Friday, April 09, 2010

"Painting is but other word for feeling"

Photobucket
Caspar David Friedrich

I've been studing history of arts for the past four years now. The program is divided in 5
parts: 1st year) Ancient Art, 2nd) The Medieval Art (Early Christian, Insular, Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic art), 3rd) The Renaissance and this year, we started with Mannerism (which evolved in Baroque which was replaced by Neoclassicism) and arrived to Romanticism.
I have always loved this subject a lot, it's the basis of everything. But even so I hadn't realized how "annoying" the subject had got with the continuous re-emergence of Classical Art or the Catholic Church's irritating interruptions.. The initial enthusiasm had kinda faded away and I even wasn't aware of it.. until .. we started with Romanticism. I felt so liberatory when we firsts started analyzing these revolutionarily brilliant artists with a totally new approach to looking and feeling art.

Fresh.
Original.
Involving.
Deep.
Mysterious.
Nostalgic.
Intimate.
Just.. Genial!

In visual arts this complex cultural movement deepens many different aspects and relevant themes of the age: nationalism and patriotism (question majorly developed in France), regain of moral and religious values, individualism and the concept of artist as "the genius" who's destiny is to follow his inner demon, nostalgy for the Medieval Age, love for exotic places and fantastical dreams (often nightmares), recovery of an intimate relationship with nature and the image of sublime: a delifghtful horror provoked by the wonders of nature (Edmund Burke, read this article about beauty and the image of sublime), the last is my favourite aspect of the movement. In the order of my preference (the most favourite artist who represents majorly the image of sublime is in the end):

Théodore Géricault (click!)

Photobucket


Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix (click!)

Photobucket


Photobucket


Caspar David Friedrich (click!)

Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


John Constable (click!)

Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (click!)

Photobucket


Joseph Mallord William Turner (click!)

Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket

J.M.W. Turner is my favourite amongst romantical painters.
His work is so inspiring. I think no words needed.

What's your favourite cultural and artistical movement in the art history?
And if you're a lover of romanticism, who's your favourite painter?

PS! If you care click! to read on wiki about Romanticism.

3 comments:

Julia, the Thanksgiving Girl said...

I truly admire your passion and enthusiasm for arts and architecture! You have such great taste in all things design too. LOVE all of those paitings you chose to go with this post - they really represent the quote that is in the title to me. It's like every painting just breathes the feeling that is in idea behind it!

P.S. It's totally cool that you think of rigorous cleaning as a work out - that's how I view it too! It's one of the few things that really help me get it over with in the first place lol And I'm sorry to hear the kulich didn't turn out to be a success, but I am sure next time it will be just right, now that you know what NOT to do :)

The Photodiarist said...

Wonderful and illuminating post. Thank you!

Café Naïveté said...

:) I'm happy to see the sensation I felt has succesully arrived!