In an essay discuss how the subject matter of the Enlightenment transitioned to that of social criticism and a critique of past traditions and practices.

As we transition from the traditions established during the Renaissance and Baroque Periods to that of the Enlightenment and 19th Century, in terms of style and technique, nothing really changes, but in terms of world-view – many things change. The R/B was still very superstitious about religious issues. The Enlightenment, on the other hand focused on education and obtaining knowledge through observations of nature – therefore the tradition of Religion/Religious practice was challenged. In a concise and well written essay discuss how the subject matter of the Enlightenment transitioned to that of social criticism and a critique of past traditions and practices. You may want to consider topics such as how education can affect the behavior and morality of an individual, family values and the role of women vs. men, the role of government and its control over the people, the changing face of war and the influence of the industrial revolution, etc. The people had a voice, and they used visual culture as a way to communicate their opinions and criticism. This is the dawn of art as a form of journalism as well as a means of reform. Your response should include examples of art from all over Europe and from the different stylistic periods; be sure to fully identify (title, artist, date, stylistic period) all of the works referenced; use specific terminology; and elaborate on how the objects relate to the topic.