The History of Modern Painting, Volume 1 (of 4) / Revised edition continued by the author to the end of the XIX century

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Gutenberg ID

43792

Title

The History of Modern Painting, Volume 1 (of 4) / Revised edition continued by the author to the end of the XIX century

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Richard Muther's comprehensive survey traces the evolution of modern painting from the legacy of the eighteenth century through the nineteenth century. It examines the shift from classical traditions to Romanticism, the rise of historical and genre schools, and the psychological depth of artists like Anselm Feuerbach, offering a critical analysis of European art's stylistic and thematic transformations.

Summary up to 500 words

Richard Muther's *The History of Modern Painting, Volume 1* chronicles the evolution of art from the legacy of the eighteenth century through the turbulent nineteenth century. The narrative begins by examining the transition from classical to naturalistic schools in England, highlighting figures like William Hogarth and Sir Joshua Reynolds, before moving to the Continent where the *Sturm-und-Drang* period and the literary influences of Rousseau and Goethe reshaped artistic sensibilities. Muther details the subsequent Classical Reaction, characterized by a revival of antique ideals in Germany and France under the guidance of Winckelmann and Jacques-Louis David. This era of rigid form gave way to the Romantic revolt led by Théodore Géricault and Eugène Delacroix, who championed color, emotion, and the sublime over the cold precision of Ingres. The text explores the fragmentation of these movements into distinct national styles, including the Nazarenes in Germany who sought spiritual renewal in the Italian Quattrocento, and the Düsseldorf and Munich schools. A significant portion of the volume is dedicated to Anselm Feuerbach, whose work Muther analyzes as a unique phenomenon of the age. Feuerbach is portrayed not merely as an artist but as a psychological case study, a "neurotic brooder" whose paintings reflect the modern soul's struggle between the ideal of absolute beauty and the reality of individual suffering. Muther argues that Feuerbach's melancholic, subdued tones and static figures reveal the decadent fever of the nineteenth century, contrasting sharply with the exuberance of Renaissance masters. As the volume progresses, it traces the shift from heroic historical illustration to the "pictures of manners," which prioritized intimacy and the depiction of ordinary life. This transition is exemplified by artists like Ernest Meissonier and Adolf Menzel, who mediated between the past and present. The work concludes by assessing the victory over pseudo-idealism, marking a decisive move away from grandiose historical narratives toward a more personal, introspective art that captures the complex, often sorrowful realities of the modern human condition. Through this comprehensive survey, Muther establishes the logic of modern art's evolution, proving that the new styles were not mere eclecticism but a necessary response to the intellectual and spiritual contradictions of their time.

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4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Art