In every depiction of society from the middle ages and Renaissance the first thing you notice is colorful clothes, banners, ornaments, architecture and all that. Then sometimes around the 19th century it all seems to be painted in different shades of grey and black; clothes are dark, buildings are minimalist and functional, etc. How did this happen? Is the industrial revolution responsible for it? Capitalism? Nationalism? Simple change in taste? Why is modernity so dark and monochromatic bros?
>Germany becomes relevant
>no fun allowed
Nietzsche has a good bit about it in Antichrist
>>590825
I would say it is earlier than the 19th Century and probably has to do with the Reformation and the austere aesthestics of Calvinists and Lutherans and such like.
more and more emphasis on realism
That painting is so colourful because it isn't a real thing that happened.
>>590825
>Then sometimes around the 19th century it all seems to be painted in different shades of grey and black; clothes are dark, buildings are minimalist and functional, etc.
>>590825
>Why is modernity so dark and monochromatic bros?
>>590825
>modernity
>dark and monochromatic
Sounds like you need to look a little harder, OP.
Sounds like you're really just talking about a narrow cliche of the Victorian era OP. That kinda shit is associated with horror stories and crime fiction so of course it's portrayed as "realism is black"
>>590868
Bullshit.
Dyeing clothes colorfully was widespread and popular.
>>590825
because people still believe sepia photos and monochromatic lithographies faithfully reflect reality.
>>590825
The northern Europeans came to power with the protestant reformation. their culture was decidedly darker (in tone, color, and outlook) than the Roman approach of celebrating life. as such Northern styles with their dark colors held sway for a time.
the Southern style was still very much alive and well, it simply had to change with the times.
Look up Mannerism for post schism art with bold colors. that and Baroque.
also, try not to puke on the Rococo style.
>>592610
>also, try not to puke on the Rococo style.
It's like in muh chinese comics!
It is a bit like why being chubby and pale were once considered beautiful traits for women.
In antiquity, intense dyes were expensive, and intense dyes that didnt wash away were even more expensive. This meant that there were correlations between bright and intense colors, and economic status. Obviously, this would mean that everybody would like to dress colourfully to show off that they were either wearing brand new clothes or were rih enough to buy top quality pigments.
But as chemistry progressed, good and intense dyes became cheaper, which meant that there was no longer a class association between color and class, so things like fabrics, ornaments and patterns began to play larger roles.
Fashion is particularly characterized by countermovements, so you had years were bright colors would make a come back in reaction to years were pastels or monochromatic had become the norm.
Also, note that industrialization meant that the city was no longer a place to more or less exclusively do business and meet with important authorities, but a place where workers would often find themselves looking for work or commuting to work, and workers would purposefully wear colors that are better at hiding stains, like pale blue, gray, brown and black.
>>594556
>Watermark on someone elses painting