Final answer:
Neoclassicism was characterized by its classical restraint and adherence to Enlightenment rationality, while Romanticism embraced emotion and the sublime. Visible brushstrokes and dramatic themes marked Romantic art, diverging from Neoclassical precision and formality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Neoclassicism and Romanticism were two contrasting artistic movements that flourished during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Neoclassicism emerged first, drawing inspiration from antiquity and the classic arts of Greece and Rome, coinciding with the Age of Enlightenment. It emphasized restraint, formality, and precision in response to the Rococo style's perceived excesses. Influential Neoclassical artists like Ingres demonstrated both a deep respect for classical traditions and, at times, a hint of the Romantic spirit.
Romanticism, in contrast, prioritized emotion, individualism, and the sublime in nature. It often depicted recent historical events, dramatic landscapes, and powerful human struggles. The Romantic movement valued visible brushstrokes, vibrant color, and intensity over the orderly and idealized compositions of Neoclassicism. Artists such as Gericault, Delacroix, and Goya became known for their evocative and often tumultuous works.
In a broader cultural context, these movements reflected differing worldviews. Neoclassicism mirrored the rationality and order preferred during the Enlightenment, while Romanticism embodied the burgeoning appreciation for the emotional and the irrational. The public availability of art in newly founded museums like the Louvre, as well as the various academies and salons, facilitated passionate debates and exchanges between adherents of each style.