Social Conditions and Characteristics of the Artistic Period of RealismRealism developed during the French Revolution, a time of upheaval in social and cultural practices. Clothing, food, heating, lighting, and sanitation are just some of the basic areas that are being “modernized.” For the upper class, modern life meant social diversity, social mobility, frequent travel from the city to the countryside and back, and a generally faster pace that has since accelerated (Gersh-Nesic, n.d. , para. How could paintings and sculptures about classical gods and biblical stories from the earlier Romantic period relate to a population so enchanted by this progress? On the other hand, some wanted to describe the reality of daily life in the hope that it would stimulate social and economic reforms. Revolutions led to the growth of large factories whose owners grew rich while the working and lower classes worked long hours for low wages. “Realism was therefore a handmaiden for the socialist political activists of the time who attempted to shake up the bourgeoisie (middle classes) in order to initiate social changes leading to an idealistic “golden age of humanity” (Lane, 1998 , para. 2). In photography, developed a few years before the era of realism, the realist artist depicted his subjects without unnecessary drama or artistic affection while striving for absolute precision. Refraining from excessive embellishment and aiming for a natural tone, works of the Realism era looked very much like the camera; capturing every detail and describing a very realistic experience. The brushstrokes were very subtle, almost invisible to the naked eye. The emphasis was on the subject rather than the medium used. Social conditions and character... middle of paper ... and even insult. Ironically, the term Impressionism was meant to denigrate the new technique, but the term stuck and consequently gave rise to some of the best-known artists to date, whose works are among the most reproduced. Lionello Venturi expressed it perfectly when he said: “Impressionism, in fact, changed the view of the world. Despite all natural and artificial obstacles, it triumphed through its intrinsic value because it represents the moral vision of its time. The last of the privileged classes, the “notables”, was on the verge of disappearing. From a new layer of society, the impressionists brought their strength, their sincerity and their integrity, their immense faith in their ideal, their impulse for freedom (Blunden & Blunden, 1980, p. 55). Impressionism spread and paved the way for innovative thinkers and ingenious individuals from around the world..