Romantic Era

 

    For this blog I will be comparing two sets of art pieces from different artists and two different

painting styles; Romantic Style and Impressionist style, to showcase and reflect the difference

seen throughout the Romantic Era. The romantic art era occurred during the 1800s and it was

a is differentiated by the emphasis on emotion, realism, and glorification of the subject(s). 

Romantic Style

"Evening" by Theodore Gericault 1818

    The first piece I will be discussing is “Evening” by Theodore Gericault.

This painting is currently displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is 1 of 3 surviving

landscape paintings from Gericault. This particular painting is thought to be dated to 1818

and is 98½” x 86½” and is oil on canvas.

    The painting features a beautiful glorified landscape with absolutely stunning lighting to

represent the evening sunset Gericault saw from his studio. In the painting, we see a

medieval-looking landscape. We see a stone castle on the edge of a hill with a magnificent

bridge connecting it to the other side and what looks like ruins being claimed back by nature

being closely exhibited for the viewer’s appreciation. We see Gericault’s use of depth by

playing with the leftover sunlight and shadows on the mountains on the horizon. And also

on the use of placement, he scales the ruins up close to the viewer and makes some of the

mountains smaller to make them appear far away. We also see this being played on the clouds,

he shows a subtle change of time with the placement and color of the clouds, placing lighter

clouds by the light and gradually getting darker the farther they are from the sun’s rays. 

    This is a stunningly beautiful landscape painting I absolutely love everything about this

painting, from the medieval look that he gives it and the people he places waddling in the river,

the lighting and the way he places it makes this just a perfect evening!

"Fisherman at Sea" by Joseph Mallord William Turner

    The piece I will be discussing that I am not fond of is “Fisherman at Sea” also known as “Cholmeley Sea Piece” by Joseph Mallord William Turner. This is an oil painting and is 36x48.125” done in 1796. The painting has been own by Tate Gallery since 1972. Turner was a child prodigy studying at the Royal Academy of Arts at only 14 years of age and opened his own gallery by 1804. “Fisherman at Sea” depicts seas near “the Needles”, of the Isle of Wright. 

    In the painting we see fisherman on a small raft in turbulent waters, the night is only lit by a lantern and the moonlight. The lighting that Tuner places in the painting make the painting seem more intense, darker; as if capturing the last moment the fisherman will see the light. The value used in the painting is very dark and gloomy. I am appealed by the organic line use that Turner uses to emphasize the waves and the luminance of the reflection of light, giving the painting a dawning viewing point. 

    The thing that makes me dislike this painting; even though it’s a masterpiece, is that it’s so death-defining. I feel like I’m looking at the last moment the fisherman were seen alive, but again that is what the Romantic Era of art was, capturing emotion. And the clear emotion here is “Fear of Death”. Turner gives a beautifully depicted possible end of the fisherman’s life, lighting it with a small glimpse of moonlight, it keeps us on edge, did the fisherman make it out alive? 

Impressionism Style 

"By the Seashore" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

The piece I will be discussing is “By the Seashore” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Renoir was a French painter, mainly associated with the impressionist movement,

and was considered one of the central figures. This painting was displayed at “The Salon of the

Refused”; the salon of the refused was an exhibit of works rejected by the Jury of the official

Paris Salon. 

The painting "By the Seashore” shows a woman; Aline Charigot (Renoir’s then-girlfriend,

eventually wife, 7 yrs later) she is seated on a wicker chair and is looking straight at the viewer.

The seashore that inspired the painting is thought to be of a beach that Renoir visited in Italy

around 1881-82.

    My favorite thing about this painting is the loose brushstrokes and directions that Renoir uses

throughout the painting, notice how it’s only the landscape that is loose though. The girl in the

wicker chair is more solidified or permanent. He places a lot more detail on the chair by making

the pattern lines in different directions and adding various gradients to make the pattern stand

out. The face is done in solid closed brushstrokes amplifying her soft beauty. However, when

we look down at the ruffles of her skirt we see those loose brush strokes again and different

directions as well. 

    This painting is beautifully done and I love the freedom that you see depicted by the brush

strokes, the gorgeous pastel colors that Renoir uses makes this even more pleasing and

appealing to look at.

“Woman Standing Holding a Fan” by Mary Cassatt

    “Woman Standing Holding a Fan” is an impressionist style almost entirely made in distemper;

an early form of whitewash, usually made from powder chalk or lime and size. It is dated

between 1878-79 and is currently displayed at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. This

painting is one of two canvas done by Cassatt entirely in distemper and is considered to show

her transformation into being an impressionist artist. 

    The painting shows a young woman standing in what looks to possibly be her bedroom or

maybe a sitting room. She seems to be fixing the skirt of her dress and is holding a fan in her

hand. The painting shows a good transition of colors very loosely applied. The colors seem to

be very patchy and randomly applied, we can see the different directions that Cassatt applies

especially on the reddish-brown color used as the floor. The painting also seems very

two-dimensional and flat, she applies shadows on the floor for her silhouette but the wall has

no dimension or depth. 

    This is an overall great historical painting and however not really my style, I do admire the

courage that she took in changing her style and jumping into another style. Let me emphasize

this is just my humble opinion, I understand everyone likes different things. But it just seems

very simple and not very interesting to look at.

Works cited 

1. “Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct”, Useum.com https://useum.org/artwork/Evening-Landscape-with-an-Aqueduct-Theodore-Gericault-1818

2. “Theodore Gericault Artworks”, Theartstory.org,

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/gericault-theodore/artworks/

3. Theodore Gericault, Wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9odore_G%C3%A9ricault

4. “By the Seashore 1883” metmuseum.org https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437430

5. “By the Seashore”, pierreaugusterenoir.org, http://www.pierreaugusterenoir.net/by-the-seashore/ 

6. “Biography od Pierre-Auguste Renoir”, Pierre-auguste-renoir.org, https://www.pierre-auguste-renoir.org/biography.html

7. “Fisherman at Sea”, Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishermen_at_Sea 

8. “Joseph Mallord William Turner”, tate.org.uk, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/joseph-mallord-william-turner-558 

9. Jonathan Kantrowitz, “Mary Cassatt, Woman Standing, Holding a Fan”, May 22, 2012, arthistorynewsreport.blogspot.com, http://arthistorynewsreport.blogspot.com/2012/05/mary-cassatt-woman-standing-holding-fan.html

10. “Biography of Mary Cassatt”, Marycassatt.org, https://www.marycassatt.org/biography.html

11. “Distemper (paint)”, Wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distemper_(paint)