Romanticism was a reaction to the neoclassical writers of the Enlightenment
The works of romantic writers included simple, direct language, intense feeling, and a glorification of nature
The romantic hero often had a guilty secret and faced a grim destiny
Romantic writers combined history, legend, and folklore
Architects were also inspired by old styles and forms
Romantics painted many subjects, from simple peasant life to medieval knights to current events
They used bright colors to convey violent energy an emotion
By the mid-1800s, a new artistic movement, realism, took hold in the West
Realists often focused their work on the harsh side of life in cities or villages
Painters rejected romantic emphasis on imagination, they focused on ordinary subjects, especially working class men and women
By the 1840s, a new art form, photography, was emerging
At first, many photos were stiff, posed portraits of middle class families or prominent people
Other photographs reflected the romantics' fascination with faraway places
In time, photographers used the camera to present the grim realities of life
Since the Renaissance, painters had carefully finished their paintings so that no brush strokes showed
By concentrating on visual impressions rather than realism, artists achieved a fresh view of familiar subjects