Genre painting: between realism and the fantastic
Genre painting in the 19th century covered such a wide range of artistic styles that it is impossible to limit it to one precise definition. Moreover, the gap between history painting and genre painting was narrowing. The anecdotal began to enter historical painting while genre painting was tending towards the greatness of the historical. United around Latil's astounding work entitled Shipwreck, with its atmosphere of poignant despair illustrating this new artistic ambition, are paintings by lesser masters of diverse inspiration completing the collections already exhibited in the Salon rouge.
Bonvin's Blacksmith's scene, a theme which harks back to classical mythology, is displayed here with its realistic and retrospective manner of interrogating traditional themes while at the same time giving them a new lease of life: the advent of the industrial revolution and technical progress condemned, albeit briefly, these traditional old ways. The portrait of a humble Matchstick seller by Lacger shows the interest that artists had for the social classes that had, up until then, been excluded from the world of art. This was the beginning of a movement which was to last some time.
The need for realism by no means inhibited imagination let alone a taste for the fantastic: a good example of this being the Witch by Brascassat, heavily influenced by the rediscovered 17th century Dutch painting.
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