Late 19th Century: Weltschmerz; absolutism breaks down, suicides go up

1. Science: interest in physics replaces interest in biology

1895-X-Ray

1896-radioactivity

1905-Einstein’s 4th Dimension: relativity

1912-synthetic vitamins

1928-penicillin

1932-Chadwick discovers neutron particles

2. Politics: socio/political unrest; more wars with increasing frequency

1870-Franco/Prussian war

1914-WWI

1943-WW2

etc.

3. Literature: unusual distortions of reality in written words, ideas

-symbolism/dadaism

-Kafka, Lawrence, Joyce, Elliot

4. Visual Art: distortion of visual, photographic reality

-isms:

-impressionism

-pointillism

-post-impressionism-more form & structure

-Cézanne, Gaugin, Van Gogh

-fauvism-additional alteration of space, lines, abstract color

-Matisse

-expressionism