Painting in the Romantic Era

A film by André Meier | 2021 | arte | mdr

Towards the end of the 18th century, a new cross-genre cultural movement is starting to gain influence in Europe. The Romantic Era has begun. For the first time in art history societal developments are met with skepticism by a large number of artists, poets and musicians. The industrial revolution has changed everyday life dramatically on the European continent. Social structures erode as faith and family bonds lose their cohesion. Individuals who until then were sheltered within society are increasingly becoming directionless and rootless. The parallels to the here and now are obvious. While it was the steam engine that changed the realities of people radically two centuries ago, it is the digital revolution today. With this topical background the film reminds us of the multi-facetted and, until today, fascinating art of the Romantic Era. It describes it as a European phenomenon and portrays its artistic and ideological spectrum at the hands of different painters such as Delacroix, Wenezianow and Caspar David Friedrich.