1. 19th CENTURY ART
The nineteenth century was a rather busy time in the
world. It saw the rise of the British Imperial Empire; the
newly formed United States was just one of the British
settlements that began developing in this century, with
many others springing up on other continents. With
everything that was going on in the world, it makes
sense that so many different types of art were gaining
momentum. There were three of the major art
movements of this period which were Neoclassicism,
Romanticism, and Impressionism.
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western
movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature,
theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration
from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece
or Ancient Rome. Neoclassicism movement can be
identified by its idealized forms and stable composition.
For example, Sappho and Alcaeus by Lawrence Alma-
Tadema, the idealized, statuesque figures are
deliberately arranged with strong linear organization.
Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and intellectual
movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the
18th century. The art from the Romanticism movement was
based on emotion rather than rationale, and placed an
emphasis on the individual rather than on society. These works
are characterized by a brighter use of colour and expressive
brushstroke, and were meant to evoke emotion. For example,
Collision of Moorish Horsemen, Eugene.
Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement that
originated with a group of Paris-based artists.
Impressionist painting characteristics include relatively
small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open
composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light
in its changing qualities ordinary subject matter,
inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human
perception and experience, and unusual visual angles.
