romance era art

The exacution of lady Jane Grey, by Paul Delaroche, 1833

French Artist Paul Delaroche’s 1883 painting “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey” portrays the historical execution of Lady Jane Grey at the Tower of London.  She was the great-granddaughter of Henry the VII.  At the very young age of only 17,  Lady Jane Grey was executed in February 1554. She was charged with treason and ultimately sentenced to death along with her husband.  The painting shows the moments leading up to her execution, her white petticoat and the starry darkness surrounding her are stunning. It not only highlights her innocence but showcases the blindfold covering her fearful eyes as she sits preparing herself for her upcoming death. Ladies, I assume to be her family, surround her wailing, overcome with grief knowing that in a few short moments, her life will end. Some even collapse to the ground unable to watch this tragedy unfold. The executioner is standing by watching and waiting as if he were counting down the seconds until he was forced to carry out the sentence. “The background is deliberately muted, focusing attention on the central figures, particularly on Jane. The use of dramatic lighting casts shadows and highlights that create a sense of depth and contribute to the painting's somber mood.” (“Behind the Painting: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.” Rhiannon Piper, Rhiannon Piper, 5 Apr. 2024, www.rhiannonpiper.com/articles/82xk32byn24cuvkujyux2e2zkj8a1l.) Born in 1537, Lady Jane Grey was one of many in line for the throne. While her lineage made her a player in the succession puzzle, her path to the throne was not simple or straightforward.  Her mother, Frances Brandon, strategically positioned her daughter to be in a position to become queen. These actions led to Lady Jane Grey becoming queen for 9 days.  “This period, known as the July Monarchy, was marked by a heightened interest in political and historical themes, as artists and intellectuals grappled with the implications of revolution and change. Delaroche's work reflects this preoccupation with history and its lessons. By choosing to depict a moment in English history that resonated with themes of power, legitimacy, and resistance, Delaroche engaged with contemporary debates about authority and the individual's role in shaping history. The painting's focus on a young woman's tragic fate at the hands of political machinations would have struck a chord in a society still reeling from its own recent revolutionary upheavals.” (“Behind the Painting: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.” Rhiannon Piper, Rhiannon Piper, 5 Apr. 2024, www.rhiannonpiper.com/articles/82xk32byn24cuvkujyux2e2zkj8a1l.)

 Wanderer above the sea of fog, by Casper David Friedrich,1818 

Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog was painted by Casper David Friedrich. This rather famous piece conveys the story of a man standing at the edge of a rocky cliff looking over a vast landscape. The image shows the relationship as well as the connection that the sea and humans often have.  German artist, Casper David Friedrich, was fascinated with nature and romantic themes. His paintings are often associated with romanticism. He completed this painting during a time when Germany was in the middle of extreme political and social changes that affected everybody.  While this painting wasn’t hugely recognized during Friedrish's lifetime, it did gain recognition in the 20th century and has become a huge representation of romantic art. The Wanderer Above The Sea Fog is on display at the Kunsthalle Hamburg Art Museum in Hamburg Germany in the romantic era collection. His art piece wanderer above the sea of fog was painted on canvas with oil paints and the man in the painting was believed to be younger than Casper himself. The wanderer was frequently seen as an example of the potential of humanity, “This perspective is rooted in the Enlightenment era's emphasis on reason, progress, and individual achievement, which shaped the cultural and intellectual landscape of the time. As the wanderer stands above the vast expanse of fog, he serves as a symbol of human determination and resilience in the face of life's uncertainties and the forces of nature. This interpretation resonates with the spirit of exploration and scientific advancement that characterized the 19th century, further underscoring the painting's relevance and impact as a testament to the indomitable human spirit.” (Daon, Yonatan. “Understanding ‘The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.’” Understanding “The Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog,” Philosophy: I Need It, 16 Mar. 2023, www.philosophyineedit.com/p/a-journey-through-the-mist-uncovering.) Perhaps the most romantic element in the painting is that it is the depiction of “the total victory of man over any obstacle he has faced”(Daon, Yonatan. “Understanding ‘The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.’” Understanding “The Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog,” Philosophy: I Need It, 16 Mar. 2023, www.philosophyineedit.com/p/a-journey-through-the-mist-uncovering.) The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog makes you think about a moment in your life when you may have faced challenges, but you kept trying. Despite the adversity or hurdles you experienced, you overcame them and achieved success. How does that make you feel? This is the moment that Casper David Friedrich tries to show in his painting.

 While I find both paintings to be impressive as far as the talent that is present in the artists, The Wanderer Above the Sea is more inspirational to me. I find that I feel more connected to the piece and it provokes more emotion. I can imagine how scared and anxious the man is while he looks out at the sea and contemplates his next move. I believe we have all had moments in our lives where we felt a little hopeless and needed a moment alone to process our emotions so that we could take steps to move forward. The Execution of Lady Grey is rather dark (emotionally) and depressing while The Wanderer Above the Sea is more hopeful even though the colors themselves are darker. It gives insight into the determination and triumph we experience as humans while The Execution of Lady Grey depicts the worst of humanity.

Les Suites D'un Duel, by Paul Delaroche, 1825

Another of Paul Delaroche’s paintings is Les Suites D’un Duel is an oil painting produced in 1825 but the exact location where the painting was completed is unclear, it was likely in Paris France since that was the location of Delaroxhe’s studio. His paintings depict scenes of history and historical events. He was able to portray the details of historical figures and events with profound realism. “Delaroche was born into a generation that saw the stylistic conflicts between Romanticism and Davidian Classicism. Davidian Classicism was widely accepted and enjoyed by society so as a developing artist at the time of the introduction of Romanticism in Paris, Delaroche found his place between the two movements. Subjects from Delaroche's medieval and sixteenth and seventeenth-century history paintings appealed to Romantics while the accuracy of information along with the highly finished surfaces of his paintings” (Artvee. “Les Suites d’un Duel by Paul Delaroche.” Artvee, artvee.com/dl/les-suites-dun-duel/.Accessed 28 Oct. 2024. ) “Delaroche was an artist who worked during a time of stylistic conflict between Romanticism and Davidian Classicism. His paintings appealed to both movements, with subjects from medieval and 16th and 17th-century history appealing to Romantics, and the accuracy of his information and highly finished surfaces appealing to Academics and Neoclassicism.” (Artvee. “Les Suites d’un Duel by Paul Delaroche.” Artvee, artvee.com/dl/les-suites-dun-duel/. Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.) At the time of his death in 1856, he was painting a series of four scenes from the life of the virgin. While he was unable to finish the series, he had many other great paintings showing the historical events and scenes.

The Raft of Medusa, by Theodore Gericault, 1819

The Raft of Medusa was painted by the French artist Theodor Gericault. He completed his painting between  1818 and 1819 while he was living and working in what is referred to as the city of Love, Paris, France.  The painting shows the terrible aftermath of a French shipwreck. The Raft of Medusa is known as one of the most iconic romantic paintings of its time and is still revered today. This painting was first displayed in a salon in Paris. This painting is based on a true event that happened in 1816 when a French naval boat (Medusa) ran aground off the coast of Senegal. The ship was carrying more than four hundred people including soldiers and government officials. Only a few survived this horrifying wreck. The survivors built a raft to escape the ship and spent weeks onboard, but those who survived faced starvation and dehydration.  Ultimately as the reality of hunger set in, many of the survivors felt they had no choice and resorted to cannibalism. Only 15 people fully survived and made it to land. Theodor Gericault became very fascinated with this event and after some deep research, interviewing survivors, and looking at the corpses of those who have died onboard the ship, he needed to put this tragedy on canvas. “The Raft of the Medusa" is emblematic of the Romantic fascination with the sublime, a concept that embraced both the awe-inspiring beauty of nature and the terrifying power of its wrath. Géricault's meticulous attention to detail and the emotive expressions of the figures contribute to the painting's enduring impact, making it a timeless exploration of human endurance and hope in the face of adversity.”(Person, and Amelia Singh. “The Most Beloved and Famous Romantic Paintings: 1st Art Gallery.” 1st Handmade Portraits and Reproductions, 1st Art Gallery, 10 Aug. 2023, www.1st-art-gallery.com/article/the-most-beloved-and-famous-romantic-paintings/.) The raft of Medusa is now mounted in the Louvre Museum in Paris France. The museum has been the painting’s home since the 19th century and is still one of the most celebrated pieces.

While both paintings show the aftermath of tragic events, they are still very different. Les Suites D’un Duel shows the aftermath of a dual by visually showing how one person was defeated while The Raft of The Medusa shows loss on a much larger scale. The Raft of Medusa made me step back for a moment and left me feeling overwhelming sadness for the vastness of pain and suffering so many people experienced. Perhaps it was the fact that I immediately assumed that the dual had been voluntary so both parties knew that danger than was waiting for them or that only one person appeared to be injured, but I didn’t feel as sorry or hurt by the painting.

Citations

- “Behind the Painting: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.” Rhiannon Piper, Rhiannon Piper, 5 Apr. 2024, www.rhiannonpiper.com/articles/82xk32byn24cuvkujyux2e2zkj8a1l. 

- Artvee. “Les Suites d’un Duel by Paul Delaroche.” Artvee, artvee.com/dl/les-suites-dun-duel/.Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.

-Person, and Amelia Singh. “The Most Beloved and Famous Romantic Paintings: 1st Art Gallery.” 1st Handmade Portraits and Reproductions, 1st Art Gallery, 10 Aug. 2023, www.1st-art-gallery.com/article/the-most-beloved-and-famous-romantic-paintings/.

-Daon, Yonatan. “Understanding ‘The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.’” Understanding “The Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog,” Philosophy: I Need It, 16 Mar. 2023, www.philosophyineedit.com/p/a-journey-through-the-mist-uncovering.