Day 19: Realism

You could think of Realism as being almost like a photograph. Realist painters depicted life as it was happening as truthfully as possible without the addition of artistic standards, unlikely scenarios, or bizarre and mystical elements. Realist works represented real people and real situations in all classes of life, even if it was good or bad. Sometimes they even highlighted the things that were unpleasant or disgusting. In the beginning, it often depicted the changes that occurred because of the Industrial and Commercial Revolutions.

The term Realism began with Gustave Courbet after a painting of his (The Painter’s Studio, 1855) was rejected by the Universal Exhibition in France in the 1855. Because Realism moved away from the ideal in creating works, artists started to feel more comfortable depicting real-life situations, minus aesthetics. It influenced art styles from Impressionism to Pop-Art and continues to influence the styles of today. 

The Painter's Studio, Gustave Courbet, 1855

The Gleaners, Jean-Françoise Millet, 1857

The Third Class Wagon, Honoré Daumier, 1862-64

Young Girl Reading, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1868

The End of the Working Day, Jules Breton, 1886-87