Exploring Literary and Artistic Reflections of The Gilded Age

Democratic Vistas by Walt Whitman is a pamphlet consisting of three essays on Whitman’s ideas on the role of democracy in establishing a new cultural foundation of America. The author portrays how heroism and honor had been lost by Americans, criticizing the materialism within society. In order to better society, Whitmn suggests a return to the Jeffersonian-Jacksonian brand of democracy and enforcing a more spiritual aspect within the community as well. The pamphlet is often criticized for being unrealistic and naive, but continues to be used to identify Whitman’s philosophy.

Maggie

A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane is a novella about a family who has become consumed by the corruption of drugs and alcohol, leading to the mistreatment of the only child who was able to avoid the temptations of the city. With the daughter, Maggie, decides to be with her boyfriend, she is abandoned by her family, and eventually by the boyfriend himself. Due to this, Maggie has no other choice but to become a prostitute in an attempt to survive on her own. Unable to provide enough for herself, Maggie is found dead on the streets. The piece addresses a very unpopular issue of its time, the disreputable part of urba New York. Crane describes the New York he had observed, inhabited by the drunk, desperate, poor, and the corrupted environment within the state.

Looking Backward

2000 to 1887 by Edward Bellamy is a novel about a character, Julian West, who is part of the elite class of the nineteenth century who goes into a deep slumber, eventually waking up in the twentieth century. During his time in the future, Julian begins to comprehend how many faults society and how unjust it is in the nineteenth century. Julian realizes how much potential society has to improve from its current state. This influential novel portrays the major gap between the rich and poor, with the wealthy viewing themselves as superior to others, and finding the stikes of the working class as unmeaningful and disgusting. Bellamy identifies the perfect society of the United States as the antithesis of the society he was living in. The author attempts to educate the readers of the corruption of their society, and what it could be through social change, introducing Bellamy’s ideology called “nationalism.”

The Rise of Silas Laphamb by Wiliam Dean Howells is about a man Silas Lapham, who wants his daughter to marry into the aristocratis Corey family to gain the social prominence the Laphams never experienced. Silas rises to fortune through his paint business because of his greed, opportunism, and driving ambition. Silas’ daughter has a love triangle as Silas struggles with his moral integrity, giving anything up for success. Toward the end of the novel, Silas attempts to redeem himself, leading to him losing his business, and his daughter’s love affair ends with her lover revealing his love for her sister. Together, Silas and his daughter help one another as they attempt to save the business in a just manner, as they attempt to redeem themselves. The novel reveals Howells’ thought on society and art. Howell attempts to portray the priorities of Americans during this time period, evidently being materialistic.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain is a novel about a Yankee, Hank Morgan, who time travels back to Britain in the Dark Ages, portraying the comparison between monarchy and demorcatic values. Hank suddenly wakes up at a gun factory in England who is then captured and taken to Camelot, where he is put on exhibit before the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. The Yankee must attempt to both adapt to this new lifestyle and instill more democratic principles as he works, falls in love, and tries to better the life of the less fortunate.

Richard Morris Hunt

The Breakers

Biltmore

Richard Morris Hunt established the manner and traditions of the French Beaux-Arts in the United States. Hunt’s architecture ranged widely in style and in building types. He was greatly influenced by his Parisian architectural training, as well as design styles of Europe, including Renaissance art. With time, Hunt established a style of ostentatious architecture for the grand mansions of the era’s eccentric billionaires.

Henry Hobson Richardson

Thomas Crane Memorial Library

Robert Treat Paine House

Henry Hobson Richardson developed a unique spin on the revival movements of the 19th century. Richardson believed it was essential to revive the motifs of the medieval Romanesque, using solid stone walls and arches to create imposing, grounded structures.

Louis Sullivan

Sullivan Center

Auditorium Building

Louis Sullivan was influenced by his work with architects Frank Furness, William Le Baron Jenney, and Henry Hobson Richardson, leading to the creation of his own unique style, primarily with tall buildings. Sullivan believed that it was important to use organic substances and represent nature as he explored organic ornamentation and steel-frame construction. Sullivan became a vocal advocate for the development of uniquely American architectural forms. He believed his ideas would best represent democratic society. Sullivan became considered the creator of the modern skyscraper and known as America’s first modern architect.

John Singer Sargent

Portrait of Madame X

Carnation, Lily, Lily Rose

John Singer Sargent was well-known for his depictions of high society figures in Paris, London, and New York. Sargent built off of old traditions, incorporating vibrant Impressionist brushstrokes and untraditional solutions in order to better capture his subject. Sargant painted both portraits and landscapes, each expressing his different and unique artforms.

James McNeill Whistler

Nocturne in Black and Gold - The Falling Rocket

Symphony in White, No. 1

Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea

James McNeill Whistler is celebrated for his innovation painting style and eccentric personality. Whistley was a devoted advocate of the Aesthetic movement in his promotion of the “art for art’s sake” mentality. Whistler inspired modern artists, such as the Impressionists, to look beyond traditional art institutions. Whistler was among the first American artists working in England to incorporate delicate oriental fabric patterns and props into his work. The artist is credited with the artform of spearheading, which is considered the Anglo-Japanese style in fine art today.

Mary Cassatt

Little Girl in a Blue Armchair

Self-Portrait- Mary Cassat

Girl Arranging Her Hair

Mary Cassatt was one of the leading artists in the Impressionist movement of the later part of the 1800s. Cassatt drew criticism for its bright colors and unflattering accuracy of its subjects. Cassatt became famous for her portraits. She was drawn to draw women in domestic settings, believing it is essential to expose the honest nature of the individual.

Winslow Homer

Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)

The Fog Warning

The Life Line

Winslow Homer was one of the most famous and respected American artists of the nineteenth century. He worked primarily on marine subjects, with a mastery of sketching, watercolors, and oil paintings. Homer’s subjects were often meant to portray their most-serious moments, with the theme of mankind’s relationship with a natural world that could be both beautiful and violent.

Albert Pinkham Ryder

Seacoast in Moonlight

The Toilers of the Sea

The Forest of Arden

Albert Pinkham Ryder was noted for his highly personal seascapes and mystical allegorical scenes. Ryder had an obsession with the sea, as well as his notion that man is helpless against the forces of nature. The artist's works are filled with thick, yellow light, portraying moonlight, and he attempts to omit unimportant details, concentrating on masses of color and generalized objects.

Following the industrial revolution, interior design had evolved entirely. During the Victorian Era, it became a priority for civilians to present their wealth to others through luxurious design. The style of this era portrays this through the use of deep, royal colors, ornate furnishing, and a countless amount of rugs and tapestries. It was common for very particular details to be in each room, including moldings, stained glass, carvings, and arched lancet. The elements of the house were meant to be warm and inviting to those who entered.

My project reflects that characterization of the Gilding Age in the interpretive essay, “Arts in the Gilded Age”, in several different ways. During this age, artists were eager to represent the current society of that time period, conveying a yearning of culture and tradition as they adopt different methods for their art. Inspired by individuals from other countries, architects like Louis Sullivan have been able to reach their full potential and influence others throughout the Gilded Age and on. Also, throughout the Victorian Era, it was essential for civilians to portray wealth to others, whether real or simply a ruse. As said within the essay, “the Gilded Age was so clearly gilded rather than golden, snobbish rather than sound,” conveying how individuals during this time period prioritized and were represented. In this time period, while everything and everyone may have seemed successful and content, it often was an act because of the importance of other’s opinions in this era. As portrayed by numerous artists, such as Mary Cassat, and by the essay, the appearance of individuals was very significant toward their treatment and at times, they were depicted incorrectly. This is why Cassat, and other artists, were committed to ensuring their subjects were represented the right way. As a whole, influencers of this time period were committed to taking the inspiration of other artists’ methods and somehow making it their own. In doing so, a type of culture characterization of the United States was created.