Romanticism (or the Romantic era/Period) was an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1840.

Romanticism was also a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment and a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature.

It was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature, but had a major impact on historiography, education and the natural sciences.

Defining the nature of Romanticism may be approached from the starting point of the primary importance of the free expression of the feelings of the artist. 

The expression and strong display of emotional feelings in the artistic work or painting that were painted by the artists.

The importance the Romantics placed on untrammelled feeling is summed up in the remark of the German painter Caspar David Friedrich that “the artist’s feeling is his law”.

To William Wordsworth poetry should be “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”. In order to truly express these feelings, the content of the art must come from the imagination of the artist, with as little interference as possible from “artificial” rules dictating what a work should consist.

The concept of the genius, or artist who was able to produce his own original work through this process of “creation from nothingness”, is key to Romanticism, and to be derivative was the worst sin.