Art versus Nature Victor Hugo
As the 19th century unfolded, Victor Hugo was there to witness Romanticism from a different perspective. As a writer, he focused on the ideals behind the era and in his piece “Preface to Cromwell,” Hugo discusses what he believes are the fundamentals to writing during this time period. The Romantic period was filled with artistic movement and creativity and some of the best known art pieces have come from this period. Hugo discusses the need for inspiration to create such pieces and it is Hugo who said that art and nature are not hand-in-hand. In actuality, nature is found with a keen eye on one’s surroundings while art is a façade of materialistic things. Hugo focuses on the need for nature as an inspiration. According to Hugo, nature contains the framework for which art is created. ... ” Hugo’s definition of nature shows artists a realistic approach to creating art.