1780-1820

The revival of classical Greek & Roman painting, sculpture, and architecture

¡  Thelate18thandearly19thcenturieswereatimeofquickanddrasticchangeinWesternsociety:Revolutions;TheChurchlostitsinfluenceonsocieties;Monarchiesweretoppled;Industrializationandurbanizationfilledthecitieswithpoordissatisfiedpeople;thefastpaceofscientificprogress;theproblemsofunrestrainedcapitalism.

¡  AmericagainedindependencefromEnglandthroughwar.Francewas

almostbankruptthroughtheirfinancialsupportofAmerica.¡  Franceexperiencedtheirrevolution(1789-99)toridthemselvesoftheir

absoluteMonarchyLouisXVIandreplaceditwithademocraticrepublic.OnlyeventuallytobereplacedbythedictatorshipofNapoleonBonaparte,whoreinstatedthemonarchyandnamedhimselfNapoleonI,EmperorofFrance.

• Preferredtheuseofcool,dignified,andimposingstylethatlookedbacktoGreek,Roman,andRenaissanceartandarchitecture.• HecalleditNeoclassicism(NewClassicism).• HesawhimselfasaRomanEmperor• HeusedarttoglorifyhisauthorityandpromoteasenseofloyaltyandpatriotismwithinthegrowingstrengthofFrance.• Thestyletouchedeveryaspectoflife:Furniture,styleofdress,painting,sculpture,architecture,andcrafts.• TheofficialacademiesmadesurethatNeoclassicalidealswereupheld.

David,OathoftheTennisCourt,1792

David,OathoftheHoratii,1784

¡  NeoclassicismwasbegunbyNapoleonBonapartewhoadmiredtheancientclassicalstyle.

¡  ThepurposeofNeoclassicismwastobringroyalstatusonitsartworks.ItmadedirectreferencetotheancientGreek&RomanpastaswellastheRenaissance.

¡  Thediscovery,in1738,ofPompeiiandHerculaneum,twoRomancitiesburiedbyvolcanicrockandashfromMt.Vesuviusin79AD,fuelledNapoleon’sfascinationwithRomanhistory,styles,andartifacts.ThisledtoanincreasedinterestinClassicalthemes.

TheColosseum

EmperorAugustus

ThePantheon

Jacques-LouisDavid,OathoftheHoratii,1784

Uccello,BattleofSanRomano

Similarities?• Sceneplaysoutinforeground–Stage-like• Gesturesbysoldiers• Pyramidalcomposition• 3groups• Perspectiveelements

Raphael,SchoolofAthens

Similarities?• ClassicalRomanarchitecture• FiguresareRoman• Archesusedto“frame”keyfigure

Veronese,ChristintheHouseofLevi

Similarities?• 3RomanArches• Centrearchframescentralfigure• 3maingroups• Stage-like

Bernini,EcstacyofSt.Teresa

Similarities?• Pyramidalcompositionofwomen• Clothing?• Expression?

• BeganpaintingunderKingLouisXVI• Aftertheking’sexecution,duringtheFrenchRevolution,heembracedtheNeoclassicalstyle

HispaintingswereintendedtorousefeelingsofloyaltyandpatriotisminhisfellowFrenchmenbyusingallegory–referencetoRomansoldiersandtheirfamiliesdemonstratingsacrificeforone’scountryoverloveorfamily

OathoftheHoratii

TheTennisCourtOath

• Absoluteclarity• Edgesarehardandcrisp• Figuresareagainstaplain,neutralbackground• Dramatic,stage-likesetting• Dramaplaysoutneartheviewers• Useofpyramidalcompositioncreatescalmnessandstability• Deliversmessagethroughallegory DeathofSocrates,1787

TheDeathofMarat,1794

• ThemostfavouredartistunderNapoleon’sreign• HisportraitsofNapoleonalwaysemphasizedhispowerand/orrevealaspectsofhispersonality

NapoleonCrossingtheAlps,1800 NapoleoninHisStudy,1812

WhatdotheseportraitstellusaboutNapoleon?

CoronationofNapoleonandJosephine,1805-07

• Likemostartists,IngresspenttimeinRometostudytheRomanruins• HeacceptedtheGreekphilosophythatartshouldimitatenature,however,hethoughtthatartistsshouldorganizenatureintheirpaintings,leavingoutwhatdoesnotcontributetoanorderlycomposition.

LouisedeBroglie,Countessed'Haussonville,1845

• ApupilofDavidandoneofthemainsupportersofNeoclassicism’srigidrules• Hisworksshownoevidenceofbrushwork• Worksarecool,analyticalandundramatic• Usedthepyramidalcomposition

Ingres:ApotheosisofHomer,1827

ValpinconBather,1808

TheTurkishBath,1862

• ThisportraitshowsIngres’trademarksofpolishedskinsurfaceandsimpleformscontouredbylines,incontrasttotheirregulardrapery.• MoreManneristthanRenaissanceduetoitsdistortion.Where? 3extravertibraeinherspinewereaddedtoaccentuatethe

sensuouscurvesofthefemalenude

(HaremGirl)