Romantic era blog
My first art style for my Romantic era blog is is romanticism. My artwork for the romanticism style is "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog", Made by the German painter Casper Friedrich in 1818/1817.
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog is a pretty neat looking piece of art, and it's regarded as one of the most popular artworks from the romantic era by multiple sources. This artworks popularity has continued into the modern day, as a pixelated version of it is featured in "Minecraft", one of the most popular videogames to this day. I like Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog aesthetically because its use of symmetry and color really appeal to me. One of my closest friends is fully deuteranopic colorblind, so the only colors they see are shades of blue and yellow, which happen to be the main two colors that show up in this piece. There is a hint of green on the wanderers suit, but it's so minor that I had to zoom in a bunch to see it, so I don't think the piece would be any worse without it. Both sides of the artwork are very balanced, most items that appear on the left have an item of similar visual weight on the right. I also like how the image draws the viewer to the center with the dark lines(I can't tell if they're mountains or clouds) that start at the edge of the painting and taper inwards towards the wanderer. As a romantic artwork, it's very epic and not grounded. The emotion that this piece elicits is like the feeling you get when you are on top of something very tall and you can see everything very small, except it's toned down since its art of someone else experiencing that, and not the viewer themselves experiencing it.
For realism, I have chosen "Laksefiskeren", also known as The Salmon Fisher, by the Norwegian painter Eilif Peterssen in 1889.
Laksefiskeren depicts a dude on a lake fishing for salmon, while some people in the background do some farm work. Its use of color is very tame, like the last piece, but it goes for a contrast between the sides rather than symmetry. The field has people on the left, while its empty on the right. The lake is (mostly) empty on the left, while it contains the boat and the fisher on the right. These aspects don't make the art less appealing to me, rather it is the lack of "pizzazz" or "flair" or whatever word works. As I have spent time looking at artwork and my reaction to it throughout this whole course, I think I've gained a much better insight into which art I like and which art I don't like. If someone had asked me before if I prefer romanticism or realism, I wouldn't have been able to give an answer, but after looking through some art of both styles, I definitely prefer romanticism.
Wikimedia Foundation "Romanticism" Jan 1 2004
Wikimedia Foundation "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog" Jan 23 2008
Britannica "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog" Dec 15 2022
Wikimedia Foundation "Realism (arts)" Feb 12 2006
Digital Museum "Eilif Peterssen (1852 - 1928), "Laksefiskere", 1889" Apr 10 2021 (this one is in Norwegian)
Hi Sawyer! I enjoyed your critique of the Romantic Era. I like your choices of artwork. They are both gray days but have a peaceful day painted. The realism painting of three fishermen seems to be working in unison, from shore side by side with some distance between them. They are mirroring the fisherman in the boat. The realism to me wants to go and dip my toes in the water by the opening at the bottom left corner. However, I don’t want to disturb the water, because the overcast day is reflecting a stillness and peace. I get the same sense from your example of romanticism. The only bit of color is the cliff the man is standing on. The sea of fog seems to be lifting and my mind follows or drifts upward to see a beautiful gray day. I begin to daydream as I watch the fog rolling around the rocky scene in front of the man. The two paintings reflect each other nicely.
ReplyDeleteI'd also chosen to feature "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog" for romanticism, but I love the approach you'd taken! I love how you likened the setting to someone standing above the world, looking down on a sea of clouds. While that makes it even more surreal to look at, I still can't help but laugh when I realize that the painting is in Minecraft. All of that being said, it really does convey a sense of grandeur and the feeling of standing on top of the world. Also, I love the realism painting you chose! It's almost hard to believe that "Laksefiskeren" is a painting- it definitely lives up to the realism it's meant to be styled in. There's something about seeing perspectives from older times that is so surreal to me. Whether it's an old VHS tape or polaroid photos, I've always been enamored by how people could live in completely different times and environments while still feeling all the things we do nowadays. This sense of being enamored is boosted even more when you get an especially clear view into those times- an incredibly clear photo, video, or- in this case- painting. Love the paintings and topics you chose to cover, but I think I'd ultimately have to side with realism here.
ReplyDeleteIt's fascinating to see how different styles evoke unique responses from viewers. "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog" indeed captures a sense of grandeur and awe, while "Laksefiskeren" offers a more subdued portrayal of everyday life. It's interesting how our preferences can shift after exploring various art styles. Both Romanticism and Realism have their own merits, offering rich insights into the human experience and the natural world.
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