Romanticsim

Pilgrim in a Rocky Valley
Carl Gustav 1820

Romanticism was a cultural and artistic movement during the nineteenth and early eighteenth centuries. Romanticism led to developments in literature, music and visual arts due to reactions to the order imposed in the enlightenment. There were five main artistic focuses of the enlightenment: awe of nature, emotion, importance of individual, grotesque/horrific, and irrationality.
This painting is a prime example of Romantic ideals. This painting shows: awe of nature, importance of the individual, emotion, and irrationality. Awe of nature is shown in the way that the landscape is depicted. The walls of the valley are fantastic and awe-inspiring; they are massive and looming. The star in the sky adds to the beauty of nature. Importance of the individual is shown by the sole pilgrim in the painting, he is the clear focus of this painting. Emotion is invoked by this painting by the humbling size and scale of the mountains. This makes the observer feel small, but also makes them appreciate nature. The pilgrim in the middle of the painting appears to be motionless, almost as if reflecting on himself. Irrationality is shown by the presence of the pilgrim in this seemingly isolated valley. What is he doing there? How did he get there?