39 Melodious Facts About The Romantic Period To Fall In Love With

The Romantic period was a popular movement that swept through Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The movement saw a rise in romantic music, art, and literature styles, with many artists employing free and whimsical methods of artistry. Britain was probably the first country to observe a notable romantistic movement, with Germany soon following suit.

If you are an artist, interested in art history, or simply love artwork and literature from the Romantic era, then these fun facts are perfect for you. Read on to learn everything you need about this revolutionary period for music, art, and ideas of nature and human life.

Introduction To The Romantic Era

Europe's late 18th century and the early 19th century saw the development of the Romantic movement, or the Romantic period, which greatly influenced music, literature, and visual arts.

• The Romanticism movement stressed the significance of emotions, imagination, nature, human existence, freedom of expression, individualism, and ancient folk traditions like stories and fairy tales.
• Romanticism was an outgrowth of the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment's aristocratic social and political ideals.
• A notable Romantistic movement was observed in Germany, which was seen as the epicenter.
• Britain was also an early observer of the Romanticism movement, and the adoption of romantic styles was observed by artists all over the country.
• Additionally, it was a response against the reduction of nature to simple science.
• The Romanticism movement was most visibly present in the arts, especially music and literature.
• However, it also significantly impacted natural history, historiography, and education, much of which is still reflected in written and visual works from the era.

Characteristics Of The Romantic Period And Fun Facts

Unlike the impressionism or cubism ages, which their techniques can describe, Romanticism cannot be so generalized. Let us read about the main characteristics that this movement showed.

• Romanticism is distinguished instead by the values followed by the people of the era.
• These ideas prioritized deep emotions as well as individuality and personal expression.
• The focus was on the deeper meaning of life rather than the latest fashions and scientific development.
• In contrast, the Neoclassicism period directly opposed the concepts of Romanticism. The two movements' ideals were almost polar opposites of one another.
• Romanticism focused more on emotion, spirituality, human life, and nature than science, logic, or industry.
• Instead of the usual emphasis on society, this time period also emphasized freedom from authority, with people developing new social and political ideas.
• The Romantic period is best described as a revolt against the Neoclassicism of earlier centuries in literature and art during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
• The main focuses of Romanticism were undoubtedly imagination, emotion, and independence, and some of the world's best pieces of literature and art are a product of the influence of the Romantic period.
• Interestingly, many Romantic-era artists used paintings of catastrophic disasters to illustrate the dominance of nature over humanity.
• Paintings of shipwrecks were particularly prevalent, and there are several examples of them today.
• The masterpiece 'The Raft of Medusa' by Theodore Gericault, a piece of art representing soldiers in a shipwreck, is arguably one of the best examples of this phenomenon in Romanticism.
• Similar to natural calamities, animals were also a popular theme in paintings of the Romanticism era.
• However, lifelike precision was not necessary for their portrayal, with the artists emphasizing the animal's traits and qualities rather than their physical appearance. This led to the creation of some peculiar paintings.
• Another prevalent theme observed in the Romantic era is the escape from real life into fantasy. Many romantic artists did what others weary of the world did. They turned away from it and into fantasy.
• Fairy tales, mythology, and folklore were major sources of inspiration for many of the time's paintings.
• One such instance is John William Waterhouse's painting 'The Lady of Shalott', which was influenced by Alfred Tennyson's poem about Lady Elaine of Astolat.
• Poetry was also an essential aspect of the Romantic period. Many famous poets like William Wordsworth (who published his famous collection 'Lyrical Ballads'), Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Percy Bysshe Shelley poured their hearts out into intricate and soulful poems, which are seen as classics today.
• As Wordsworth mentioned, poetry was defined as "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" during this era. The poet recollected these feelings in tranquillity, which could be turned into art.
• In literature, the Romantic movement was followed by Realism in the late half of the 19th century. The Age of Enlightenment preceded it.
• Nationalism was one of the key elements of Romanticism. Focusing on traditional language, folklore, and local customs called for a renewed sense of nationalism.
• The German movement showed interest in traveling, nature, and, later, Gothic motifs.

Major Events Of The Romantic Period

• The Romantic period was interspersed with many important events in history and began with the Industrial Revolution.
• The Industrial Revolution saw people move from villages and the countryside to larger towns and cities, exposing them to more liberal culture and ideas. It also led to a better way of life for many, who were able to build up their wealth.
• The French Revolution closely followed the onset of the Industrial Revolution- a major event that moved almost all of Europe.
• The fall of the French regime and its oppressive methods left the people to pursue more liberal ideas and ways of living, like liberty and equality for all.
• Eugene Delacroix, a famous French artist, born right at the onset of the French Revolution, is seen as the leader of the romanticism movement in France, showcasing the concepts of liberty and freedom.
• Many great authors also published their greatest works during this era. Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein', John Keats 'Ode to a Nightingale' and Lord Byron's 'Don Juan' are among some of the undeniable classics that were born as a result of the new and exciting way of thinking of artists in the Romantic period.
• The famous German linguists, the Brothers Grimm, published their collection of popular folklore and fairytales, many of which have become classic children's fairy tales today. These tales became an essential part of German Romanticism.
• Another early influence and inspiration of German Romanticism were the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who wrote 'The Sorrows of Young Werther'.
• The Romantic era also saw the rise and fall of the notorious French dictator Napolean Bonaparte, who aimed to take over Europe and wage war against Britain.
• The Romantic era saw an increase in classical musicians, with artists like Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn composing and performing some of their best music. Beethoven composed his iconic 'Symphony No. 9' during this period.
• Most Romance-era melodies were written for and performed using the piano. They were splendid and intricate, however, not as much so as the music of the Baroque period.
• In this period, Romantic chess also came to light. Here, winning was secondary to moving with aesthetic style and then winning.