The nineteenth century gave birth to Romanticism, a new art form that rejected the more dominant neoclassicism. Romanticism evoked feelings and shed light on the organic beauty of nature. It was born as a result of industrialization, political events and rapid growth of that time period. Romanticism was unique in a way that artist sought out to be original and one-of-kind. Artist wanted to be noticed in a way that no one else had ever been. Events at the time were being reflected in all art forms and it became clear that artist were hungry for equality and freedom and against social injustice.
A well-known painter of that time was Francisco Goya, a Spaniard who created the infamous oil on canvas paintings- The Third of May. This painting reflected the execution of Madrid hostages at the hands of Napoleon’s generals. This anti-war painting featured a line of soldiers abreast of one another holding their hostages at gunpoint, with multiple victims lying lifeless on the ground. The victims stood for liberty and their fight against political tyranny. For the first time ever artist began implementing social realties and political commentary into their work.
Another well-known painting of this time period was that of Theodore Gericault, the Raft of the Medusa, which portrays the consequences of aristocratic privilege. This painting features the remaining survivors and bodies of the deceased, aboard a makeshift raft waiting to be saved. 150 passengers were aboard a government ship named, Medusa, on their way to Senegal when it began to sink. The ship’s captain and officers took refuge in six lifeboats and abandoned the other 150 people left on board. These abandoned people were left at sea for twelve days before being rescued, only 15 people survived. Gericault was infuriated by the neglect of the captain and his crew and set out to complete this massive 16’1” X 23’6” oil on canvas painting. He wanted to capture the truth and did extensive research so he could properly portray this horrific event (Benton & DiYanni, 192)
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With the rise of the Industrial Revolution, labor became a theme in many different art forms. Labor became a major issue around this time period and it was not uncommon to see peasants or urban workers being featured in many paintings of that time. There was a huge demand for food due to the rapid grown in these newly formed urban areas, but because so many people were unskilled, food shortages were prevalent. Artist began depicting and addressing these social issues in their works (Walkiewicz,). Music of the nineteenth century was also impacted by the political upheavals of the time. Musicians previously were typically thought of as church or court servants but with the rise of the middle class due to the Industrial Revolution, people wanted better access to musical performances and musical literature. It was during the Romantic era that the large theater and the parlor were born.
Larger arrangements of music were being produce and the idea that “bigger is better” created huge concerts composed simply for public celebration. Instruments such as the violins had been reformed to produce larger and louder sounds that could be heard in the largest of theaters. The wooden internal components of the piano were replaced with cast iron so that they could withstand more pressure. Along with the big came the small, parlor music became popular and were smaller events that now allowed musicians to financially support themselves. These small attractions would attract wealthy individuals that wanted to indulge in solo performances along with love songs and ballads. Parlor music also gave rise to music education and now for the first time ever music was implemented into curriculum and children would learn to play instruments just as they would learn to read. Home instruments varied from the guitar, harp, banjo, and even small pianos. The industrial Revolution made this possible and now things such as the piano were being massed produced and commonly seen in the household (Dobney).
Literature became infused with political beliefs and writers such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning believed that poetry had the power to represent the social injustices of that time. One well-known poem Browning wrote called- An Essay on Mind emphasized the idea of poetry having the power to bring about necessary change. Browning explored many political issues and wrote about tyranny and socio-political issues and their consequences. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is another great example of literature penned by Mary Wollstonecraft, that echoes the unjust and unfair treatment of women during that time. This document took the first steps towards equality for women and provided insight on just how much change was needed (Avery).
