A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear
Journey's End by Abanindranath Tagore
Homage to the Square: Apparition by Josef Albers
Constitution of May 3, 1791 by Jan Matejko
Still Life with a Bottle by Giorgio Morandi
Still Life by Giorgio Morandi
Arrangement in Gray: Portrait of the Painter by James McNeill Whistler
A holiday at Mentone by Charles Conder
Two Piece Reclining Figure No. 3 by Henry Moore
Camera Notes by Alfred Stieglitz
Stephen Báthory at Pskov by Jan Matejko
Glowing Sunflowers by Emil Nolde

19th Century

791 artists · Romanticism through Post-Impressionism

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The 19th century was a period of immense change and diversification in the art world. Beginning with Romanticism and Neoclassicism, the century saw the rise of movements like Realism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism, each challenging established norms and exploring new ways of representing the world. This era paved the way for modern art, with artists experimenting with abstraction, symbolism, and subjective expression.

Key Movements

Art movements active during the 19th century.

Key Ideas

  • Romanticism's emotional intensity

    Rejecting Enlightenment rationalism, Romanticism emphasised emotion, imagination, and the individual experience. Artists explored themes of nature, heroism, and the sublime, often with dramatic and expressive brushwork.

  • Realism's focus on everyday life

    In contrast to Romanticism, Realism sought to depict the world as it was, without idealisation or artifice. Artists like Gustave Courbet portrayed ordinary people and scenes from contemporary life, challenging academic conventions.

  • Impressionism's capture of fleeting moments

    Impressionism aimed to capture the transient effects of light and atmosphere. Artists such as Claude Monet used broken brushstrokes and pure colours to convey the sensory experience of a particular moment in time.

  • Post-Impressionism's diverse explorations

    Post-Impressionism encompassed a range of individual styles that built upon and reacted against Impressionism. Artists like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne explored subjective expression, symbolism, and formal structure in their work.

  • The rise of Art Nouveau

    Emerging in the late 19th century, Art Nouveau sought to integrate art and design in everyday life. Characterised by flowing lines, organic motifs, and decorative ornamentation, it influenced architecture, furniture, and graphic arts.

Key Artists

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh

1853–1890 · Dutch

Claude Monet

Claude Monet

1840–1926 · French

Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O'Keeffe

1887–1986 · American

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso

1881–1973 · Spanish

Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt

1862–1918 · Austrian

Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter

1866–1943 · British

Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch

1863–1944 · Norwegian

Odilon Redon

Odilon Redon

1840–1916 · French

All 19th Century Artists

791 artists.

Showing the first 80 of 791 artists, alphabetically.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is the 19th century a turning point in art history?
    The 19th century saw a rejection of academic standards and the rise of avant-garde movements. Impressionism, for example, broke with traditional techniques, focusing on light and fleeting moments, thereby influencing generations of artists and the course of modern art.
  • Which artists define the 19th century?
    Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh are two artists who define the 19th century. Monet's Impressionistic studies of light, and Van Gogh's emotionally charged Post-Impressionism, both represent the innovative spirit of the era. You can view many works from this period at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
  • What's a lesser-known 19th-century artist worth discovering?
    Aubrey Beardsley, an English illustrator and author, is worth discovering. His bold, decadent, and often controversial drawings epitomise the Aesthetic movement and offer a unique perspective on the late Victorian era.
  • How did the 19th century end?
    The 19th century transitioned into the 20th with the rise of movements like Fauvism and Cubism. These movements, emerging in the early 1900s, further broke with representational traditions, paving the way for abstract art and the diverse artistic expressions of the modern era.

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