Réalisme

Réalisme is a broad movement in art and literature that originated in France in the mid-19th century. It emerged as a reaction against Romanticism and its emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the exotic. Réalisme sought to depict contemporary life and society as it truly was, without idealization or sentimentality. Artists and writers focused on everyday subjects, often portraying the lives of ordinary people, the working class, and the social and economic inequalities of the time.

In visual arts, Réalisme is characterized by its objective and unflinching portrayal of reality. Artists aimed for accuracy in their depiction of form, color, and light. Subject matter frequently included scenes of rural labor, urban life, and social issues. Key figures associated with the movement include Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet, and Honoré Daumier, whose works often challenged prevailing artistic conventions and societal norms.

In literature, Réalisme sought to present characters and situations with psychological depth and social context. Writers aimed for truthful representation of dialogue, customs, and environments. They explored themes such as poverty, class struggle, and the impact of industrialization. Prominent realist authors include Honoré de Balzac, Gustave Flaubert, and Émile Zola, though Zola is more specifically associated with the subsequent Naturalism movement, which grew out of Réalisme. The movement's emphasis on verisimilitude and social commentary had a profound influence on the development of modern art and literature.