Preferences and Perspectives - The Romantic Era
Romantic vs. Realist The romantic style of painting was developed in the 1800s, often depicting scenes of nature, showing the earth's power and beauty in one. The subjects were often gorgeous waterfalls, breathtaking views, violent storms, shipwrecks lost to the waves, etc. The idea of it was to produce a sense of emotion from the observer. However, nature scenes were not the only subjects of romantic style painting. If a scene could gather emotion from the viewer, then it could be painted during this era. Whether this is fear, joy, or awe, the main goal of the romantic style paintings was to get an emotional response. Those who painted storms often tried to produce fear from the onlooker because the artist believed "all that imprints a feeling of terror, leads to the sublime” ( Edmund Burke, 1757 ). But those who painted tall, vibrant waterfalls are most likely trying to find a sense of calm or even joy in their work. Although different artists have different goals for their...