Romanticism emerged as a response to the fear and promise of the American and French Revolutions, the rigidity of the Enlightenment, and the alienation that grew out of the Industrial Revolution. Romantic artists broke free from the constraints of the state-run art academies and embraced a world that celebrated creativity and individuality.
Fascinated by the exotic, artists traveled to distant lands; intrigued by the past, they journeyed back in time; and in search of the sublime, they reveled in the majesty of nature.
Among the many treasures in the collection is a masterpiece by William Bouguereau, one of the most celebrated artists of the nineteenth century, who skillfully reveals the soul of youth in the exhibition's signature image, La Tricoteuse (The Little Knitter). Other notable artists in the collection include: Rudolf Ernst, Jehan-Georges Vibert, Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, Herbert Draper, and Francesco Hayez. This visually captivating exhibition weaves together a fascinating story of the liberation of human emotion, political and social upheaval, and a passionate artistic awakening.