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Realism facts for kids

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Realism is a way of showing things exactly as they are, especially in art, literature, and music. It became popular in the late 1800s. Instead of imagining fantasy worlds, artists wanted to show real life, nature, and how people lived in society.

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Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet, 1854. A Realist painting by Gustave Courbet.

Realism in Art and Painting

In painting, Realism meant showing everyday life and ordinary people, not just heroes or grand historical events. Artists like Gustave Courbet were very important in this movement. They wanted their paintings to look as real as possible.

For example, Courbet's painting The Stone Breakers showed two ordinary workers breaking rocks. This was different from earlier art that often focused on more "beautiful" or "important" subjects. Realist painters believed that even simple, everyday scenes were worth painting.

Realism in Literature

Realism in literature meant writers tried to describe the world and people's lives accurately. They focused on showing characters and situations as they truly were, without making them seem more exciting or romantic than they were.

A German writer named Heinrich Heine was one of the first to explore these ideas. Later, a movement called Naturalism grew from Realism. Naturalist writers, like Emile Zola, went even further, describing scenes in nature and society with great detail and honesty.

Realism in Music

In music, there was a style called Verismo, which is an Italian word meaning "reality." Verismo was popular in Italian opera around the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Composers who wrote Verismo operas tried to show real-life stories and emotions. They often focused on the lives of ordinary people and their everyday problems. Puccini was a famous opera composer whose music is a great example of the Verismo style. His operas often feature strong emotions and dramatic, realistic plots.

Realism in Philosophy

In philosophy, Realism has a slightly different meaning. It's a way of thinking that says things exist in the world whether or not anyone is looking at them, hearing them, or touching them.

For example, some older philosophers believed that something like "beauty" only existed because someone saw something and thought it was beautiful. But a Realist philosopher would say that beauty is there, in the object itself, even if no one is around to see it. It exists independently of our minds.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Realismo para niños

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