe and the United States. Romanticism was a response to the classical principles that governed creative production at the time. Romantic idealists thought that innermost feelings should be revealed, art should be pleasing to the senses, and imagination should take precedence over reason. Romantics had a strong sense of the past and frequently retold historical stories in their art. The Romantic era lasted no longer than fifty years spanning between 1780 and 1830. There were many different styles of art during this era, and the two I will be choosing is aestheticism and impressionism. 

Aestheticism

The philosopher Gautier gave birth to the Aesthetic Movement in France at the end of the nineteenth century. Later, it was brought into England, however, in England, Aestheticism can be traced back to poet John Keats and his concept of 'Art as a Thing of Beauty,' as well as the Pre-Raphaelites, a group of artists led by painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti who centered their art on a search for beauty. Aestheticism revolved around the concept of beauty, because it was thought only art can save a man from the death of a soul. Beauty is the sign of a superior spirit which rises above life's vulgarity and the 'ugliness' of life that is not simply physical.

This painting was done by artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti, titled ‘Lady Lillith’. Rossetti first painted ‘Lady Lilith‘ in 1866-68 using Fanny Cornforth as a model, but in 1872-73 he altered it by changing the face to a woman named Alice Wilding. Alice was approximately twenty-five years old when she and Rossetti first met. She was working as a dressmaker and Rossetti spotted her one evening in 1865 and asked her to model for his painting. At the time she did accept but failed to arrive at his studio the next day. Weeks later he ran into her again and ended up convincing her to model for him and go to the studio that same day. The focus in this painting is most definitely Lillith and her beautiful auburn hair, however this painting is also filled with flowers and shows a cluttered, depthless space. The mirror in the background at first glance looks like a window, but you can see the reflection of both the candles and then you find out that it is an exterior nature scene. The white roses in the background are leaning towards and almost into Lillith, almost as if they are admiring her beauty as she is in her hand mirror.

This next painting is done by artist Federic Leighton, titled ‘Flaming June’. Frederic Leighton was one of the most renowned artists of the Victorian era, he was born in Scarborough, England in 1830, but from 1840 lived with his family in continental Europe. Up until 1895 Frederic Leighton was seen as an underestimated salon painter when he came out with this piece that explored the aesthetic connection between sleep and death. The woman in this painting appears to be taking a nap on a terrace on a hot summer day. She is curled up in a pose that is more appealing to the eye than comfortable, in a sheer dress that is bright fiery orange. From these simple things the viewer of this painting can imagine the warmth she is feeling. Her facial expression is calm, but the artist made her cheeks flush, possibly a nod to the time she has spent in the sun. Her calm exhausted body is taking up most of the canvas as the background appears to be a landscape of some sort. It is blurred pastel colors, meaning the day is almost over. 

Impressionism

Impressionism originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s. The term impressionism was coined from Louis Leroy who was a french painter. Impressionism art consists of small, thin, visible brush strokes with an emphasis on light. These paintings were done on ordinary subjects and had an inclusion of movement as an element of human perception and experience. Impressionism tries to capture an impression of what the eye sees at a given moment and the effect of sunlight on the object. Impressionism is an emotion –oriented and beautiful style of art.

This first piece of art is called ‘In the Loge’, painted by Mary Cassatt. In nineteenth century France, the gaze of the observer was very much structured by issues of economic status. In Mary Cassatt’s paintings it shows the relationship between public spectacle, gender, class and privilege. Cassatt was a wealthy American artist who, while residing in Paris, adopted the Impressionist style. Cassatt's sister, Lydia, is the sitter in this painting, appearing to be an upper-class woman in a box seat at the Paris opera. Lydia is depicted holding opera glasses to her eyes, but instead of tilting them down to observe the performance below, she keeps her gaze level. She is looking across the room, possibly at another person in the audience. In the background of faded, blurred people, there is a man who is staring at her from a different box, as he is stuck on her and our gazes, she does not notice him. 

This final piece is ‘Woman with a Parasol’ painted by Claude Monet.  Claude Monet was born in Paris, where he married Camille Doncieoux in 1870, who he used as a model in many of his paintings.  Claude Monet painted his wife Camille and their eldest son Jean who are out for a stroll on a windy and sunny day. Monet captures a brief moment during some quality time with his family. Madame Monet and her son are standing on a little hill gazing at the painter Claude Monet. A field of yellow wildflowers and grass is seen in the foreground and Madame Monet shields herself from the sun with a green and blue parasol in both hands, while her son wears a hat. The sunlight is coming from the top right, as evidenced by Madame Monet's shadow in the foreground. Madame Monet's veil, which is blown around her face, the contour of her clothing, and the movement of the wildflowers in the foreground all show the effects of the strong wind. The colors that Monet chose to paint his wife and son are tied with the colors surrounding them as well. The blue sky and white clouds reappear at the top of the parasol as well as Madame Monet and her son's outfit. There are also faint faint touches of pink and yellow in Madame Monet's outfit, as well as the use of red and green in her son's hat.

Sources:

“Aestheticism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Oct. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aestheticism. 

“Flaming June by Frederic Leighton.” LadyKflo, 4 Aug. 2021, www.ladykflo.com/flaming-june-by-frederic-leighton/. 

“Impressionism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Oct. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressionism. 

“In the Loge.” In the Loge – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, collections.mfa.org/objects/31365. 

“Lady Lilith.” Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/337500. 

“Romanticism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/art/Romanticism. 

“Woman with a Parasol - Madame Monet and Her Son.” Art Object Page, www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.61379.html.