SCENIC SAZ: The Origins of Realism

Before realism, many art schools such as the Royal Academy believed that Art should be informative, morally uplifting, sophisticated and beautiful, all inspired by the Classical tradition. However, during the 19^th century, the world was changing at a fast pace, countries throughout Europe where wanting a revolution, the Industrial revolution had already sparked a modern era with lighting, technology, food and transportation. Artists and sculptors no longer wanted to make Art praising the Classical era or biblical stories, instead they wanted to create art which related to the present, their own perceptions in life and their contemporary environment. A new artistic movement was born, Realism, lead by Gustave Courbet who believed if he could not see something, he would not paint it and instead his art would have a social consciousness which would portray the real world, in with no fabrications or longing for the past.