Bryan's Blog

The Romantic Era emerged as an artistic vortex where emotions met nature alongside rebellion and innovative movements. Multiple art styles emerged concurrently during this period, providing distinct perspectives for viewing the world. For this blog, I am diving deep into two powerful styles from the era: Romanticism and the Hudson River School. Romanticism uses powerful stories and emotional depth to move your heartstrings, whereas the Hudson River School presents peaceful, almost sacred views of nature. I will examine four art pieces—two from Romanticism and two from the Hudson River School—and analyze their components while understanding their creators' intentions and reflecting on my personal preferences. Style One: Romanticism celebrates emotional power and the sublime concept. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Romanticism emerged as an artistic movement as an alternative to Enlightenment rationalism. Artists adopted dramatic elements and human emotion alongside s...

Revolutionary movements during the 1700s profoundly transformed social structures and cultural environments. Classical era artworks experienced substantial changes due to the American and French revolutions. Artists during this historical period produced works that combined revolutionary concepts with nationalistic components by representing liberty in their art. Three essential artworks illustrate how the revolutionary era transformed artistic expressions during the Classical period. The Oath of the Horatii The French artist Jacques-Louis David produced The Oath of the Horatii in 1784. The neoclassical masterpiece effectively conveyed revolutionary ideals by portraying duty and self-sacrifice as patriotic expressions. David emphasizes the Horatii brothers' sacred commitment to protect Rome through his meticulously dramatic composition and intense lighting design. The artwork shows how the French Revolution demanded people to prove their allegiance to the state before their ties. ...