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ROMANTIC REALISM: Visions of Values by Alexandra York
W en !e re"all # e $rea# ar#is#s of # e nine#een# "en#ury%
&er a&s # e 'ibran# and
# ea#ri"al i(a$es of )ela"roix !ill &ass before our (ind*s
eye+ Or !ould s"enes of darin$and s#ru$$le fro( ,u$o flood our
(e(ory ins#ead- Or # e ebullien# auda"i#y of aS" u(ann son$
resona#e in our ears- .er a&s all # ree% and (ore% for # eirs
!as # edra(a#i"% exuberan# a$e of # e indi'idual% in life and in
ar# # a# !as /lar$er # an life+/
,o! differen# are # e i(a$es of our o!n $enera#ion+ Today% in a
"ul#ure # a# $lorifies'iolen"e% 'ul$ari#y and u$liness0! ere ar# as
be"o(e beref# of any ob1e"#i'e s#andards
0!e !i#ness a sad s"ene as (os# ar#is#s flounder #o a $ra"eless
finis of # e #!en#ie#"en#ury+ T ey are no# alone+ In#elle"#uals%
&ubli" offi"ials% and al(os# e'eryone elsea&&roa" es
this (illennial bir# day !arily+ S all # ere be "ause for
"elebra#ion0or$rea#er #rau(a-
T e o# as es of #!en#ie# "en#ury "olle"#i'is( and ni ilis( s#ill
s&i# and s&u##er aroundus% bu# as es # ey are+ T e 2334s
si$nal no# only # e end of a #urbulen# undred5year era
bu# also # e ra# er s!if# dea# of 6(os# of7 Co((unis( as a
so"ial sys#e( and # e dra!n5ou# de(ise of # e serious (odernis# ar#
(o'e(en#% bo# of ! i" do(ina#ed # e &eriod+T e fu#ure- So(e
dare #o o&e% for !e are be$innin$ #o !i#ness a resur$en"e of #
ose
all(arks of # e nine#een# "en#ury: "on"ern for indi'idual
freedo( in so"ie#y and aro(an#i" s&iri# in # e ar#s+
Rene!ed a&&ro&ria#ely% # ese 'alues "ould lead us
ou# of our &resen# (orass and beyond%#o a 'eri#able
Renaissan"e+ We ear # e !ord% /Renaissan"e/ #ossed abou#
"arelessly# ese days si(&ly be"ause !e a&&roa" a #urn
of a "en#enniu(% bu#% in fa"#% # e "on"e
olds #rue "urren"y+ 8li((erin$ ere and # ere benea# # e debris
of #!en#ie# "en#ury"olla&se% s&arks of indi'idualis( and
u(anis( !ai# only for a brea# of air #o fla(e andfuse # e( #o$e# er
on"e (ore in#o a & oenix # a# (ay rise #o lead us% no!% in#o #
e#!en#y5firs# "en#ury+ If # is is #o be so% # en beau#y (us# be i#s
!in$s+ A res#ora#ion of
beau#y and life5affir(in$ 'alues in ar# alone "anno# for$e # e
&a# #o a full "ul#uralRenaissan"e0only & iloso& y "an
do # a#0bu# ar# # a# (akes (anifes# # ese 'alues "anins&ire us
by s o!in$ us our ideals in "on"re#e for(+ Indeed% ar# (ay be # e
one dyna(i"
&o!erful enou$ #o envision for us # e !ay #o a be##er
fu#ure+
We do no# &lan# our seeds in an En" an#ed 8arden+ Like i# or
no#% # e &resen#en'iron(en# is ! a# i# is+ Ar# as be"o(e a
"o((odi#y "annibali9in$ i#self daily in order#o sur'i'e !i# ou# any
fres sour"e of ideolo$i"al sus#enan"e+ Alle$ian"e #o u(an'alues% #o
dis"i&line of #e" ni"al skills% and #o # e lo'e of beau#y !ould
a&&ear #o be # eradi"al ar# ideas of our #i(e+
Con#e(&orary ar#is#s of # e ROMANTIC REALISM
&ersuasion are # e ne! /radi"als/ for # ey e(bra"e # ese
'ery &re(ises and ex&ress # e( 0ea" indi'idually0in # eir
!ork+ . iloso& i"ally% # ey 6funda(en#ally7 'ie! # e !orldas a
&osi#i'e beau#iful &la"e in ! i" #o li'e and (ankind
"a&able of li'in$ in i#+.sy" olo$i"ally% # ey 'ie! reason and
e(o#ion as "a&able of bein$ in ar(ony !i# ea"
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o# er+ Ar#is#i"ally% # ey unify for( and "on#en# in # e sa(e
!ay0and for # e sa(ereasons0# a# # ey uni#e reason and e(o#ion+ T
rou$ exa(inin$ # ese &re(ises asex&ressed in # e !ork of
Ro(an#i" Realis# ar#is#s% !e (ay a##e( #o &oin# # e !ay
#odefini#ion and unders#andin$+
In a broad s!a# % !e (ay say # a# # e bes# "on#e(&orary
Ro(an#i" Realis#s !ea'e in#o# eir !ork # e $rea#es# beau#y of
na#ure and # e i$ es# # ou$ #s of (an; beau#y en an"es#ru# % and
#ru# s#ren$# ens beau#y0!ef# and !ar& are #i$ #ly en#!ined+ To
disasse(ble# is in#ri"a#e #a&es#ry for # e &ur&ose of
unders#andin$ i#s "ons#ru"#ion #akes &a#ien"e+And #o fur# er
unra'el # e #an$led (ess of # e &resen# ar# !orld in ! i"
Ro(an#i"Realis#s find # e(sel'es #akes no# in$ less # an
for#i#ude+
Le# us be$in !i# # e #er( ROMANTIC REALISM % i#self+ Realism in
ar# (ay be di'idedin#o a !ide 'arie#y of sub5"a#e$ories:
/Classi"al/ Realis(% /. o#o/ Realis(% /.oli#i"al/Realis(% /So"ial/
realis(% # e s#rai$ #for!ard (i(esis of /Realis#/ Realis(% &lus
a
undred (odifiers (ore+ Si(&ly &u#% all for(s of realis(
in # e 'isual ar#s &resen#
re"o$ni9able i(a$es re&resen#a#i'e of ob1e"#i'e reali#y% #
a# is% # e & ysi"al !orld%in"ludin$ (ankind+
T e /realis(s/ i(&or#an# #o our &resen# exa(ina#ion are
/Classi"al/ Realis( and/Realis#/ Realis(% for #o so(e de$ree bo#
are e(&loyed by # e /Ro(an#i"/ Realis#+Ar#is#s of bo# s" ools
&rodu"e re&resen#a#ional !ork # a# relies u&on es#ablis
edWes#ern ar# #e" ni
