CCR - Romanticism (Lesson)
Romanticism
Romanticism as defined by Larry Treadwell of thecaveonline.com:
A reaction against the "cold and unfeeling" reason of the Enlightenment and against the destruction of nature resulting from the Industrial Revolution. Stress is on light, color, and self-expression, in opposition to the emphasis on line and firm modeling typical of neoclassical art. Values: emotion, feeling, morbidity, exoticism, mystery.
Download Sue Pojer's powerpoint over Romanticism. Links to an external site.
So many of the events of the 18th century were rooted in the ideals of the Enlightenment. Philosophes had promoted the idea of science and reason but the Romantic movement saw the shift from reason to emotion and imagination. Even Rousseau, who had promoted the idea of the Social Contract, agreed that man used too much reason and needed to include more emotion. This coordinated well with the teachings of John Wesley, the religious leader who preached that man needed more spiritual experiences. This was the beginning of Methodism which had less of a hierarchical structure than Catholicism or Protestantism.
Romanticism was really about emotion and imagination. This was clearly seen in the art of the time. Art of the time period had many of the following characteristics:
- Glorified nature.
- Highlighted mysticism.
- Highlighted religion,
- Promoted individualism.
Because of the push for individualism, Romanticism also supported nationalism and violent change.
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