Romantic Era: Photography and Sculpture

 Photography and Sculpture in the Romantic Era

Introduction

The Romantic Era came after the Enlightenment and was an influential movement that integrated emotion and feeling into the adopted lifestyle of purely logical thinking. Artists began using their work to teach important topics such as injustice or emotional thinking. In doing this, freedom and equality became well-known to all. Landscapes, tragedies, and harmony between humans and nature were some of this time's most commonly seen works. This blog evaluates photography and sculpture in the Romantic Era.

Photography

In the 1800s, photography was a huge step in the learning curve of many different things. The first photograph was taken in 1821, and many more came quickly after that. This incredible art allowed people to capture and share moments that paintings or drawings couldn't.

This is shown in Eadweard Muybridge's photograph The Horse in Motion. At the time of its creation, the visual of running horses was very popular, and many people wanted to see clearer images of how horses looked while running. Paintings and drawings were made to show that running horses had all hooves off the ground at once, but to the public eye, this theory couldn't be supported by art made by hand. When the photograph came out and Muybridge captured the moment, the proof was found to show that all four hooves were off the ground at some point during a horse's gallop. The organized spacing and lines in these pictures are very appealing to the eye. The colors also make it easy to see the placement of the hooves. Although the elements are not as obvious, they are still essential to the meaning of this photograph.

Another example of photography's great influence during the 19th century was how simplistic pictures could evoke such emotion. Photography was not always embraced as an art form but paved the way to show that beauty doesn't only come from clear, colorful images. 

Landscape With Clouds by Roger Fenton is a prime example of the difference between beauty in paintings and photographs. Although the picture is colorless, blurry, and dark, it still elicits emotion from looking at it. I love photography because you can't make up what you see in a raw picture. This photo is very plain but has interesting elements. The lines create a perimeter around the trees and shape the clouds beautifully. The value shows great contrast between the sky and land, which draws attention to the trees and clouds. The texture implied in the photo is grainy. This gives the photograph a raw and realistic feel when looking at it. Beauty can be found in many places, whether the photograph is of people or landscapes, and it is all real. Although I love paintings, drawings, and other art forms, I think photography is one of the purest ways to show beauty and reality. I also believe the photographers in the 19th century used this art form to share raw beauty and knowledge. 

Sculpture

As emotional thinking of the Romantic Era spread, artists were searching for more ways to express emotion and feeling. Sculpture became a way to represent life-like art that could be molded in ways to express said emotion. Personally, I have never been a fan of sculpture, which is why I chose to compare it with photography.

The Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin was a sculpture made for the purpose of showing how people can be surrounded by others but still feel completely alone. Rodin was actually tasked with creating a statue to commemorate the heroism of the Calais citizen, Eustache de Saint-Perre, in the Hundred Years' War. Rodin decided to show six men bonded by their fear of death and feeling of hopelessness, instead of the happiness of winning the war. The texture of the sculpture shows the men's baggy clothing that hangs off of them and captures the light on the seams of the clothing. The 3-dimensional form also is a unique part of sculptures because it brings them to life in a way that paintings and photographs can't do. Rodin also uses very intentional spacing between the men. He puts them close to each other but purposefully makes each man avoid eye contact or physical contact. Although I am not the biggest fan of sculptures, this one is very beautiful and there is a clear story behind it. Rodin was able to use his art to express a very dreadful time for many, many people. 

Camille Claudel's sculpture The Age of Maturity is one that depicts the story of moving from youth to old age. Another interpretation of this sculpture says that Claudel herself is trying to hold on to Rodin, who is being taken away by his long-term partner. Claudel was a lover of August Rodin but made her name independently in the art world during the 19th century. This is one of her more famous works, and although I don't personally enjoy the artwork, Claudel does a wonderful job of storytelling. The two standing figures are very textured, which shows that the figure kneeling is much younger than them. The spacing of the figures also adds to the story, as the people standing are much closer together and only physically connected to the kneeling figure by a fingertip. The 3-D form once again creates a realistic image that really builds a story that is unique to the art form of sculpture.

Sources

Ben Pollitt, "Camille Claudel, The Age of Maturity," in Smarthistory, August 9, 2015, accessed July 11, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/claudel-the-age-of-maturity/.

Dr. Kris Belden-Adams, "Eadweard Muybridge, The Horse in Motion," in Smarthistory, June 6, 2021, accessed July 10, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/eadweard-muybridge-the-horse-in-motion/.

Elisabeth Rowney, "Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais," in Smarthistory, August 9, 2015, accessed July 11, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/rodin-the-burghers-of-calais/.

“Romanticism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement/romanticism/. Accessed 10 July 2023.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Roger Fenton, Landscape with clouds," in Smarthistory, March 8, 2021, accessed July 10, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/fenton-landscape-with-clouds/.