19th Century Realism Notes

Nineteenth Century Realism

Introduction

  • Painting: The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet (1849).
  • Subject Matter: Depicts the world and its people as they are, a social commentary.
  • Shift in Art: Focus on the common man, moving away from glorifying religious or mythological scenes. Art is no longer keeping the public in ignorance.
  • Common People: Peasants, workers, and the lower classes become subjects of art.
  • Purpose: Immortalize the common man and draw a social commentary on their lives.
  • Realism Defined: Conveying the unvarnished truth of the world.

The Stone Breakers

  • Depiction: An older man and a young man breaking stones to make gravel for road construction.
  • Qualities: Not glorious, romantic, or triumphant, but very real.
  • Reception: Controversial due to the unconventional subject matter, artists were heavily criticized.
  • Significance: Innovative and challenging work.

Political Background: Revolution in France (1848)

  • Overthrow: The July Monarchy was overthrown and replaced by Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew.
  • Napoleon III: Ruled under a new constitution that broadened suffrage rights.
  • Interpretation of The Stone Breakers
    • Life Cycle: Represents life for the common person from beginning to end, with no escape from poverty.
    • Social Injustice: Depicts a level of social injustice.
    • Mood: Solemn, sober, and almost depressing.

Objectives of the Lesson

  • Discuss realist subject matter.
  • Appraise realism in France and America.
  • Evaluate Courbet's contribution to realism.

Key Terms

  • Realism
  • Gustave Courbet
  • The Grand Cross
  • Gleaning
  • Thomas Eakins

A Burial at Ornans by Courbet (1849)

  • Significance: Depicts an ordinary funeral, possibly Courbet's grandfather (Jean Antoine Houdeau).
  • Clothing: Two men wearing clothes from the pre-revolutionary period (1793), linking two revolutions.
  • French Revolutions: Connects the revolutions of 1793 and 1848, both based on enlightenment ideals and giving a voice to the common man.
  • Composition: Absence of pyramidal composition signifies no hierarchy; equality.
  • Courbet's Politics: Courbet was a radical, socialist, and believed in equality.
  • Criticism: Work was criticized for being mundane, yet created on a scale historically reserved for monumental events.
  • Courbet's Reaction: Embraced the criticism and became more radical.

The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet (1857)

  • Gleaning: Picking up leftover grain after the harvest.
  • Social Service: Early form of welfare for rural families.
  • Work: Backbreaking work to gather enough grain for a single loaf of bread.
  • Shift in Art: Depicts the mundane lives of common people.
  • Millet's Views: Not as radical as Courbet, but still faced criticism for depicting political sentiments.

Realism in America

Thomas Eakins
  • Criticism: Faced criticism for controversial subject matter.
  • Subject Matter: Did not necessarily paint peasants, but rather wealthy, affluent people, such as doctors.
The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins
  • Depiction: Dr. Samuel Gross performing surgery.
  • Eakins' Background:
    • Taught and studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
    • Supplemented anatomical studies at Jefferson Medical College.
    • Developed an interest in surgery.
  • Enlightenment Inspiration: Inspired by the quest for knowledge and reason.
  • Symbolism: Dark face/highlighted forehead represents enlightenment.
  • Quote: "Amid the darkness of ignorance and fear, modern science shines in the light of knowledge."
  • Rejection: Refused admission to the 1876 Centennial Philadelphia exhibition.

Conclusion

The Third-Class Carriage by Honoré Daumier (1862)
  • Context: Napoleon III's redesign of Paris with wide boulevards and public transportation.
  • Depiction: Grandmother, daughter, and children in the third-class portion of a carriage.
  • Social Commentary: Separation of the impoverished from the upper and middle classes.