“Romanticism and Realism; Art and Protest in the 1800s” Please respond to one (1) of the following, using sources under the Explore heading and our weekly readings as the basis of your response, using APA style for citing [using others words].  As prior suggested, choosing a different topic then your own for peer responses helps  you cover more material for weekly comprehension!

• In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein states that “The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine” and “I have described myself as always having been imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature.” Using ideas from the Nature definitions of CH27, defining the Romantic World View, either agree or disagree with Dr. Frankenstein’s attitude about nature and explain why.  Is this view prevalent today?

• CH27 highlights the role of landscape paintings in Romanticism.  Pick (2) artists from the chapter to comparison/contrast based on the attitudes about nature you see used by the two artists, and what supports your view. Do you see such attitudes reflected in the arts today? 

• Yes, Music again, but we would be remiss to not focus on Beethoven’s contributions, as well as how his work also defined the style developments at this time.  Listen to one (1) composition (i.e., for a symphony) by Beethoven, a transitional figure between classical and romantic music. Identify the composition that you listened to, and determine whether you would characterize the chosen composition as either the Classical or Romantic style of music. Explain the key features that lead you to your conclusion. Identify one (1) modern musician who you believe was great at one type of music yet pioneered another – again focus is not on what you can compare back, but how contemporary music is influenced by different styles, and how artists influence each other.

• If looking for another option instead of music, then select one (1) example of a literary work or a work of visual art from the 1800s—either Romantic or Realist in style—that responds in some way to the Industrial Revolution. Identify the work and the artist or writer, describe its features and style [Romantic or Realist], and explain the manner in which it responds to the Industrial Revolution. Identify one (1) specific literary or artistic work of our day that effectively protests a social injustice – we can see in the last two weeks how powerful the arts have been, and are in terms of protest, as well as propaganda.

Explore:

Beethoven

• Chapter 27, Beethoven, qualities of the Romantic style in music (classical style is discussed as well); review Week 4 “Music Folder”
• The Beethoven-Haus Website at http://www.beethoven–haus–bonn.de/sixcms/detail.php?template=portal_en (Note: Click on Digital Archives > Works by Ludwig von Beethoven; then find one [1] of his symphonies and listen to a clip.)
• Beethoven’s Eroica at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XL2ha18i5w and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RFG5rGVL1s

Art Reacting to the Industrial Revolution

• Chapter 28, art and literature in Industrial Revolution
• The Museum of Fine Art in Ghent, Belgium (MSK Gent) – Romantic and Realist Art of the 1800s at http://www.mskgent.be/en/collection/1820-romanticism-and-realism/romanticism-and-realism
• New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art – French Realist Art of the 1800s at http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rlsm/hd_rlsm.htm