To learn a nation’s civilization, especially in only three short months, is impossible. However, if the teacher is good, he or she will find good examples that can encompass the movements and events that happened throughout the century, which in the end will add up to a close representation of the civilization itself. In FRE3500, we covered almost 2000 years of the history of France, using not only the textbook but other materials, such as paintings, architecture, films and music, in order to see life as it was at certain periods of time. I especially loved that the emphasis was not only on history but also focused on many different types of French art that snatched us out of the otherwise monotone reciting of history and allowed us to get a glimpse into the past through the eyes of the people, who lived it. However, with so many options to choose from, it is hard to satisfy everyone, nevertheless, the choice has to be made in relation to the main themes of the lectures. For me, there were three pieces of art that I missed the most that not only interesting, but tell us a great deal about the time they were made and accurately portray French civilization.
One of my favorite composers is Jean-Philippe Rameau, whose music beautifully represented the time that he lived in, mainly the Baroque and Rococo era. His last tragedy in music, Abaris ou Les Boréades not only represents the Rococo style of music that was popular at the time, but already foreshadows the Neo-Classical Period, that would soon follow, with its Greek subject matter. During the early part of the 18th century, the light and airy style became more and more popular, replacing the heavier Baroque style. At this time, the nobility lived a frivolous, happy and uneventful l...
... middle of paper ...
...elings of French society. The difference between Rameau’s opera, David’s Oath of the Horatii and Courbet’s Burial at Ornans depicts the difference between the people, who lived in the Rococo, Neo-Classical or the Realist era, providing a great way to make history almost touchable to us. Even though these pieces of art were not included in our class, other pieces were shown, which made this class different from other courses, and helped us students have a better understanding of French civilization. The textbook used for this class was easy to read and provided enough details to learn about the main aspects of a time period, without making it boring. I especially loved the inclusion of excerpts from plays and books that corresponded with each section. With all these aspects, French Civilization was a very enjoyable course and would be happy to recommend it to others!
For my assignment, I will be comparing the two pieces of art titled Louis XIV painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud and Portrait of Marie Antoinette With Her Children by Marie-Louise-Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun. I will be analyzing and breaking down the different techniques used in both paintings and explaining the similarities between them as well. Though the paintings contain the same family throughout both, there is a clear imbalance in power and something very normal for this time period. I will be elaborating on the difference in social status between the two paintings, even though they are the same family.
In the Enseigne, art is also shown to serve a function that it has always fulfilled in every society founded on class differences. As a luxury commodity it is an index of social status. It marks the distinction between those who have the leisure and wealth to know about art and posses it, and those who do not. In Gersaint’s signboard, art is presented in a context where its social function is openly and self-consciously declared. In summary, Watteau reveals art to be a product of society, nevertheless he refashions past artistic traditions. Other than other contemporary painters however, his relationship to the past is not presented as a revolt, but rather like the appreciative, attentive commentary of a conversational partner.
There are many cumulative events that have influenced Western Civilization reflective in today’s modern world, but the most impactful was the French Revolution. Western Civilization has many historic milestones building to the world as we know it, but none set such broad themes that are felt in our everyday life. Many of these themes have become so ingrained into the way we live that we can’t understand a world without them. For this reason, the effects of the French Revolution molded the westernized world more so than any other event. I consider the French Revolution the catalyst to how our world is shaped today. It’s ideas and events continue to echo through our lives century after century.
In conclusion of this review lengthy of The Great Cat Massacre; I’ve given a rather lengthy insight into the book, Mr. Darnton’s motivation for writing the book, and a different view of the The Great Cat Massacre with the aid of Roger Chartier. In retrospect I enjoyed reading this book very much, however I do not feel that it was the best book for this review. The book itself was looking at history in a different way and it made it extremely difficult to compare or contrast it with another source. Mr. Darnton whose views in my opinion are sound it’s just that are very narrow questions about a very large subject “French Culture” and it was hard to locate different opinions.
Some of the most well known composers came to be in the in the classical music period. Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the composers, along with other greats of the time like Haydn and Mozart, which helped to create a new type of music. This new music had full rich sounds created by the new construction of the symphony orchestra.
... considered documents of Paris capital of modernity to a great extent. Their subjects, style, and juxtaposition of the transitive and the eternal give effective depictions of life in Paris at the time. Impressionist paintings will stand alongside written documents as records of late nineteenth century Paris for years to come.
The Baroque Period, 1600-1750, marked another unique era of musical experimentation and evolvement. Titled after the trendy ornate architectural style during this period, the Baroque period, 1600 to 1750, witnessed a widespread change in the composer’s musical desires as they widely rebelled against the traditional styles that were prevalent during the Renaissance. With this era stained with monarchs attempting to outperform one another with pride and pageantry the development and grandeur of music excelled to new heights. The powerful monarchs of the period utilized composers heavily as they served as employed performers with the sole purpose to develop and perform musical pieces at the desire of the monarch. This servant-composer culture
There are two distinct eras in music that have impacted it immensely throughout time. They are known as the Baroque era and the Classical era. These eras have helped mold and elevate music, building creative pathways that still hold a strong effect in present day music. The differences in both the Baroque and Classical eras are quite immense but they both hold equal importance to the history of music and are high in their overall influential worth.
...ike today. The period between the baroque and renaissance paved a new way for not only music, but for art. The change that took place was gorgeous causing art to become so vivid and images are portrayed to be so real. I never was a fan of art nor music, but if one actually pays attention to the evolvement of it throughout time one would have great appreciation.
The Baroque time was filled with musical geniuses. People like Franz Josef Haydn, George Frideric Handel, and Claudio Monteverdi. All of these people were amazing when holding an instrument, sitting at a piano, or writing on manuscript paper, but the finished products were and always will be superb. Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi were among these musical prodigies.
To summarize the book into a few paragraphs doesn't due it the justice it deserves. The beginning details of the French and Ind...
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven are very famous past composers that have created many pieces that have influenced not just people of their time, but people in modern times as well.
Western Civilization II Guides. “Art Inspired by The French Revolution”. Wordpress, 2007. Web. 5th May 2013.
Roughly from 1815 to 1910, this period of time is called the romantic period. At this period, all arts are transforming from classic arts by having greater emphasis on the qualities of remoteness and strangeness in essence. The influence of romanticism in music particularly, has shown that romantic composers value the freedom of expression, movement, passion, and endless pursuit of the unattainable fantasy and imagination. The composers of the romantic period are in search of new subject matters, more emotional and are more expressive of their feelings as they are not bounded by structural rules in classical music where order, equilibrium, control and perfection are deemed important (Dorak, 2000).
This era is recognized by the creation of tonality, as well as the establishment of the opera, cantata, and concerto. Different from the classical era, this era featured a unity of mood, a continuous rhythm and melody, and a predominantly polyphonic texture, meaning that there were two melody lines, each fighting for the listener 's attention. The composers from the Baroque period were well-known for their extravagant, frivolous and bizarre usage of their instruments and their performances. The most notable influence from this era is in modern music especially rock music, because in rock music emotions are intense and the mood are usually unified just like the music from the Baroque period. Some artists and rock bands have adopted this bizarre style, for example Prince and Lady Gaga. Many rock bands were inspired by composers of this era such as Bach because of the intensity of his