How the Industrial Revolution Transformed Art and Literature

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This educational video explores the significant shift in artistic and literary expression during the Industrial Revolution, moving from Romanticism to Realism and eventually to Impressionism. Guided by animated characters, the video analyzes how the harsh realities of industrialization led artists to depict the world as it truly was—gritty and difficult—rather than idealizing it. It covers key figures and works, including paintings by Manet and Courbet, the advent of photography with Jacob Riis, and influential literature like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." The video delves into specific artistic movements and their social implications. It explains Realism as a tool for social reform, highlighting how art and literature exposed the living conditions of the working class and spurred legislative change. It then introduces Impressionism as a reaction against the constraints of Realism, focusing on light, color, and the human perception of a moment, with examples from Claude Monet and the music of Claude Debussy. For educators, this resource serves as an excellent interdisciplinary bridge between World History, Art History, and Language Arts. It demonstrates how historical context shapes culture and how art can influence politics and society. Teachers can use the built-in pause points to facilitate discussions on visual literacy, the power of media to effect social change, and the differences between objective reality and subjective perception.