| Romantic Realism - The Concept | | | | emotional undercurrents in the painting, an aspect |
| Romantic Realism is a relatively new style of | | | | of the 'illusionist' understanding of Realism. In fact, |
| painting, which beautifully blends the underlying | | | | the choice of subjects and their treatment define |
| philosophies of the Romanticism and the Realism. | | | | Romantic Realism. |
| Realism was a French art movement of 1850s, | | | | Romantic Realist Examples |
| where the artists believed in the near to actual | | | | One of the most acclaimed works of the 20th |
| representation of scenes and subjects. In effect, | | | | century, Andrew Wyeth's 'Christina's World' has a |
| Realism disregarded its predecessor styles of | | | | near photographic perfection. Nevertheless, the |
| 'idealism' and ornate portrayals, like Renaissance | | | | choice of subject and the resolute action of the |
| and Baroque. Romanticism, on the other hand, | | | | physically challenged girl, adds an air of poignancy |
| detested the idea of 'mechanical' art that | | | | to the frame. Norman Rockwell (born, 1894) is |
| concentrated on the functions of time and space, | | | | one of the best-known names in the world of |
| limiting the scope of creativity altogether. This | | | | Romantic Realism. His remarkable 1953 work, 'The |
| genre was prevalent in the 18th century, and was | | | | Boy Who Put the World on Wheels' displays the |
| the predecessor of Realism. | | | | uncanny ability of Henry Ford in repairing and |
| The Correlations | | | | understanding timepieces, when he was a young |
| Interestingly, Realism was a 'reaction' to | | | | boy. The boy is showing a crude model of Ford's |
| Romanticism and purported to symbolize its | | | | earliest designs to a blacksmith sitting on his bed. |
| diagonal opposite. However, Realism had dual | | | | The focus of young Henry and the amazement |
| connotations - one, real life imagery and the | | | | on the blacksmith's face are sufficient elements to |
| second, actuality within the true-to-life | | | | make this frame, a masterwork, in its own right. |
| representations. Most of the artists during the | | | | The Details |
| 18th and the 19th centuries had their stint with | | | | As original photographs began finding place in the |
| Realism, owing to its second interpretation. | | | | domain of painting, Romantic Realists also began |
| Post-Impressionist genius, Vincent Van Gogh's | | | | using the camera pictures as base for their |
| 'The Potato Eaters' is not realistically 'formed' | | | | paintings. Contemporary artists use well planned |
| work in true, sense, yet it deems to represent | | | | photographic shots and a touchup with oil paints |
| the peasantry as it was in those times. Van Gogh | | | | or watercolors to create uniquely 'speaking' |
| did not attempt to hide away the unsavory reality | | | | paintings. They do not restrict themselves to the |
| and coarseness from the piece, making it as | | | | original color scheme and the lighting of the base. |
| realistic as it can be. This understanding of Realism | | | | Sometimes, it is the conscious employment of |
| left the room for its harmonization with | | | | raw colors and diffused outlines to add distinction |
| Romanticism, instead of opposition. Romantic | | | | to these realistically appealing pieces. |
| Realism does not use Symbolism to convey the | | | | |