The main trends in the development of West European culture of the XIX century. 
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The border of the XVIII-XIX centuries. was marked by the adoption of new artistic styles - sentimentalism and romanticism. They arose as a reaction to the rationalism of the aesthetics of classicism and the philosophy of the Enlightenment. Sentimentalism declared the dominant of human nature is not reason, but feeling. The motto of art in the Enlightenment, "The mind rules the heart!" Was replaced by the diametrically opposite: "The heart rules the mind!"
Representatives of this style were characterized by a cult of nature, a natural feeling, the original unspoiled people. The images created by sentimentalists are full of sincerity and spiritual nobility. The philosophical foundation of sentimentalism was laid in the works of J. J. Rousseau and D. Didro. Elegance and pastoral moods are felt in the architecture of landscape parks and the intimate palaces and pavilions located in them (works by W. Kent, R. Meek, F. Ehrmansdorf). In painting, sentimentalism manifested itself in the gentle and touching images of young men and women, children and adolescents T. Gainsborough, J. Voile, and the magnificent landscapes of F. Guardi.
Sentimentalism, unlike Rococo, was not an aristocratic style. Its representatives tried to idealize the life of a simple, "small" person, showing it in a natural (real) setting. Despite the idealization of the images of people from the common people, the authors tried to overcome rational straightforwardness in characterizing, introducing elements of dialectics. The hero of sentimental novels tends to commit both noble and unseemly acts.
At the same time, sentimentalism was also called the "philistine style" due to the fact that the demonstration of feelings began to have a somewhat sugary character. All sorts of lyric poems were everywhere - “on every lace of the bell, on every sofa pillow, on any title page of a book, and even on women’s garters,” as a contemporary wrote. Sentimentalism preceded romanticism.
Romanticism was based on the aspiration of the individual to freedom, unattainable spiritual perfection. The emergence of romanticism was also promoted by pessimistic sentiments caused by the results of the French Revolution (1789-1804). The result of the revolution was not only the restoration of the monarchy, but also the Napoleonic wars, which dragged on for almost a decade and a half. Bourgeois orders were established everywhere and philistine psychology reigned. The discrepancy between dreams and reality resulted in "romantic irony." The main idea of romanticism is the idea of protest against too “real” reality, the departure of human passions, fairy-tale heroes, sad elegy into the world. The aesthetics of this style was aimed at the synthesis of art, religion and science and, as a result, the possibility of a new type of culture.
Initially, the term "romanticism" was applied to the literature of the Romano-Germanic peoples, later it embraced music and visual arts, and then philosophy. Romanticism over time began to be interpreted as a general cultural movement, and not just as an artistic style.
It is possible to name the predecessor of romanticism J. Zh. Rousseau who in the era of Enlightenment did not tire of talking about the uniqueness of each person. A contemporary of J.J. Russo, a representative of German classical philosophy, I. G. Fichte, tried in his works to absolutize creative freedom. The romantics set as their goal the creation of a new art-shaped model. The real "prose of life" was based in their understanding on spirituality and utilitarianism, and the statement of a beautiful ideal (alas, accessible only in dreams) was possible for them only as an escape from this reality. Moreover, the "flight" was carried out both in time and in space. Writers and artists chose certain “reserves” for their works that were not defiled by bourgeois culture. In their work, they turned to folklore, idealizing rural life and contrasting it with urban bourgeois civilization. Exotic regions, also not affected by the old culture, were taken as the plot basis, sometimes some fantastic worlds were simply invented.
It was common for romantics to idealize the past. Of particular interest was the Middle Ages with its chivalrous code of honor and patriarchal way of life. But some of the artists, not finding responses to their ideals in the outside world, went into the world of their own "I".
The Age of Enlightenment, continuing the tradition of the Renaissance, recognized the intrinsic value of the individual. Romantics developed this idea, especially noting its uniqueness and uniqueness. To some extent, it can be said that liberal values, which are based on personal freedom and initiative, were transferred by them to the field of art and spiritual life in general.
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One of the characteristic features of romanticism can be considered the extreme variety of dissimilar genre forms and variations. While maintaining the common, unifying features of this style, national varieties are clearly distinguished.
French romanticism proved itself primarily in genre painting - historical, everyday, portraiture, as well as in romance. The whole atmosphere of French public life of the 1820-1830s was extremely favorable for the development of this artistic direction.
The head of French romanticism can be called Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). The spirit of freedom and struggle is reflected in his dynamic compositions, expressive and sonorous in color (“The Massacre on Chios”, “Freedom, Leading the People”). Creative imagination was expressed in canvases recreating the images of eastern countries (“The Crusader’s Capture of Constantinople”, “Algerian Women”). One of the founders of French romanticism is the painter and graphic artist Theodore Gericault (1791-1824). Dramatically intense works ("The Raft of Medusa", "Derby in Epsom") are distinguished by the psychological nature of the characters and the contrast of chiaroscuro.
Text writer: M.V. Sokolova