Neoclassicism vs. Romanticism — What's the Difference?

An artistic movement inspired by classical antiquity.

A style emphasizing individual experience.

A revival of classical principles.

An artistic and cultural movement focusing on emotion and nature.

A cultural trend focusing on rationality and order.

A challenge to established norms and conventions.

A style characterized by geometric simplicity.

An interest in the sublime and the fantastical.

An emphasis on traditional forms in art and literature.

A celebration of intuition over reason.

Neoclassicism (also spelled Neo-classicism; from Greek νέος nèos, "new" and Greek κλασικός klasikόs, "of the highest rank") was a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassicism was born in Rome largely thanks to the writings of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, at the time of the rediscovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum, but its popularity spread all over Europe as a generation of European art students finished their Grand Tour and returned from Italy to their home countries with newly rediscovered Greco-Roman ideals.

Romanticism (also known as the Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical.

A revival in literature in the late 1600s and 1700s, characterized by a regard for the classical ideals of reason, form, and restraint.

Often Romanticism An artistic and intellectual movement originating in Europe in the late 1700s and characterized by a heightened interest in nature, emphasis on the individual's expression of emotion and imagination, departure from the attitudes and forms of classicism, and rebellion against established social rules and conventions.

A revival in the 1700s and 1800s in architecture and art, especially in the decorative arts, characterized by order, symmetry, and simplicity of style.

Romantic quality or spirit in thought, expression, or action.

A movement in music lasting roughly from 1915 to 1940 that sought to avoid subjective emotionalism and to return to the style of the pre-Romantic composers.

A romantic quality, spirit or action.

Any of various intellectual movements that embrace a set of traditional principles regarded as fundamental or authoritative.

A fondness for romantic characteristics or peculiarities; specifically, in modern literature, an aiming at romantic effects; - applied to the productions of a school of writers who sought to revive certain medi val forms and methods in opposition to the so-called classical style.

Any of several movements in the arts, architecture, literature and music that revived forms from earlier centuries.

Impractical romantic ideals and attitudes

A revival of the classical Greek and Roman style in art or literature.

A movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization;

Revival of a classical style (in art or literature or architecture or music) but from a new perspective or with a new motivation

An exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure)

Neoclassicism was prominent in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Neoclassicism values order, symmetry, and rational thought.

Romanticism was most influential in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Yes, Romanticism had a significant impact on music.

While not its focus, emotion can be present but is controlled in Neoclassicism.

Romantic art often depicts dramatic landscapes or emotive subjects.

It often is, valuing traditional forms and structures.

Neoclassicism is an artistic movement inspired by classical antiquity, focusing on order and rationality.

Romanticism is an artistic movement emphasizing emotion, individualism, and nature.

No, Neoclassicism extends to architecture, literature, and even philosophy.

Romanticism values emotion, individual experience, and the sublime in nature.

Neoclassical art often features heroic subjects and classical themes.

Often, yes—Romanticism frequently challenges established norms and systems.

Generally, yes—emotion is central to the Romantic ethos.

Yes, both Neoclassicism and Romanticism influenced literature significantly.