ROMANTICISM (08.04.2013)

Romanticism (18

th

– first part of 19

th

cent.) in the history of art was a moment when a lot of new

concepts were created, a lot of revolutions took place. Before, it was believed that the most
important thing is imitating ( MIMESIS) and it has changed during Romanticism.

Romantics introduced the new concept of love. Important is this shift:

PUBLIC PRIVATE

This Romantics’ emphasis of love is a consequence of focus on individuality, the importance of being
yourself and what you have inside, the inner voice that talks to you. Also, this change of point of view
was something that was happening gradually.

There’s no need of imitation, because you’re unique, you look inside your heart and there you find
something exceptional which you want to share with others and there’s no need to imitate, because
you show something original, true.

Idea of romanticism – Don’t imitate, create something new.

: Stabat Mater Dolorosa/Stała Matka Boleściwa (this was like a whole category of works

devoted to the same theme) – two pieces, one from 16

th

century and the other one from

19

th

.

Romantic music basically is much louder, uses more instruments and it’s based on contrasts – it’s
moving from a complete silence to an explosion of sound.

SLOW FAST

Romantics are famous because of breaking all kinds of rules. Not only in music but also in literature.
The old literature was based on rule of DECORUM (in classical rhetoric and poetic theory, decorum
designates the appropriateness of style to subject). The Romantics mixed everything (e.g. TRAGEDY +
COMEDY = TRAGICOMEDY).

In the classical period people believed that the true beauty is characterized by the right proportions.

The Romantics – beauty mixed with horror. The beauty should be something inspiring (in this point of
view classical beauty can be perceived as something “average”. If you said Romantic ‘oh, this is nice’
he could take it as an insult, because he wanted to create something extraordinary. People should be
really IMPRESSED by art. You need to present them something new, even frighten them).

Edmund Burke - A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful

In this book beauty is actually contrasted with the sublime. The Beautiful, according to Burke, is what
is well-formed and aesthetically pleasing, whereas the Sublime is what has the power to compel and
destroy us.

The Sublime has to be an astonishment connected with horror (according to this horror is not a
negative emotion because it inspires people).