A Study of the Sublime Manifestation with Regard to Its Theoretical Foundations in the Works of German and English Painters of the 18th and 19th Centuries

Problem statement: 

The mathematical and dynamic aspects of sublimity challenge the size and power capabilities of human faculties and it seems that most instances of sublimity can be found in the thinking of the 18th-century intellectuals before Kant. It appears that painters of the 18th and 19th centuries in England and Germany also relied on sublimity as a prominent theme. Based on this, the main research question is: What is the distinct aspect of German and English Romanticism in terms of sublimity?

The objective is to study the relationship of sublimity in the ideas of 18th-century intellectuals and the works of Romantic painters in the 18th and 19th centuries in Germany and England to examine the differences between German and British Romanticism in terms of sublimity.

The research is qualitative in nature. The method involves the descriptive-anlaytic study of artworks. Data collection was based on documentary and pertinent literature.

Grandeur is the inherent feature of the sublime and the prominent features of sublimity in paintings include greatness, vastness, infinity, ambiguity, boundlessness, and the destruction of natural forces. The study of artworks by Romantic painters of the 18th and 19th centuries such as Friedrich, Achenbach, Turner, Martin, and Danby reveals that German Romanticism has focused on the vastness and greatness of nature and the terrifying aspects of nature, but it has also considered the spiritual and symbolic aspects of nature. In English Romanticism, the dynamic aspect of sublime fear and the terror of destructive and violent forces of nature are emphasized with greater intensity. Therefore, it can be considered to be one of the prominent themes and distinct aspects of English Romanticism.