In simple words…What is Realism ?
What is realism ?
Realism is an art movement emerged in the mid-19th century primarily in Europe, as a reaction to “Romanticism”. It sought to depict naturalistic, almost photographic image onto canvas; often focusing on everyday life and ordinary people. Realist artists aimed to represent the world without any mythological figure or divine character, solely portray the world as it truly appeared.
The invention of photography in the middle of the 19th century had a profound effect on realism, as painters explored for fresh approaches to depicting reality in reaction to this emerging medium. In response to photography, artists also focused on subjects that were impossible for a camera to capture, like the play of light through leaves or on water, to which Impressionist brushwork provided an illusion of rapid movement and striking colour that was yet beyond the frame of the photograph. But the Impressionism movement is another topic that needs to be discussed.
If we want to talk about artists, the Gustave Courbet (1819–77), a prominent realist artist accepted as the pioneer of the movement also includes; Jean-François Millet, Honoré Daumier, and Winslow Homer.
Gustave COURBET
A Burial At Ornans is a special painting illustrates that now “art” have social and political power to control the society. The reality is given in a more naturalistic and realistic way, the aspect of the painting is to provide precise moment capture. The composition made through three different parts:
Bottom of the painting: the hole, which represent the idea of a funeral scene.
Middle of the painting: mass of people — all people have different characteristics, distinct social classes merged at the funeral, women crying, people from poverty and wealth is given in the same frame shows the realistic aspect.
Upper side of the painting (background): the crucified Christ & landscape — creating a deep visual, there is no precise perspective like we saw in Millet’s works.
The color palette of the painting is in darker shades, providing the emotions better also distinguishing the figures from one another successfully. The painting is so big that about three meters, it invites viewer to be in the exact moment with them.
Jean-François Millet
In this artwork, the reality of landscape is depicted. Before that, we used to see more fantasized, idealized works although, here ordinary people are at the centre of the attention. Naturally working in their environment. The shape of the bodies are given bigger than usual and have some kind of movement. In order to achieve a lifelike representation, realist artworks frequently exhibit painstaking attention to detail, capturing the subtleties of light, texture, and form.
What is changing in the society ?
We have started to see group of poor people, a mass of people, close-up looks on a particular environment with emotions such as sorrow & noise. Like we see in the painting from,
Honore Daumier
Sitted people in this work of art do not look happy, there is a sense of drama tried to convey by drawing third class carriage people. Through social commentary, artists brought attention to the hardships and injustices that the working class, peasants, and other oppressed groups had to deal with . A social citizen, real life is successfully captured. A new type of art, new reality with the rise of photography can be seen.
