Romanticism and the Rise of the Rhine Valley as a Tourist Destination

ROMANTICISM

Kant (1790)

The judgment on beauty is always subjective. Beauty does not always follow some rules because it depends on the eyes of the one who looks.

What is Romanticism?

It is a new way of understanding beauty, art, and the artist's role.

• The neoclassical principles of beauty are questioned. A new attitude in relation to art and life.
• The artist expresses his "inner self". The myth of the romantic artist is created.

Key Figures of the Era

• Rousseau: Human decided to live together and make a social contract.
• Diderot: He creates a book with all the knowledge of the world, the name was the Encyclopedia.

Key Concepts of Romanticism

• Freedom
• Originality
• Individualism
• Subjectivity
• Vocation
• Emotion

These values are associated with the revolutionary bourgeoisie that has defeated the absolutist aristocracy.

Key Figures in Romantic Art and Literature

• Goethe (1749-1832): "Werther" tells the story of a young man who falls in love with a woman who is already married. They become close, but Werther is ultimately left alone and, in his despair, commits suicide.
• Friederich (1774-1840): Romantic art speaks of the separation of man from nature. Nostalgia for the past where man was part of nature. Melancholia was the most representative emotion of romanticism.

The Birth of Rhine Romanticism (1802)

A journey of different German poets to the Rhine leads them to discover the beauty and significance of the region.

• Shegel:
• Lord Byron: His 1818 work "Child Harlod's Pilgrimage" features a section set in medieval times along the Rhine. The book's popularity in the UK, particularly its evocative descriptions of the river valley, sparked curiosity and interest in the region.
• J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851): This English romantic painter traveled to the Rhine Valley in 1817. He produced numerous sketches and created widely popular paintings, significantly contributing to the valley's rise as a travel destination.

THE SERIALIZATION OF THE LANDSCAPE

Turner became the most famous Rhine painter. Between 1817 and 1844, he journeyed to the Middle Rhine multiple times. His views were widely reproduced using steel engraving and other techniques.

• Artists from all over Europe flocked to the Rhine to capture these landscapes. Turner and his contemporaries played a pivotal role in shaping the image of the Middle Rhine Valley.
• This phenomenon was made possible by the mechanization of image production. New printing techniques, such as lithography and steel engraving, allowed for large print runs and wider dissemination.

The Rhine Valley as a Tourist Destination

Thanks to Turner and other artists, the Middle Rhine Valley became a fashionable destination for the Grand Tour during the 19th century.

• 1827: First steamboat tours.
• 1844: Railroad connecting Cologne and Bonn.
• 1855: Railroad extended to Koblenz.
• 1856: Over one million tourists traveled on Rhine steamboats.

KOBLENZ: RHINE ROMANTICISM

Koblenz is considered the starting point of Rhine Romanticism.

• 2019: With 112,000 inhabitants, one of Koblenz's main tourist attractions remains the romantic Rhine.
• Even 200 years later, Turner's influence continues to resonate in today's tourist marketing.