Includes bibliographical references (page 135) and index.

Neoclassicism and Romanticism ; Neoclassicism : simplicity and calm grandeur ; Romanticism : passion and sensibility -- Sculpture: The monotonous medium ; The animated medium ; The essence of beauty and the love of nature : Auguste Rodin -- The romantic landscape: The English landscape garden ; J.M.W. Turner : the likeness and the spirit ; John Constable : what need to look beyond? ; Romantic landscape in Germany ; Romantic landscape in the New Worlds -- French realism and impressionism Gustave Courbet ; Edouard Manet ; The café and the atelier ; The impressionists -- From realists to post-impressionists: The Nazarenes ; The Pre-Raphaelites ; Arts and crafts movement ; J.A. McN. Whistler ; Art nouveau ; Symbolism and fantasy ; Post-Impressionism.

Ranging right across a period of baffling and complex social, political and cultural changes, this masterly introduction to the visual arts identifies the major concepts and stylistic characteristics of an age which encompassed movements as varied as Neoclassicism and Impressionism. The author begins with a consideration of both Neoclassical and Romantic currents. He looks at the roles of such eminent figures as Benjamin West and Sir Joshua Reynolds, and considers the work of the leading artists of both movements - David, Ingres and then Goya and Rodin (among others). He goes on to an examination of the effect of the romantic sensibility on English landscape painting with particular attention to the work of Turner and Constable. The book also covers the French Realist and Impressionist movements and the final chapter considers the Post-Impressionists, the pre-Raphaelites, Whistler and the exponents of the growing Arts and Crafts movement.