Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that emerged in the late 18th century. It emphasized emotion, individualism, and nature over reason. Key characteristics included glorification of nature, interest in the exotic, and the idea of the artist as a rebel against society. Romantic artists and writers explored themes like the power of the individual, the destructiveness of industrialization, and the supremacy of emotion over logic. The movement influenced literature, art, music, and politics in the 19th century.