In 1800, the introspective German pot Novalis created one of Romanticism’s most potent symbols, the blaue Blume, the elusive “blue flower” that has symbolized Romantic yearning ever since.

The 18th century in Europe was supposedly the “Age of Reason.” But its failures – its wars, its oppressive regimes, its disappointment with itself- suggest the idea to reason alone was not enough. Intuition was at least its equal. Feelings were as good as thought, and nature still had lessons to teach civilization.



One factor underlying this new perception was closer contact between Europe and previously unknown worlds and cultures. In the New World, explorers found an inspiring wilderness. The scientific drawings made on an expedition to Quito, Ecuador, by Spanish engineers in the mid – 1700s seem calculated to arouse the senses with awe and reverence for nature.

Meanwhile, the “noble savage” seemed to disclose wisdom that reason and learning could not unlock without the help of simple passions. The prevailing mood of the 19th century in the West was romantic, sentimental, enthusiastic, nostalgic, chaotic, and self critical, where that of the 18th century, at its most characteristic, had been rational, ordered, detached, passionless, complacent, and assertive. The change that overtook Beethoven’s music or Goya’s painting during the Napoleonic Wars was symptomatic of the transformation of a whole culture.



The Romantic movement was not just a reaction against informally deified reason and classicism” it was also a re-blending of popular sensibilities into the values and tastes of educated people. Its poetry was “the language of ordinary men”; its grandeur rustic’ its religion was “enthusiasm,” which was a dirty word in the salons of the Ancien Regime but drew crowds of thousands to popular preachers.

The music Romanticism ransacked traditional airs for melodies. Its theater and opera borrowed from the cacophonous serenades of street mummers. Its prophet was the German philosopher johan von Herder, who praised the normal power of the “true poetry” of “those whom we call savages.”



Its philosopher was Rousseau, who taught the superiority of untutored passions over contrived refinement. Its slogan was devised by collector of folk tales such as Jakob Grimm: “ Das Volk dichtet (“ The people make poetry”).

Its portraiture showed society ladies in peasant dress in gardens “landscaped” to look natural, reinvaded by romance. “The people” had arrived in European history as a creative force and as a re-molder of ts master in its own image.
The 19th century, the century of Romanticism, would also awaken democracy, socialism, industrialization, “total” war, and “the masses” – backed by far – seeking members of the elite – “against the classes.”

And as usually a quote will be left to ponder on:

“Return to Nature! She will..drive from your heart… the anxieties which rend you… the hatreds that separate you from Man whom you must love!” - Baron d’Holbach, System of Nature (1770)

Good readings on this include:

Berlin’s “The Root of Romanticism” (1965) is a challenging collection of lectures, while W. Vaughan’s, while W. Vaughan’s “Romanticism and art (1994) is a spirited survey, and D. Wu’s “Companion to Romanticism” (1999) is a useful background guide.
J. Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) is the archetypal tale of a tragic romantic hero.

Paintings to enjoy:

The pastoral setting of this 18th century family portrait (of King Ferdinand IV of Naples by Angelica Kaufmann) represented a move toward a less formal style of portraiture.



The Wanderer – The “failure’ of the “Age of Reason” led many to conclude that nature still had lessons to teach civilization. Caspar Friedrich’s painting Wanderer above the Sea of Clouds (1818) depicts the sense of awe felt by the Romantics at the majesty of the natural world.

I forgot the questions. Okay let me see...hmmmm

Do you believe that nature still has something to teach mankind?

What do you think of the age of Romanticism? Was it a good concept or a bad one or it really didn't matter? Explain your reasons.

Yes, I do believe nature still has something to teach. Proabably more now then even back then. We're so out of tune with nature that it's amazing. People don't even understand the basic concept of how one's food gets to the plate.

I think it was okay, though people were still doing natre on their own views of what should and shouldn't be.

I want to see what one does when they come across "wait a frackin minute vines" like are out in my woods. Nasty thorny vines, nothing romantic about them! LOL!

Thank you for taking the time to reply to the questions. They sound great

Anymore takers to keep this thread alive?