Painting in the late nineteenth century moved towards Realism, and the development of accurate representation and an exhibition is now being shown at Rye Art Gallery until January 13.
For artists such as Gustave Courbet and Jean-Francois Millet, portraying common labourers and ordinary people engaged in real activities was a reaction against Romanticism and the grand History paintings that had come before.
The Rye Art Gallery collection has many objects relating to the Realist movement particularly works from the original Mary Stormont bequest. However, at the other end of our permanent collection are artists who seek to cast off the ideals of realism, searching for new ways of looking at the world.
This exhibition explores how artists have moved away from Realism, escaping from literal depictions of the visible. The urge to break down accepted conventions becomes more obvious in these works as shape; colour line and form become the dominant methods of expression.
Image Credits: Julian Day .