Romanticism And Realism Essays - Art History, Nude Art, Free Essays

Romanticism And Realism Essays - Art History, Nude Art, Free Essays Romanticism and Realism At the end of the Baroque Period in the eighteenth and nineteenth century art was divided into two distinct categories, Romanticism and Realism. Romanticism, the passion-filled works illustrating stimulating accounts of specific events with symbolic gestures emerging from the scene, separated itself from the more politically correct stance taken by Realists. A fine example of Romanticism is G?ricault?s Raft of the Medusa. The brutal scene, set afloat on the wild seas, is emphasized by the chiaroscuro modeling of the lump of figures in the center of the raft. The X form of the composition draws your eye all around the composition. The eye starts at the top right with the Revolutionary figure holding on to a piece of cloth in the colors of the French Revolution and then is drawn down the diagonal. G?ricault then depicts the striving, the dying, and the dead as they overlap each other in a fierce struggle to survive. The eye is then drawn up and down the dark opposing diagonal. This whole scene is then placed on the mighty ocean to delineate the fact that the raft is a metaphor for France being on a hostile ocean of depravity. The Grande Odalisque also typifies Romanticism. Ingres, using example such as the Mannerist Parmaganino?s Madonna with a long neck, takes the artistic license to elongate the figure of this Turkish harem girl. Influenced by the neo-classical revival Ingres draws upon the Greek technique of flat linear forms and depicts his model in an impossible position allow us the view of both her shoulders and her breast; the figure is given an extra three vertebrae in order to maintain this position. Ingres endows a feeling of sensuality into the figure instead of the paint. The chromatic effect of the composition pulls the harem girl to the front as she is the only warm color in the piece. Ingres also gives her a very exotic feel with her accessories: the peacock fan, velvet drapes, and other exorbitant furniture. Ingres also uses Raphael?s typical female head and a gaze that says, ?You have just interrupted me,? but you don?t know what you interrupted further intriguing the voyeur. In contrast to the almost mystical passion and intrigue of Grande Odalisque is Rue Transnonain. This lithograph by Daumier is realism in the truest sense. Daumier depict the social injustice of the innocent killing of all the workers in a housing block. Daumier draws in the viewer with the initial scene of a man in his pajamas lying dead against his bed. The viewer is then drawn to pay closer attention to the work. In careful examination of the piece the viewer sees a baby crushed under the man with just its head and arms coming out from under the weight of this man. There is a pool of blood forming from the baby which intends to play on the viewers sympathy eliciting violent emotions of hatred towards the butcher who took the lives of these innocent people who were obviously sleeping as indicated by the attire and disarray of the bed. The awful scene depicted in Rue Transnonain. elicits emotions and a need for social reform. The Third Day of May, by Goya is an example of a transitional piece which reflects both Realism and Romanticism. In this piece Goya depicts a specific incident in which a number a civilians in Madrid were rounded up in killed in retaliation for the deaths of French soldiers a few days before. Painted during Goya?s ?Black Period? the tenebroso conflict of the light fighting away at the dark sky is extremely dramatic and the chromatic effect from this adds to the suspense and drama of the situation at hand. Goya also puts the victim of this murderous rampage in a white shirt to symbolize innocence, strongly drawing on the Romantic style. But Goya also uses the harsh reality of the dead body and the pool of blood accumulating on the ground to make a social commentary on the death of these men, drawing on the school of Realism. Courbet, considered by many the father of realism, also uses techniques of both schools. To illustrate, in Burials of Ornans, Courbet depicts a funeral scene with an intense feel

10 Facts About the Geography of Reykjavik, Iceland

10 Facts About the Geography of Reykjavik, Iceland Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland. It is also the largest city in that country and with its latitude of 64Ëš08N, it is the worlds northernmost capital city for an independent nation. Reykjavik has a population of 120,165 people (2008 estimate) and its metropolitan area or the Greater Reykjavik area has a population of 201,847 people. It is the only metropolitan area in Iceland. Reykjavik is known as being Icelands commercial, governmental and cultural center. It is also known as being the worlds Greenest City for its use of hydro and geothermal power. What to Know About Iceland The following is a list of ten more facts to know about Reykjavik, Iceland: 1) Reykjavik is believed to have been the first permanent settlement in Iceland. It was established in 870 C.E. by Ingà ³lfr Arnarson. The original name of the settlement was Reykjarvik which loosely translated to the Bay of Smokes due to the regions hot springs. The additional r in the citys name was gone by 1300. 2) In the 19th century Icelanders began to push for independence from Denmark and because Reykjavik was the regions only city, it became the center of these ideas. In 1874 Iceland was given its first constitution, which gave it some legislative power. In 1904, executive power was given to Iceland and Reykjavik became the location of the minister for Iceland. 3) During the 1920s and 1930s, Reykjavik became the center of Icelands fishing industry, especially that of salt-cod. During World War II, the allies occupied the city, despite the German occupation of Denmark in April 1940. Throughout the war, both American and British soldiers built bases in Reykjavik. In 1944 the Republic of Iceland was founded and Reykjavik was named as its capital. 4) Following WWII and Icelands independence, Reykjavik began to grow considerably. People began to move to the city from Icelands rural areas as jobs increased in the city and agriculture became less important to the country. Today, finance and information technology are important sectors of Reykjaviks employment. 5) Reykjavik is the economic center of Iceland and Borgartà ºn is the financial center of the city. There are over 20 major companies in the city and there are three international firms with headquarters there. As a result of its economic growth, Reykjaviks construction sector is also growing. 6) Reykjavik is considered a multicultural city and in 2009, foreign-born peoples made up 8% of the citys population. The most common groups of ethnic minorities are Poles, Filipinos, and Danes. 7) The city of Reykjavik is located in southwest Iceland at only two degrees south of the Arctic Circle. As a result, the city gets only four hours of sunlight on its shortest day in the winter and during the summer it receives almost 24 hours of daylight. 8) Reykjavik is located on Icelands coast so the citys topography consists of peninsulas and coves. It also has some islands that were once connected to the mainland during the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. The city is spread out over a large distance with an area of 106 square miles (274 sq km) and as a result, it has a low population density. 9) Reykjavik, like most of Iceland, is geologically active and earthquakes are not uncommon in the city. In addition, there is volcanic activity nearby as well as hot springs. The city is also powered by hydro and geothermal energy. 10) Although Reykjavik is located near the Arctic Circle it has a much milder climate than other cities at the same latitude due to its coastal location and the nearby presence of the Gulf Stream. Summers in Reykjavik are cool while winters are cold. The average January low temperature is 26.6ËšF (-3ËšC) while the average July high temperature is 56ËšF (13ËšC) and it receives about 31.5 inches (798 mm) of precipitation per year. Because of its coastal location, Reykjavik is also usually very windy year round. Sources:Wikipedia.com. Reykjavik - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk