Isabella Flores
The 1870s saw a variety of artistic subjects and styles emerge and develop. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870, for example, caused French Impressionists like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro to relocate to London, introducing new styles to the city. Impressionism, which originated in France, rejected the rigorous rules of academic painting, favouring expressive and realistic depictions. In England, Romanticism, which had been established in the 18th century, continued to be popular, with artists depicting man's relationship to God, history paintings, landscapes, and seascapes. Victorian painting, which refers to the artistic styles of the United Kingdom during Queen Victoria's reign (1837-1901), was influenced by Joshua Reynolds and the Royal Academy of Arts, who promoted the idealisation and nobility of subjects, particularly in portraits of the nobility, military scenes, and historical events.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | Neoclassicism, Realism, Romanticism, Impressionism |
| Subjects | Landscapes, seascapes, interior scenes, people reading, politicians, nature, animals, classical antiquity |
| Techniques | Smooth surfaces, no brushstrokes, bold linear drawing, strong juxtapositions of light and shadow, bright colours |
| Purpose | To convey moral lessons, to appeal to the elite, to convey emotions, to glorify heroism or sadness of events |
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What You'll Learn
Portraits of nobility
In the 19th century, the demand for portraiture was influenced by the increasing wealth and power of the nobility and merchant classes. Portraiture served as a means of displaying their status and influence. Portraits of nobility in the 1870s would have been informed by the artistic movements of the time, including Romanticism, Neoclassicism, and Realism, as well as the earlier influences of Byzantine and Islamic art.
Romanticism, which had been established in England in the 18th century, often depicted man's relationship with God, his place in the cosmos, and history painting but with a Romantic twist. Later, in France, Romantic paintings included contemporary scenes that glorified the terror, heroism, or sadness of events. Romantic paintings were often characterised by bold, linear drawings and strong juxtapositions of light and shadow, with a sketchy, grainy appearance.
Neoclassical paintings, on the other hand, derived from subjects of classical antiquity, with compositions inspired by ancient Greek and Roman epic poems and stories. These paintings were well-lit and well-delineated, with figures that were easily distinguishable from the shadows. Any shadows present did not obscure the composition and the focal point was always clear.
Realist artists of the time included Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, who was known for his paintings of interior scenes and landscapes, and Honoré Daumier, whose Realist works depicted politicians and other interior scenes. Realist works were highly politicised and violated the rigorous rules of academic painting, which favoured carefully finished, realistic paintings.
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Military scenes
Military art has a long history, with its roots in ancient Roman art, where elaborate triumphal columns depicted military campaigns. Military scenes continued to be popular subjects for paintings in the Renaissance, and by the mid-18th century, artists, particularly in Britain, sought to revive military art with large-scale works centred on heroic incidents. This trend continued into the 19th century, with French artists such as Ernest Meissonier, Edouard Detaille, and Alphonse de Neuville establishing military genre painting in the Paris Salon.
During the Napoleonic era, French artists added Romanticism to their style, portraying individual soldiers with more character. This shift towards Romanticism emphasised the emotional, personal, and imaginative aspects of art, often glorifying the terror, heroism, or sadness of events. In the 1850s, new forms of military art faced opposition from the Royal Academy in the United Kingdom, but found favour in countries like Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Lands, where large forces and uniforms were a common focus.
By the 1870s, military art continued to evolve, with artists like Eugène Delacroix painting smaller combat scenes that depicted notorious attacks or glorified armed civilian revolutionaries. The influence of Neoclassicism, with its focus on order and idealisation, also remained evident in some works, particularly in their smooth surfaces and clear focal points. Impressionism emerged in France in the 1870s as well, challenging academic painting's rigorous rules with looser, more expressive styles.
Overall, military scenes as a subject for paintings remained popular in the 19th century, with artists depicting both contemporary conflicts and past battles, often drawing on a range of artistic movements and styles to convey the drama, emotion, and significance of military engagements.
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Historical scenes
In the 1870s, the Realism movement was popular in Europe, particularly in France. Realist artists focused on the truthful representation of everyday subjects, common laborers, and normal people, rather than elevating their subjects to monumental importance. This was a departure from the Neoclassical history paintings and Romanticism that preceded it.
During this time, history painting continued to be a subject of interest for artists and critics. History painting in the eighteenth century offered a model of virtue, functioning as a moral guide and a source of universal truth. By the late nineteenth century, history painting had become official art and was used for propagandist and reactionary purposes. While history painting typically dealt with subjects that were familiar to the majority of viewers, skilled artists could communicate via an unfamiliar narrative.
Aestheticism's reinvention of history painting led to a more elite version of the genre. Instead of appealing to a broad public, this new form of history painting targeted viewers with a sophisticated appreciation of aesthetics. These paintings were often exhibited in exclusive galleries where an appropriate audience could be guaranteed.
Some artists continued to communicate moral or philosophical meanings via subjects taken from traditional sources of history painting, such as the Bible, mythology, literature, or historical events. For example, Solomon J. Solomon's history paintings received mixed criticism. His painting "Samson" was described as "a big subject largely treated on a big canvas, full undoubtedly of life and movement, but somewhat coarse and exaggerated." In contrast, his later painting "Niobe" was viewed as a successful reply to critics who believed the artist could only succeed when the subject was violent and dramatic.
Overall, while the Realism movement dominated the 1870s, history painting continued to be a subject of interest and debate among artists and critics, with a shift towards more elite and exclusive forms of expression.
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Landscapes and seascapes
In the 19th century, landscape and seascape paintings were popular genres. During this time, French landscape painting underwent a remarkable transformation, evolving from a minor genre rooted in classical traditions to a primary vehicle for artistic experimentation. The emergence of Impressionism in the 1870s also played a significant role in elevating the status of landscape and seascape paintings. Artists during this time, such as Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, painted interior scenes and landscapes.
Landscape painters often sought to elevate their status by following the lead of Claude Lorrain, a French-born painter of the 17th century who settled in Rome. Lorrain's paintings of the Roman countryside were augmented with narrative references to the biblical or classical past, imposing a sense of balance and harmony. This emphasis on timeless landscapes with historical vignettes persisted into the early decades of the 19th century. The Neoclassical landscape painter Pierre Henri de Valenciennes worked to establish a Prix de Rome honouring "historical landscape" painting, which was first awarded in 1817.
In the 1830s, a group of painters settled in Barbizon, near the Fontainebleau Forest, becoming the first generation of French artists to reject idealized Italianate scenes in favour of naturalistic observations of their native land. These artists, including Charles-François Daubigny and Théodore Rousseau, sketched directly from nature (en plein air). Daubigny constructed a floating studio on a boat that he sailed along the Seine and Oise rivers to capture views of their banks. Another hub of plein-air painting emerged in Normandy along the English Channel in the 1850s, where Eugène Boudin painted scenes of vacationers enjoying the beaches.
The next generation of landscape painters, who adopted the name Impressionists in 1877, continued to use this plein-air approach. During the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist periods, there was a significant amount of landscape painting being done. These artists often elevated contemporary subjects, rejected illusionism, and emphasized the act of painting. Some important trends in the development of modernist art first emerged in the landscapes of this era.
Seascapes were also a popular subject for 19th-century painters, with many artists specializing in this genre. Oil paintings of seascapes were created by artists such as Ivan Aivazovsky, Gustave Courbet, and Eugène Delacroix. Other notable 19th-century seascape painters include Louis Verboeckhoven, William Trost Richards, and Elias Muukka. These artworks often depicted turbulent storms, ships, and rocky coastlines.
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Scenes from nature
In the 1870s, landscape painting, also known as landscape art, was a popular subject. Landscape art involves the depiction of natural scenery, including mountains, valleys, rivers, trees, and forests. The sky is almost always included in the view, and the weather is often an element of the composition. Landscape art can be traced back to antiquity, with the earliest "pure landscapes" being frescoes from Minoan art around 1500 BCE. Ancient Roman wall frescoes also incorporated elements of landscape and gardens, creating the illusion of windows that opened up into imaginary landscapes.
During the 19th century, landscape painting coexisted with Neoclassicism until the middle of the century, when both styles evolved or were eclipsed by other movements. The Romantic movement, which emerged in the 18th century in England and later evolved in France, favoured emotional, personal, and imaginative aspects of art over the order and idealisation of Neoclassicism. Romantic paintings often depicted man's relationship to God and his place in the cosmos, as well as history painting executed in the Romantic style. Landscape and seascape paintings were also popular genres within Romanticism.
In the 1870s, Impressionism emerged in France as a stylistic movement that gained popularity throughout Europe for the next five decades. Impressionist painters, including Claude Monet, Renoir, and Pissarro, rebelled against the rigorous rules of academic painting, favouring freely brushed colours over lines and contours. They often painted en plein air, capturing the natural scenery outdoors. The development of ready-mixed oil paints in tubes during this time facilitated this practice.
While landscape painting was gaining popularity, it was not universally accepted as high art by all academies. The great academies of Italy and France placed history paintings—classical, religious, mythological, and allegorical works—above all other subjects. Landscape art was often viewed merely as a setting for more acceptable narrative scenes. However, the inclusion of landscape backgrounds in history paintings contributed to the development of landscape painting as a distinct genre.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 1870s, the UK was witnessing a wave of social and political change, and this was reflected in the art of the time. Some popular subjects for paintings in 1870 included:
- Classical scenes: Artists like Frederic Leighton were influenced by classical sculptures, and used bright colours to depict classical subjects.
- Nature: Artists like Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot were known for their paintings of landscapes and interior scenes.
- History painting: This genre was decreasing in popularity, but still found a place in public spaces and exhibitions.
- Sentimental paintings: Paintings of dogs exhibiting emotions were a highly popular subject, with artists like Landseer and Briton Rivière gaining recognition for their works.
In terms of style, there were a few different movements that were considered appropriate in 1870:
- Neoclassicism: This style involved subjects derived from Classical antiquity, with a focus on smooth surfaces and clear focal points.
- Romanticism: This movement emphasised the emotional, personal, and imaginative aspects of art, and often depicted man's relationship to God and his place in the cosmos.
- Realism: Artists like Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Honoré Daumier were known for their realistic depictions of interior scenes and landscapes.
In 1870, there was a shift away from the traditional role of the artist as a moral teacher. Art critic Walter Pater's book "The Renaissance", published in 1873, led a backlash against Pre-Raphaelitism, arguing that art should be pursued for its own sake, rather than for moralising or storytelling. This new perspective influenced a generation of painters who created works designed for aesthetic appeal rather than narrative or subject.
In terms of technical considerations, there were a few factors that were considered important in 1870:
- Composition: A well-composed painting with a clear focal point and effective use of light and shadow was considered essential.
- Drawing skills: In the Neoclassical style, painters attached great importance to the art of drawing, ensuring smooth surfaces and clear figures.
- Colour: The use of bright colours to depict classical scenes became popular, inspired by recent archaeological discoveries.
