Elements of realism and the rise of the realist movement in art

Realism is an approach to art, and an artistic philosophy. The approach aims to achieve total objectivity in rendering elements: whether those elements be persons, animals, or lighting. Realism essentially eschews the projection of visual subjectivity or bias onto the canvas or other medium, while embracing a poignant political perspective. It was a movement directly opposed to the prevailing trend of Romanticism, and evolved concurrently in the nineteenth century. Thus, mid-nineteenth century European art comprises a gamut of styles from the hyper-Romantic renditions of neo-Egyptian and neo-Roman scenes to the hyper-realistic paintings of ordinary life. The color palate of Realist art differs somewhat from that of the Romantics, too, with richer more saturated tones being preferred. Whereas Romanticism enabled an escape from reality to a fantasy world, Realism encouraged the very opposite. Realism asked the viewer to pay closer attention to daily life and critique the social, political, and economic hierarchies that restrict it.

Related realism trends flourished in literature and philosophy as well. The trends in literature included naturalism. In France, naturalist literature was best represented by Emile Zola, Honore de Balzac, and Gustave Flaubert ("Nineteenth-Century French Realism"). Communist and socialist theories were likewise rooted in a realistic political philosophy. One of the hallmarks of realism was an appreciation for normal, average, everyday life: which connoted an important shift away from art subjects that could be considered elite. "Realists recorded in often gritty detail the present-day existence of humble people," ("Nineteenth-Century French Realism"). Therefore, the Realist artist avoids any overt projection of judgment or political ideology upon the subject even when it might warrant as much. This is one reason why Van Gogh's "Potato Eaters" would not be considered a Realistic painting, even though it also uses as its subject the "gritty…present-day existence of humble people." Van Gogh was, though, influenced by French Realist Jean-Francois Millet ("Nineteenth-Century French Realism"). The "honest depiction of rural poverty" that Millet injected in his work inevitably made its way into Van Gogh's later work.

Instead of imposing value judgment, the realist artist paints as he or she sees. Realist art is rendered in the spirit of scientific empiricism, a methodology that was concurrent with the Realist movement. Realism only slightly predated the advent of the camera. It was veritably impossible for the artist to be completely detached, however. Realists like Honore Daumier depicted urban scenes that showcased socio-economic class hierarchies and social status levels in France. His work has subsequently been called "socially conscious" by art historians, and it was obviously so ("Nineteenth-Century French Realism"). For example, Daumier painted a series of train interiors: The First-Class Carriage, the Second-Class Carriage, and the Third-Class Carriage. Each of the three paintings offers realistic insight into the conditions in each compartment and the people within them. The paintings allow for a sociological analysis, which is possible with other Realist paintings too.