The Romanticism art movement brought about so many incredible works of art including paintings, poetry, and literature. To be quite honest, I never really understood Romanticism in that I was never properly taught about the movement. In fact, before researching for this particular blog post, all I really knew about Romanticism was that it was apart of an old art movement, and it consisted of oil paintings. That is really about it...how sad.
If I am being honest, I am pretty grateful for this assignment. I watched a few videos and read a few articles to really get an understanding of what Romanticism is, and I am kind of into this movement. I love that it is all about evoking strong emotions and usually involve man vs nature or man with nature. My favorite piece I found while researching is Casper David Friedrich's piece Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog.
This piece is so incredible! It makes me want to be apart of this moment that this man is experiencing. Imagine the combination of tranquility and fear he must feel standing over such an amazing sight. The roaring sea, the beautiful mountains in the distance, the wind blowing wildly, and the calm pastel sky. It shows how small and powerless this man is compared to nature. Not powerless in a demeaning or negative way, but more in a humbling way. A way that calls for man's respect of nature. One slip on those rocks, and the sea can sweep him away forever. It feels like a gift that he gets to view this part of the world in such an immersive and intimate way.
A photo from my own personal life that represents the Romanticism movement is one I took while exploring Cherokee Park in Louisville, KY on one of my few days off a few years ago.
This photo makes me feel so small compared to the tall, wooded trees. All I wanted from my day off was to get back in touch with nature. I needed time to just slow down, appreciate my surroundings, and take a damn breath. I feel like in some ways, this is exactly what the Romanticism movement wanted to evoke: an appreciation for nature and a place for emotion. Some Romantic pieces tread on gothic and supernatural themes as well, and even sometimes death. The main point is to focus on man, nature, and the emotion that the combination of the two create. While some pieces make me feel at peace, others I viewed made me feel fear. I love that a movement of beauty can make feel such a wide range of emotions.
Overall, I really enjoy the Romanticism movement. I love art that is derived from emotion and the harmony or disharmony of man and nature.
This post is a great example of what theatre design can do to broaden our horizons. Each show is an opportunity to expose and immerse ourselves in the world of the show, the cultures of the show, and the art movements that best represent the show and your design. Nice post!
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