19th Century

The industrial revolution and empire notes

Technology and engineering

·      Steam engine created and the first steam powered printing press was created in 1841

·      The times newspaper owned 2 steam printing presses so daily newspapers were released and mass production began.

·      Newspapers were originally very text heavy containing little to no illustrations.

·      Etchings allowed images to be used in newspapers.

·      Factories and farms used steam machinery.

·      Steam was also used for motion. Trains opened up transport so communication and trade was faster and easier.

·      Photography was invented two different ways around the same time

·      Pinhole or camera obscurer- Henry Fox Talbot and mirror photography- Daguerre

·      War between France and Crimea 1853-1856 conflict between the Russian Empire

·      Flags were very important in art around this time as it inspired people to be more patriotic and support their country.

·      France and Britain became allies because of this war.

·      It was the first war to be recorded on a daily basis because of telegraphs.

1855

·      First photographed war

·      Avoided photographs of the dead to keep up moral

·      The aftermath of the war was recorded in photos-Valley of death

·      Rodger Fenton created these images his camera was the back of a van

·      Prints were made from the photographs by artists for reproduction and printing

American Civil war

·      2^nd Half of the 19^th century

·      It happened after America became independent.

·      Slavery was very apparent and there was a lot of abuse shown towards the African American slaves.

·      Mathew Brady- civil war photographer

·      Images began to loose their impact (the novelty wore off) because there were too many images being made

1851- The Great Exhibition

·      East India trading company belonged to Britain

·      The Indian influence was massive on British textiles

China

·      China produced lots of goods that were especially for Europe as the Asian style was in fashion in Europe

·      These goods were not used in China they were adapted to suit a more British taste.

·      It got out of hand and almost everything even guns had an elaborate Asian pattern on it (just because they could)

Romanticism

·      This art movement was very much against industrialization

·      It celebrated nature

·      Paintings became smaller and more affordable for middle class people so they could have them in their homes.

·      These paintings made everything look more pretty and romantic.

·      This art movement was against machinery because it was putting the working class out of jobs

·      The countryside became empty and the towns and cities became packed because of industry.

·      Charles dickens books showed the reality of the conditions that the working class lived in.

·      William Morris was against all forms of industry so he created all of his art by hand (Chinese influence) 

·      Pre Raphaelite art showed good morals they often showed how work is good. (shown in happy light images)

·      In France their art showed how things really were for people (dark and dreary)

Research task

The reaction of ‘Romanticist’ visual artists to the industrial revolution in the 19^th Century

The art movement of romanticism was all about showing nature and romance within art. Many areas of the creative world took part in this movement for example poets writers and all parts of visual arts were united because of this movement. The movement was very much against the world becoming industrialised and they showed this within their arts by creating images only depicting nature and all natural forms of life. Some artists such as William Morris was so against industrialisation and machinery that he would create all of his pretty, complicated floral designs (figure 1) by hand. 

Inspired by his love of mediaeval art and design, Morris set out to revive the traditions of craftsmanship which, in his mind, had been lost during the Industrial Revolution.[1]

(figure 1) William morris, floral bird pattern

Within the romanticism period some artists were more accepting of industry for example one artist J M W Turner often used vibrant colours to help show the beauty of nature and more dulled down colours to show industrialisation. He used colour in a more of an abstract way to show the natural forces (weather) on earth. He painted in a way that gave a look more towards abstract or impressionism. MW Turner would also attempt to show metaphors in his work, for example in his painting 'Rain, Steam and speed' (figure 2) He shows nature and the industrial world coincide together within one image. The colours help to separate the two metaphors that he is trying to show. 

Like Rain, Steam and Speed, the fighting temeraire (figure 3) seems to involve a muted dialectic between natural and mechanical power.[2]

(figure 2) J M W Turner,  Rain, Steam and Speed,1844

(figure 3) J M W Turner,The fighting temeraire, 1839

[1] William morris- Artist, Philosopher, Poet and Designer. Pdf on web page, http://www.william-morris.co.uk/Morris%20History.pdf (last accessed 21/02/2014)
[2] G Finley, Angel in the sun: Turner's vision of history, McGill-Queen's university press,1999.p 145.