19th Century Art
The 19th century witnessed revolutionary transformations in art, from Neoclassicism through Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism. This era saw artists breaking from academic traditions, exploring new techniques, and capturing modern life with unprecedented immediacy.
Historical Context
The 19th century was marked by industrialization, urbanization, political revolutions, and the rise of photography. These changes profoundly influenced artistic movements, as artists responded to modernity, questioned academic conventions, and sought new ways to represent reality and emotion.
Key Characteristics
- Shift from academic traditions to modern approaches
- Emphasis on light, color, and atmospheric effects
- Focus on contemporary life and ordinary subjects
- Exploration of emotional expression and subjective experience
- Development of plein-air painting and new techniques
Notable Artists
Related Art Movements
Explore 19th Century Artworks
10,000 artworks from 1800-1899 available in our collection
Woman Standing Beside a Balustrade with a Poodle
Paul Ranson
ca. 1895
The Outskirts of a Village
Edmond-François Aman-Jean
ca. 1880
Two Tahitian Women
Paul Gauguin
1899
The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon
Camille Pissarro
1899
Haystacks, Morning, Eragny
Camille Pissarro
1899
Serena Pulitzer Lederer (1867–1943)
Gustav Klimt
1899
Picquigny
Frits Thaulow
1899
The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon
Camille Pissarro
1899
Rue de l'Epicerie, Rouen (Effect of Sunlight)
Camille Pissarro
1898
Edward R. Bacon (1846–1915)
Anders Zorn
1897
Mrs. Walter Rathbone Bacon (Virginia Purdy Barker, 1862–1919)
Anders Zorn
1897
The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning
Camille Pissarro
1897
Morning, An Overcast Day, Rouen
Camille Pissarro
1896
Steamboats in the Port of Rouen
Camille Pissarro
1896
Pines Along the Shore
Henri-Edmond Cross (Henri-Edmond Delacroix)
1896
View of Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
Edgar Degas
1896–98
The Dream of the Shepherd (Der Traum des Hirten)
Ferdinand Hodler
1896
Still Life with Teapot and Fruit
Paul Gauguin
1896
Poplars, Eragny
Camille Pissarro
1895
Bather in the Woods
Camille Pissarro
1895
A Farm in Brittany
Paul Gauguin
ca. 1894
Ariadne
George Frederic Watts
1894
Women Sewing at a Table
Eugène Carrière
ca. 1894–96
Lachrymae
Frederic, Lord Leighton
1894–95
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Ancient Egypt
3000 BCE - 30 BCE
Ancient Egyptian art spans over three millennia, representing one of humanity's longest continuous artistic traditions. From the pyramids of Giza to the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb, Egyptian artists created works of extraordinary beauty and symbolic power that served religious, funerary, and political purposes.
Greek & Roman
800 BCE - 476 CE
Classical antiquity produced the artistic ideals that shaped Western civilization. Greek artists pioneered naturalistic human representation, while Romans excelled in portraiture, engineering, and monumental architecture. Together, they established standards of beauty, proportion, and artistic excellence that artists would return to for millennia.
Medieval
500-1400
Medieval art encompasses nearly a thousand years of artistic production, from the fall of Rome to the dawn of the Renaissance. This period saw the development of Byzantine mosaics, Romanesque monasteries, Gothic cathedrals, and illuminated manuscripts—all serving primarily religious purposes with a focus on spiritual rather than naturalistic representation.