Romantic Era

                           The Nightmare (1781) by Henry Fuseli

 
First, I decided to look at The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli. This painting was a first in a lot of ways. It shocked viewers as It was the first time a painting had not taken inspiration from the bible or a moment in history. I learned that Fuseli was trying something new and wanted to dive deeper into the human psyche. 

We see the use of shadows and contrast. The red curtain is the most color we see, and I think using a dark deep color like red was done intentionally.  A horse peers around the corner and it seems it can also see the demon on the woman's chest.

                  Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (c. 1818) by Caspar David Friedrich

The second painting from the Romantic era is Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich, I like how different this painting is from the first, but the meaning is almost similar. Friedrich was also trying to capture emotions and feelings more so than a historical event or something from the bible. Blue is the main color here and I think depth is one of the main art elements here. 

                                       The Hay Wain (1821) by John Constable

The third painting is The Hay Wain by John Constable, this one depicts a calmer, normal sense. There are many colors that stand out besides just one. This was one of the artist's most recognized paintings and showed his ability to capture a landscape with great detail. 

                                       The Ninth Wave (1850) by Ivan Aivazovsky

The last painting I have is The Ninth Wave by Ivan Aivazosky. This painting depicts figures clinging to wreckage to try and survive as they are drifting in the sea. Aviazovsky specialized in Marine artwork, the Ninth Wave was his best recognized work. The way you can see the light reflecting on the sea waves captured my attention first. You can see blue, green and purple hues. The vastness is not lost in the painting, it seems to go for miles with the depth put into it.