Romanticism

Although Romanticism began during Napoleon's reign, it truly blossomed afterwards, during the French royal restoration that happened from 1815 to 1830. The past ideals of Enlightenment that focused on reason faded and the application of imagination and feeling took over. What it created was an art form whose characteristics included loose brushwork, strong colors, complex and off-balance compositions powerful contrasts of light and dark and expressive poses and gestures.* In English landscapes, Romanticism was communicated through the idea of nostalgia, a reminiscing of days gone by. In all cases, it was a movement that drew upon emotion and passion. So look at some of the works by Gericault, Constable, Delacroix and the others to see for yourself. And as always, if you don't see the image you are looking for, contact us. We can still recreate it.

*Art History: Eighteenth to Twenty-First Century Art, Third Edition; Marilyn Stokstad; Pearson Education (2009)