Photography in the Romantic Era

Setting the Stage

There was a continuation of technological advancements as the world entered the romantic era. These helped set the stage for a change in art and the addition of photography. There was continued exploration of the world at this point, and the Americas were becoming increasingly colonized. There was the outbreak of the Civil War during this time period, which also aided in the Romantic Era’s theme of war.

Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur was born in 1822 in France, and lived until 1895. He contributed largely to science with many discoveries such as milk pasteurizing and an increase in the understanding of how diseases spread. Of all his discoveries, the most significant is the new study of microorganisms. This required a new view on reality. It would not be long before there would be a desire to capture an image of what was seen under a lens. I believe that scientific advancements such as this helped to spark photography. These scientific breakthroughs increase people’s views on realism and humanism. With an eye for more realistic pieces, photography has the foundation to flourish. 

 

Early Photography

Which the foundation set with the expansion of realism, the art of photography began to take off. Much like paintings were previously used, photography can serve the purpose of not only entertaining, but also informing. Photos were used to strengthen journalism, especially in times of war. Self-portraits and family pictures also became common as the idea of self-image became socially accepted. 

 

Mathew Brady with his Family

Mathew Brady

Mathew Brady was born in America in 1822, and lived full heartedly in the country until his death in 1896. He was called “the Presidents Cameraman” and contributed greatly to American photography. One of his large focuses was the Civil War. He did take photos of war for journalism purposes but was highly acclaimed because he did so with an artistic perspective. Although his pieces were used to tell history, they also evoked emotion, and were very anesthetically pleasing. He captured the grief of the Civil War and was able to have it radiate through his work. He made photography into art. He almost died in the Battle of Bull Run attempting to photograph the war and preserve that part of the history for the country to carry on. 

Alexander Gardner

Alexander Gardner

Alexander Gardner was born in 1821 in Scotland. He later traveled to America and was best known for his photography centered around the Civil War. Gardner was often over looked and many of his pieces were given credit to Mathew Brady although that was later proven false. Despite having his work misnamed, he was an amazing photographer. Gardner worked under Brady and took over when Brady became ill. This was an amazing opportunity which allowed him a chance to capture history in a way he otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. 

Antietam- Confederate Dead By A Fence On The Hagerstown Road 

by Alexander Gardner

The photo, Antietam- Confederate Dead By A Fence On The Hagerstown Road by Alexander Gardner is documented in the Library of Congress to this day as a key piece of American History. This photo shows the devastation of the Civil War. It shows dead Confederate soldiers on a road that leads to Sharpsburg from the north. It also evokes emotion through the heartlessness of their actions. The bodies are not collected; they are simply left to lie there, which is a great disrespect. This could also show the disrespect and wrong that was being done to the nation through the act of a Civil War. The wrong in general was wrong because the country turned on itself when it needed to ban together. This photo shows the betrayal and the lack of respect for the country through the disrespect to the people that died. It also shows a fence that divides the photo and fades into the distance. This could show the divide of the nation, and the vast difference between the sides. 

Gertrude Kasebier

Self portrait of Gertrude Kasebier

Gertrude Kasebier was an American photographer who lived from 1852 to 1934. She began as a painter and later moved into photography. Her talent was quickly seen by Stieglitz and he sold many of her photos for a high price. She was part of a miserable marriage and at the time, divorce was not allowed. She was restricted in her photography because of her husband.

  It can be seen in her work after her husband’s death such as Yoked and Muzzled--Marriage 1915 that she was able to express herself much more. This photo shows defiance and a rebellion against oppression. A large amount of her photos her portraits to begin with. She did a large amount of work with the Native Americans. There a raw and natural beauty about these photos and the way they capture Native American heritage. Photos such as Native American Indian had so much emotion behind them because the personality and struggle of the people could be clearly seen. 

 

Native American Indian by Gertrude Kasebier

Yoked and Muzzled--Marriage 1915 by Gertrude Kasebier

The Manger

The Manger by Gertrude Kasebier

The Manger was taken by Gertrude Kasebier in 1899. This photo was sold for $100 which is equivalent to $2000 dollars today, which was the highest amount a photo had ever been sold for at the time. Both characters are dressed in white with a light shining through the window from above. The photo evokes innocence as well as purity. There is a beauty that thrives from the photo. Kasebier was a mother and so it is not surprising that choose to encompass the beauty of motherhood in such a way. She understands the love associated with a new child and she gets the viewer to feel that. I personally think that the connection the Virgin Mary and Jesus in the Manger is no mistake. This photo was taken towards the end of the Civil War and people needed to have hope. This photo links to Christianity but also to the feeling of starting again, and of salvation. There is symmetry and clean lines formed from the boards behind her. This shows order and adds to the feeling of being complete.

Romantic Art

Francisco de Goya

Self Portrait of Francisco de Goya

Goya was a Spanish artist born in 1746, and lived until 1828. He lived across the world from there American photographers, yet his artwork emanated the same themes. Goya was a painter. When he was younger he supported Napoleon and his conquering. However, when civilian hostages were slaughtered he became disgusted and went on to paint of the horrors that he lived around. His art world encompassed romantic style and was very realistic. Much like the photos above, it was meant to show emotion and make people far away feel the power and the pain of devastation and war even if they weren’t there. This allowed people to empathize, but also to understand what was happening and not be blind to it. 

The Third of May By Francisco de Goya

The painting The Third of May, was one of Gayo’s most famous pieces. It reminds a lot of Antietam- Confederate Dead By A Fence On The Hagerstown Road because the devastation and the depiction is very similar. It also forms the same emotions for people, and shows the pain behind war. This painting illustrates one of the civilian executions from fighting in the Puerto del Sol area of Madrid. Goya witnessed these shootings because he lived in an area where they took place. He was haunted by these events and so he painted them to show the horror to the world. To me this is much like the American photographers using photographs as a form of journalism. I think that he made these pieces to spread the truth. To me that mirrors the intent of the photojournalists in their efforts to document history. 

Works Cited

Congress, Library of. Antietam, Md. Confederate Dead By A Fence On The Hagerstown Road. 2015. 25 October 2015 <http://www.americanheritage.com/content/antietam-md-confederate-dead-fence-hagerstown-road>.

Gardner, Alexander. Library of Congress. 2015. 25 October 2015 <http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.01097/>.

Morgan, Keya. Mathew B. Brady (1822-1896). 2004. 25 October 2015 <http://www.mathewbrady.com/about.htm>.

Nattel, Lillian. Women Photographers: Gertrude Kasebier Rebels. 7 December 2008. 25 October 2015 <https://liliannattel.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/women-photographers-gertrude-kasebier-rebels/>.

Stamberg, Susan. How Painting Advanced with Tin Paint Tubes. 18 December 2006. 25 October 2015 <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6640315>.

Trust, Civil War. Alexander Gardner. 2014. 25 October 2015 <http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/alexander-gardner.html>.

Weems, Erik. An Introduction to Goya . 1998. 25 October 2015 <http://www.eeweems.com/goya/introduction-to-goya.php>.