Brazilian Romantic painting was the leading artistic expression in Brazil during the latter half of the 19th century, coinciding with the Second Reign. It represented a unique evolution of the Romantic movement; it diverged significantly from its European counterpart and even the parallel Romantic movement in Brazilian literature. Characterized by a palatial and restrained aesthetic, it incorporated a strong neoclassical influence and gradually integrated elements of Realism, Symbolism, and other schools, resulting in an eclectic synthesis that dominated the Brazilian art scene until the early 20th century.
Brazilian Romantic painting was heavily influenced by a nationalist movement spearheaded by Emperor Pedro II. Seeking to unify the culturally diverse and geographically vast nation following independence, he recognized the potential of art to forge a cohesive national identity. This artistic movement aimed to project an image of Brazil as a civilized and progressive nation on the world stage. This nationalist sentiment manifested in three primary artistic themes: historical reenactments, portrayals of nature and the people, and the reevaluation of the indigenous figure. These themes resulted in a substantial corpus of artworks that continue to hold a significant place in Brazilian museums. The symbolism employed within these works is acknowledged to have played a considerable role in the formation of a national identity.BISCARDI, Afrânio & ROCHA, Frederico Almeida. O Mecenato Artístico de D. Pedro II e o Projeto Imperial. In: 19&20 - A revista eletrônica de DezenoveVinte. Volume I, n. 1, May 2006.FRANZ, Teresinha Sueli. Victor Meirelles e a Construção da Identidade Brasileira. In: 19&20 - A revista eletrônica de DezenoveVinte. Volume II, n. 3, July 2007
International Romanticism
The artistic movement known as Pictorial Romanticism, which flourished in Europe from the mid-18th to the late 19th centuries, defies a singular definition. While commonly conceived as a unified movement, critical discourse lacks consensus on both the defining characteristics of a Romantic style and the very existence of such a movement. Despite this lack of agreement, a unifying element appears to be the emphasis on the individual artist's unique perspective and creative vision. Romantic artists, characterized by a heightened awareness of their inner world and emotions, perceived themselves as free from past artistic constraints. Their artistic judgments were not guided by prevailing rationalism or predetermined aesthetic programs, but rather by their own subjective experience, which could encompass a range of emotions, including a yearning for a connection with nature or the transcendent.Romanticism. The Dictionary of the History of Ideas. University of Virginia Library According to Baudelaire:
Romanticism is not found in the choice of themes nor in its objective truth, but in the way of feeling. For me, Romanticism is the most recent and current expression of beauty. And whoever speaks of Romanticism speaks of modern art, that is to say, intimacy, spirituality, color and tendency to infinity, expressed by all the means that the arts have at their disposal.Carrassat, Fride R. & Marcadé, Isabelle. Movimientos de la pintura. Spes Editorial, S.L., 2004, p. 41,
The emphasis on individual expression within Romanticism sometimes manifested in artistic projects pushing the boundaries of convention. These projects embraced the unconventional, the exotic, and the eccentric, occasionally bordering on the melodramatic, morbid, or even hysterical. Furthermore, a prevalent sentiment of the era, often referred to as the mal du siècle, characterized by a sense of emptiness, futility, and melancholic dissatisfaction, permeated the works of many artists. This is evidenced by Géricault's statement, "whatever I do, I wish I had done differently," reflecting this prevailing mood.Western Painting: Romanticism. Britannica On lineHAUSER, Arnold. História Social da Literatura e da Arte. São Paulo: Mestre Jou, 1980-82. Vol II. p. 872
Romanticism's emphasis on nature often manifested in a pantheistic worldview and a novel approach to landscape design. Furthermore, the movement's focus on historical context revolutionized the understanding of humanity's place within history and the value of established institutions like the State and the Church. This humanistic idealism, seeking social reform, led many Romantics to create sensitive portrayals of the people, their customs, folklore, and history. These portrayals arguably served as a foundation for the emergence or reinforcement of nationalist movements in many countries. However, following the tumultuous period of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire, the early Romantics' visionary, humanistic, and contestatory spirit waned. Subject matter became less significant compared to technical skill and formal concerns. Many artists retreated into idealized portrayals of the East or the Middle Ages, while others succumbed to a bourgeois sentimentality and conventionality, emphasizing the decorative, exotic, and picturesque. Technically, Romantic painting departed from the Neoclassical emphasis on line over color and rational composition. Romantics favored more evocative compositions designed to elicit a stronger emotional response. Color and chiaroscuro (use of light and shadow) became more prominent elements, contributing to the creation of suggestive atmospheres and lighting effects.HAUSER. pp. 826-27; 830-31; 836-ss; 871
Romanticism emerges as a multifaceted and internally conflicted artistic movement. While demonstrably influenced by, and in some ways an extension of, Classicism, it also stands in opposition to certain aspects of that tradition. The inherent tension is further reflected in the movement's embrace of individualism, which fostered a remarkable diversity of aesthetic approaches and ideological perspectives. This emphasis on the individual artist's vision arguably contributed to a sense of rootlessness, alienation, and misunderstanding among Romantics. As Hauser observes, the intensely personal nature of artistic goals and the highly individualized criteria for artistic merit within Romanticism make the designation of distinct schools within the movement somewhat problematic.HAUSER. pp. 871-2
The Brazilian version
Aesthetic and ideological background
The roots of Brazilian Romantic painting, though achieving dominance only between 1850 and 1860, can be traced back to the early 19th century, which coincided with the arrival of numerous foreign naturalists on scientific expeditions. Among them were painters and illustrators drawn to Brazil by the burgeoning Romantic emphasis on the value of nature and the allure of the exotic. These artists included Thomas Ender, a participant in the . His work focused on depicting "ethnic encounters" within the urban landscape and surrounding areas of Rio de Janeiro. Another notable figure was Johann Moritz Rugendas, who accompanied the . According to Pablo Diener, his work was "possessed of the emotion that German Romanticism defines as Fernweh, that is, nostalgia for the distant". Rugendas' watercolors, later reproduced as prints, often portrayed indigenous people and individuals of African descent in an idealized manner. However, his works also acknowledged their hardships, demonstrating a degree of social commentary. Furthermore, he exhibited a characteristically Romantic spirit of artistic independence by prioritizing his own creative vision over demands for strict scientific accuracy.AMBRIZZI, Miguel Luiz. Entre olhares - O romântico, o naturalista. Artistas-viajantes na Expedição Langsdorff: 1822-1829. In: 19&20 - A revista eletrônica de DezenoveVinte. Volume III, n. 4, October, 2008RIBEIRO, Monike Garcia. A Missão Austríaca no Brasil e as aquarelas do pintor Thomas Ender no século XIX. In: 19&20 - A revista eletrônica de DezenoveVinte. Volume II, n. 2, April 2007
Aimé-Adrien Taunay, also a participant in the Langsdorff Expedition, was the son of Nicolas-Antoine Taunay, who belonged to the French Artistic Mission. His work is noteworthy for its monumental portrayal of nature, specifically depicting landscapes largely untouched by colonization. This approach aligns with the aesthetics of the sublime, a prominent concept within European Romanticism. His paintings incorporated both descriptive and evocative elements, fostering a connection between landscape and historical themes. Additionally, a significant contribution to the development of Brazilian Romanticism came in 1826 from French consular attaché Ferdinand Denis. He advocated for a shift away from prevailing Classicist tendencies, urging artists to embrace local characteristics. He specifically championed the depiction of nature and native customs, proposing that indigenous people be recognized as the original and most authentic inhabitants of Brazil.
The artistic trajectory of Jean-Baptiste Debret merits mention. While his work initially adhered to a strict Neoclassical style, his arrival in Brazil led to a stylistic shift. Debret's art adapted to the climate and informality of the tropical environment. Notably, he was struck by the concept of "banzo", a term used by enslaved people to describe their melancholy, and depicted this theme in several watercolors, including the well-known "Tattooed Black Woman Selling Cashews". Debret's extensive watercolor collection, compiled in his publication Picturesque and Historical Travel to Brazil, offers a valuable human and artistic document of Brazilian life during his time. This work marks a significant shift away from Neoclassicism, replaced by an empathetic and naturalistic depiction of enslaved people, reflecting a characteristically Romantic humanist perspective.DANZIGER, Leila. Melancolia à brasileira: A aquarela Negra tatuada vendendo caju, de Debret. In: 19&20 - A revista eletrônica de DezenoveVinte. Volume III, n. 4, October 2008SIQUEIRA, Vera Beatriz. Redescobrir o Rio de Janeiro. In: 19&20 - A revista eletrônica de DezenoveVinte. Volume I, no 3, November 2006
These artists arguably played a role in a process of "rediscovery" of Brazil, for both European and Brazilian audiences. The preceding 300 years of colonization had not yielded a particularly vivid portrayal of Brazilian reality. Furthermore, the nascent urbanization process, with its evolving boundaries, provided fertile ground for the depiction of city life, aligning with the unifying spirit traditionally associated with European Romantic landscape painting. However, as scholar Vera Siqueira suggests, a distinctive characteristic of the Brazilian experience lies in:
Beyond the contributions of itinerant painters and antecedent poets like Maciel Monteiro,Maciel Monteiro. Biblioteca Virtual da Literatura a group of intellectuals active from the 1830s onwards, following the Independence of Brazil, played a pivotal role in initiating the nation's Romantic movement. Emperor Pedro II emerged as a significant patron of this movement, fostering a series of debates concerning the political, economic, cultural, and social trajectory they envisioned for the new nation. These intellectuals established the groundwork for an interpretive lens through which Brazil would be understood for subsequent decades within official circles. Their efforts resulted in a "mythical configuration" of Brazilian reality, one founded upon the possibilities revealed by political autonomy. This idealized portrayal, emphasizing the nation's natural beauty and indigenous people, would be persistently reproduced throughout the period of 1840 to 1860, coinciding with the consolidation of the Brazilian monarchy.TEIXEIRENSE, Pedro Ivo. O Jogo das Tradições: A ideia de Brasil nas páginas da Revista Nitheroy (1836). Universidade de Brasília, 2006