Dina AbdouMs.Dunn

CH4YUArt Reflection

Explanation

The painting of Tennis Court Oath is oil on canvas work in true neo-classic style that showcases a revolutionary movement led by an assembly of people. Nonetheless it is a very intellectual piece in which displays great detail of what’s taking place at the moment, fulfilling great fundamentals of art. My attention, at first glance, is drawn to the man in the center, standing atop of a table with his right arm raised calmly into the air. I believe his high raised hand signifies the great importance of the oath he is taking. Furthermore, it is evident that he is the leader of the group since everyone’s arms are proudly raised towards him as they follow him in taking the oath. This creates a very symmetrical, powerful composition that emphasizes the unity within the crowd. There is little use of color and shading however the use of lighting in the center adds the feeling of solidarity that permeates the work. The darkest areas of this composition is around the edges, becoming brighter as it moves towards the center, once again drawing the viewer’s eyes to the standing man in the center. Furthermore, there is a lot of symbolism in this piece. For instance, the wind blowing the curtains into the room, perhaps symbolizes the winds of change as the light is shone in falling center into the room, illuminating the leader and signifying his enlightenment. In addition, the top hat throwing was not yet a tradition in the 1700s however it symbolized saying goodbye to a former part of ones life and welcoming a more prosperous one. My initial reaction to this piece is that I amazed and shocked by their passion and their dedication to this movement. It is a lot to take in at one glance however when I looked at the various parts in the room, I noticed people praying, placing their hands on their heart and looking above, consulting with others, writing things down which was all very moving and truly revolutionary. Personally, I am inspired to do better and achieve greatness the way they did thousands of years ago. The feelings associated with this piece are courage, excitement, unity and most importantly persistence. For instance, the men that are yelling, screaming and holding their arms the highest they possibly can shows how firmly they believed in standing for their people and how motivated they were. In addition, people’s faces are excited and enthusiastic, representing a dynamic quality to their movement. I believe the painter; Jacques Louis David wanted not only to inspire others to seek greatness, but to sway the viewers into agreeing with his ideas. This art piece is a perfect exemplar of persistence and dedication towards a great cause or effort. That kind of persistence and dedication is essential in the making of a revolution and David depicted these emotions greatly in his piece. In summary, he tried to convey his

Dina AbdouMs.Dunn

CH4YUviewers that even if a corrupt and powerful authority tries to diminish ones efforts, persistence and dedication will pay off and give one the results that they deserve.

Prediction

There is not much prediction one can make on this piece since its name says it all. As well, due to the fact that I have covered this topic and done research prior to this assignment, I know what era this painting was from. However, if I hadn't studied this issue prior, I would predict that this painting is from an era that symbolized change and prosperity. From this painting, it can easily be noted that this piece depicts a powerful movement such as a demonstration or revolution. As mentioned before, the passion and excitement in the crowd, the top hat throwing and the wind flowing through, all symbolize the coming of a revolution. However, in the bottom right corner, a lone delegate of the Third Estate is found sitting on the floor, which makes me infer that he is the only member of the assembly who did not sign the new constitution. Therefore, this further supports the idea of a revolution since there are non-supporters of the act. Furthermore, I can come to the conclusion that this piece depicts a historical event from the Renaissance or Age of Exploration eras. These two periods were very uplifting for the people of Europe and brought great change. In fact, the Renaissance was a period of great social and cultural change in Europe and introduced innovation, imagination and creativity. Much of the inspiration behind cultural and historical movements of the Renaissance came from people's attempts to imitate and improve the legacies of classical European societies.

Research

Jacques Louis David was a Neo-classical painter of historical paintings and was very known for his art during the French Revolution. His depictions of scenes from the French Revolution highlighted the lifestyle of the members in the Third Estate and their need for independence. His painting “The Tennis Court Oath,” painted in 1791, depicts the stepping-stones of the French revolution in which was the drafting of a new constitution. Furthermore, the painting did an exemplary job in displaying the meeting of the Third Estate held on June 20, 1789. After being locked out of the palace, the members of the Third Estate decided to meet in a nearby and indoor tennis court where they declared their allegiance was not to the king, but to the people. They vowed to remain together until the constitution had been established.This act created a chain reaction of revolutionary activity in the months following

Dina AbdouMs.Dunn

CH4YUthe oath. France became frightened as the rumors became truth and the ideas for change led to the great revolution known as the French Revolution. The members of the Third Estate featured in the picture were the heart and soul of the French Revolution and without their endless efforts and dedication, the overthrow of the French Monarchy would have never succeeded.

Summary

This art piece commemorates the event, Tennis Court Oath, which took place in 1789. Moreover, it is an excellent mirror for society, as it reflects upon a time of great desperation and need for change. It showed how the members of the Third Estate were fed up with their mistreatment and wanted to put a stop to it. They finally took matter into their own hands and acted in opposition towards the King. Through out their lives, they have faced many hardships however they have finally channeled their anger in the most positive approach and took the oath to not let up until the constitution was established. Furthermore, the artist wanted to represent this movement in the most positive light and show that these people simply meant no harm but were just hungry for change. In summary, this painting is casted as a mirror for society as it reveals peoples drive for change and how they went about it to achieve it.

References

"Neoclassicism: The Tennis Court Oath by David: HistoryWiz Image." Neoclassicism: The Tennis Court Oath by David: HistoryWiz Image. Web. 9 July 2015.http://www.historywiz.com/exhibits/tenniscourtoath.htm

"Persistence and Dedication." : The Tennis Court Oath, By Jacques-Louis David. Web. 9 July 2015.http://persistenceanddedication.blogspot.ca/2011/05/tennis-court-oath-by-jacques-louis_14.html