Romanticism Vs Enlightenment

1. Following the end of Napoleonic reign, and when the movement of the Enlightenment has swept across Europe, another culture and form of expression was born; Romanticism. This style represented the men and women of Europe who desired more than political freedom. They demanded more individual freedoms, especially the freedom of privacy and expression. Romanticists expressed what they believed, and their works became similar to Baroque works of centuries prior. These works usually contained mythical or true stories and expressed the climax or most important part of that story. These works were often exaggerated in their appearance and contained hidden meanings and messages within the works. Rather than depicting history or the advancements in science and philosophy such as in Neoclassicist works, Romanticist works did not rely on historical events or logical meaning. Instead, they contained works based on feelings and emotion, thus the exaggeration in most pieces. Other times, works depicted beautiful landscapes to show the beauty of nature, and why it must not be ignored

Romanticism and Realism depicted two very different styles and cultures during nineteenth century Europe. With Romanticism, most of the artists of this style were against the changes the Enlightenment was making. They enjoyed the political freedom, however it was not enough. They demanded more individual freedoms, and most cultures of the time did not accept this. Therefore, these people diverted to art to express their feelings and emotions. Romanticist works consisted of landscapes, portraits, war stories, and political statements. On the other hand, Realism depicted more logical and real genre works. From stone breakers to a funeral, these works depicted what took place in the normal lives of Europe’s men, women, and children. These works were sometimes so real, that they were rejected by patrons for depicting too much of the lesser parts of men, when the ideal was favored by most