Rachel
The shift from romanticism to realism had as much to do with the growing American landscape as well as the dramatic social and economic changes. This movement, coupled with the constant influx of immigrants and a decline in the popularity of genre paintings, provoked an intense nationalistic reaction as artists attempted to capture the very essence of their nation.
Still life, while not the most highly praised of all the emerging art forms, became very important, especially with the Peale Family. Also known as the “art of deception,” still-life painting was dominated by “fruits and vegetables [during] … the first half of the 19th century, with flower paintings gaining popularity in the 1840s, paintings of game and fish in the 1860s, and paintings of compilations of manufactured objects at the end of the century” (Pohl). While romanticism called for emotion and national pride, realism suggested a more logical and calm approach, but with the loud pride of romanticism in check. Raphaelle and James Peale popularized the category of still-life painting and often drew inspiration from 17th and 18th century French, Dutch and Spanish still-life paintings (Pohl). Both Raphaelle Peale’s Still Life completed in 1818 and James Peale’s Vegetables with Yellow Blossoms completed in 1828 both showcase the beginning period of realism. Each painting holds a variety of fruits and vegetables found commonly around the home, and both were painted in meticulous detail. Seen often during this era is the bright lighting coming from only one side and the restriction to a shallow space; these criteria “force the viewer to pay attention to objects that would normally not be noticed in daily life” (Pohl).
A notion to consider for the realism period of American art is that still life, “no matter how expert one might become in the production of this type of art, it should never be ones primary focus of attention” (Pohl). Regarded as secondary, it was no wonder “that women found an accepted place as still-life painters” (Pohl), especially since many wrote books about sentimental flowers. Unfortunately, male artists still overshadowed women even in this lesser genre, and commanded even the feminine style of flower painting. One such artist was Severin Roesen who was regarded as painting the “ultimate embodiment of mid-century optimism, representing the richness and abundance of the land” (Pohl) which was becoming a more and more popular sentiment in America. Roesen’s painting Flowers in a Glass Pitcher with Bird's Nest and Fruit completed in 1867 showcases this glorification of the nation with a variety of flowers and fruits, compiled delicately and recorded meticulously.
The transition from a violent and emotional expression of nationalistic pride into a demure and subtle appreciation for nature and life created emptiness within American life during the 19th century. While romantic art, with its vibrant lines and obvious contentment, did not disappear immediately, realism began to invade piece by piece. Soon, the celebration of the mundane, of the food that allows life, simultaneously reassures and puzzles Americans who were so used to the glorification of battles and the beauty of nature (Pohl). The concurrent genres of romanticism and realism paved the way for the future of art and allowed the opportunity for the development of very different styles to occur simultaneously.
Works Cited
Peale, James. Vegetables with Yellow Blossoms. 1828. Oil on canvas. The Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Delaware.
Peale, Raphaelle. Still Life. 1818. Oil on board. Collection of Edith and Robert Graham, n.p.
Pohl, Frances K. Framing America: A Social History of American Art. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Roesen, Severin. Flowers in a Glass Pitcher with Bird's Nest and Fruit. 1867. Oil on canvas. Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The shift from romanticism to realism had as much to do with the growing American landscape as well as the dramatic social and economic changes. This movement, coupled with the constant influx of immigrants and a decline in the popularity of genre paintings, provoked an intense nationalistic reaction as artists attempted to capture the very essence of their nation.
Still life, while not the most highly praised of all the emerging art forms, became very important, especially with the Peale Family. Also known as the “art of deception,” still-life painting was dominated by “fruits and vegetables [during] … the first half of the 19th century, with flower paintings gaining popularity in the 1840s, paintings of game and fish in the 1860s, and paintings of compilations of manufactured objects at the end of the century” (Pohl). While romanticism called for emotion and national pride, realism suggested a more logical and calm approach, but with the loud pride of romanticism in check. Raphaelle and James Peale popularized the category of still-life painting and often drew inspiration from 17th and 18th century French, Dutch and Spanish still-life paintings (Pohl). Both Raphaelle Peale’s Still Life completed in 1818 and James Peale’s Vegetables with Yellow Blossoms completed in 1828 both showcase the beginning period of realism. Each painting holds a variety of fruits and vegetables found commonly around the home, and both were painted in meticulous detail. Seen often during this era is the bright lighting coming from only one side and the restriction to a shallow space; these criteria “force the viewer to pay attention to objects that would normally not be noticed in daily life” (Pohl).
A notion to consider for the realism period of American art is that still life, “no matter how expert one might become in the production of this type of art, it should never be ones primary focus of attention” (Pohl). Regarded as secondary, it was no wonder “that women found an accepted place as still-life painters” (Pohl), especially since many wrote books about sentimental flowers. Unfortunately, male artists still overshadowed women even in this lesser genre, and commanded even the feminine style of flower painting. One such artist was Severin Roesen who was regarded as painting the “ultimate embodiment of mid-century optimism, representing the richness and abundance of the land” (Pohl) which was becoming a more and more popular sentiment in America. Roesen’s painting Flowers in a Glass Pitcher with Bird's Nest and Fruit completed in 1867 showcases this glorification of the nation with a variety of flowers and fruits, compiled delicately and recorded meticulously.
The transition from a violent and emotional expression of nationalistic pride into a demure and subtle appreciation for nature and life created emptiness within American life during the 19th century. While romantic art, with its vibrant lines and obvious contentment, did not disappear immediately, realism began to invade piece by piece. Soon, the celebration of the mundane, of the food that allows life, simultaneously reassures and puzzles Americans who were so used to the glorification of battles and the beauty of nature (Pohl). The concurrent genres of romanticism and realism paved the way for the future of art and allowed the opportunity for the development of very different styles to occur simultaneously.
Works Cited
Peale, James. Vegetables with Yellow Blossoms. 1828. Oil on canvas. The Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Delaware.
Peale, Raphaelle. Still Life. 1818. Oil on board. Collection of Edith and Robert Graham, n.p.
Pohl, Frances K. Framing America: A Social History of American Art. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Roesen, Severin. Flowers in a Glass Pitcher with Bird's Nest and Fruit. 1867. Oil on canvas. Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.