At the end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th centuries, the ideas of classicism and Enlightenment lost their appeal and relevance. A new direction in art, which, in response to the canonical techniques of classicism and moral social theories of the Enlightenment, appealed to man, his inner world, gained strength and dominated the minds. Romanticism is very widespread in all areas of cultural life and philosophy. Musicians, artists and writers in their works sought to show the high destiny of man, his rich spiritual world, the depth of feelings and emotions. From now on, a man with his inner struggle, spiritual quests and experiences, and not “vague” ideas of universal prosperity and prosperity, have become the dominant theme in works of art.
Romanticism in painting
The painters convey the depth of ideas and their personal experiences through an artistic image created using composition, color, and accents. Different countries of Europe had their own peculiarities in the interpretation of romantic images. This is due to philosophical movements, as well as the socio-political situation, a living response to which was art. Painting was no exception. Fragmented into small principalities and duchies, Germany did not experience serious public upheavals, the artists did not create monumental paintings depicting titan heroes, here the deep spiritual world of man, his beauty and grandeur, moral quests aroused interest. Therefore, the most complete romanticism in German painting is presented in portraits and landscapes. Otto Runge's works are classic examples of this genre. In the portraits made by the painter, through the fine elaboration of facial features, eyes, through the contrast of light and shadow, the artist’s desire to show the contradictory personality, its power and depth of feeling is conveyed. Through the landscape, a slightly fantastic, exaggerated image of trees, flowers and birds, the artist also tried to discover the versatility of the human person, its similarity with nature, diverse and unknown. A striking representative of romanticism in painting was the landscape painter K. D. Friedrich, who emphasized the strength and power of nature, mountain, sea landscapes, consonant with man.
Romanticism in French painting developed on different principles. Revolutionary upheavals, stormy public life were manifested in the painting by the artists' attraction to depicting historical and fantastic plots, with pathetic and “nervous” excitement, which was achieved by vivid color contrast, expression of movements, some randomness, spontaneity of composition. The most fully and vividly romantic ideas are presented in the works of T. Gericault, E. Delacroix. Artists masterfully used color and light, creating a pulsating depth of feelings, an elevated impulse to struggle and freedom.
Romanticism in Russian painting
Russian public thought responded very vividly to the emerging new directions and trends in Europe. The bourgeois revolution, and then the war with Napoleon, are those significant historical events that have most seriously affected the philosophical and cultural studies of the Russian intelligentsia. Romanticism in Russian painting was presented in three main genres: portraiture, landscape, monumental art, where the influence of classicism was very strong, and romantic ideas were closely intertwined with academic canons.
In the art of portraiture in the early nineteenth century, increasing attention is paid to the image of the creative intelligentsia, poets and artists of Russia, as well as ordinary people and peasants. Kiprensky, Tropinin, Bryullov tried with great love to show the whole depth and beauty of a person’s personality, through the look, turn of the head, details of the costume to convey the spiritual quest, the freedom-loving nature of their “models”. Great interest in the personality of man, its central place in art contributed to the flourishing of the self-portrait genre. Moreover, the artists painted self-portraits not on order, it was a creative impulse, a kind of self-report to contemporaries.
Landscapes in the work of romantics were also distinguished by their originality. Romanticism in painting reflected and conveyed the mood of a person, the landscape should have been in tune with him. That is why the artists tried to reflect the rebellious nature of nature, its power and spontaneity. Paintings of Aivazovsky, Orlovsky, Shchedrin, depicting the elements of the sea, mighty trees, mountain ranges, on the one hand, conveyed the beauty and multicolor of real landscapes, on the other, created a certain emotional mood.