Survey 4: 1750 – 1850

Dark and Gothic Tales

Design and Architecture

There was a whole lot that happened in the hundred years between 1750 and 1850. Honestly, people were just trying to spice things up with fun events, like the French Revolution–it was fun for all…nobody got hurt…nobody…–and Queen Victoria being crowned. One of the monumental events was when the Brothers Grimm published their first book in 1812 and a second edition later in 1815. Though not that popular for the stories at the time, the books have paved the way for the 21st Century animated film industry, being the source of some of your favourite, classic stories such as Snow White and Rapunzel–though not as magical as you would think. There was way more despair in the original stories which I think adds a bit of spice to the classics.

The book itself was originally titled “Children’s and Household Tales” but is more widely known today as the “Grimms’ Fairy Tales”. Each one of the stories in all of the editions ever sold, 86 in the first and up to 210 in the seventh, was unique and original. The cover was illustrated in black and white, using negative space to show a small selection of what the stories within had in store. This use was very modern for the time and honestly quite impressive. The book was deemed a children’s book, though it was criticized by many for being ‘too dark’ and overall not appropriate for the kids. I would have loved these books if I grew up during the time period, though I may be considered mad. They did change the subject matter over time, to be more suitable, but the violence and gore were still there which was a smart move in my personal opinion. 

Another big thing that was happening was the different styles of architecture that were going on. The Gothic Revival or Victorian Gothic was still quite popular, appearing on the interior and exterior walls of homes all over Europe. The style draws features from the original Gothic style, including decorative patterns, lancet windows, and hood moulds. It definitely was not as detailed as the Rococo style, but still kept that high class, fancy vibe. The Greek Revival movement was also gaining popularity in mainly Northern Europe. A signature feature of the style was being very temple-like and having great big pillars. You can see this style on the White House in the United States and all across Europe.

Citations

“Grimms’ Fairy Tales.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimms’_Fairy_Tales.

“Gothic Revival Architecture.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Revival_architecture.

“Greek Revival Architecture.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Revival_architecture.