Realism

Realism

An artistic movement that aimed for truthful, impartial representation of the real world, emphasizing the everyday lives of ordinary people.

Lithograph

A printmaking medium invented in the 19th century that involves drawing on a stone with a greasy crayon, damping and inking the stone to create reproducible images.

Daumier’s Rue transnonain

A lithograph depicting the massacre of unarmed families by soldiers to warn rioters, emphasizing the emotional and fraught moment of the incident.

Key concept of Realism

Rejects idealization and aims to depict subjects as they are, focusing on the unembellished realities of life.

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

A group of seven English artists founded in 1848, known for their rejection of Renaissance conventions and celebration of earlier artists like Giotto.

The Gleaners by Millet

A painting showing three women gleaning after the harvest, depicted with realism and physical struggle, representing the laboring classes.

Courbet’s The Stonebreakers

A painting that shows rural laborers in a gritty, realistic manner, emphasizing the challenging nature of their work.

Manet's Olympia

A realist painting that depicts a nude woman looking directly at the viewer, challenging traditional representations of women in art.

The role of the Salon

The traditional exhibition space for contemporary art in France, which was critical for gaining reputation and sales for artists.

The Execution of Emperor Maximilian by Manet

A historical painting that presents the execution in a documentary style, lacking emotional heroism and critiquing French involvement.

Zola's definition of realism

Realism emphasizes the truthful representation of life and objects, prioritizing visible reality over idealization or fiction.

Gerome’s Louis XIV and Moliere

A painting noted for its accuracy in depicting historical figures and settings but lacking the emotional detachment valued by realists.

Awakening Conscience by Hunt

A Pre-Raphaelite work showing a middle-class woman awakening to her sin, symbolizing issues of morality in urban life.

Courbet's Burial at Ornans

A large-scale painting of an ordinary funeral, notable for its lack of hierarchy among figures, presenting a 'democracy in paint'.

Manet’s Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe

A controversial painting featuring clothed men and nude women in a modern park, rejected from the Salon for its challenge to traditional norms.

Gleaning custom

A right belonging to workers to gather leftover crops after the harvest, which became a subject of interest to realists under changing socio-political conditions.

Hunt's critique of urban life

In his works, Hunt reflects on the struggles and moral dilemmas faced by urban women in the context of poverty and societal change.

Realism vs. Idealism

Realism prioritizes actual truth in representation over the idealized forms found in classical art.

Millet's depiction of peasants

Millet portrays peasants with dignity and labor, focusing on their harsh realities rather than romanticizing their experience.

Authenticity in Realism

Realist artists used visible brush strokes and unpolished surfaces to convey a sense of truthfulness in their depictions.

Symbolism of Carrot in Realism

The carrot is viewed as a symbol of the working class's potential for revolution in realist art context.

Class Issues in Realism

Realism often depicted the struggles of working-class individuals, highlighting societal inequities and the need for reform.