Realism. In the arts, the accurate, detailed, natural representation of nature, people and objects. Realism rejects imaginative idealization. As such, realism in its broad sense has comprised many artistic currents in different civilizations. 'Realism', as painting style or school, refers to the mid-nineteenth century movement in which artists painted familiar scenes and events as they actually looked. 'Socialist realism' was the official style in the Soviet Union, and was devoted both to glorify the state and idealize the working class. 'Social realism' (not to confuse with the previous 'Socialist' one), is a type of realism that is political in its contents; very critical of society, and marked by realistic depiction of social problems. The works of Gustave Courbet and Léon Bonnat are good examples of Realism, as painting style or school. |
