Artist in the Neoclassical and Romantic period played a significant role in French Revolution, this was evident in the propaganda they portray in their work; prior to the revolution, most artists used their paintings and other forms of artwork to convey their message to the public. The Neoclassical style painting drew inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome for their work. The depiction of heroic figures was apparent in this style. Romanticism on the other hand, used contemporary events to get ideas for their work and involves more emotion compared to Neoclassicism.
The Neoclassicist used painting to spread the ideas of sacrificing for the greater good, this was a means of getting people to support a Revolution. “The Oath of Horatii” by Jacques Louis David is an example of a Neoclassical painting that depicts the virtues of fighting for your people. (Gersh-Nesic, n.d). This piece shows the intent of the brothers which is fighting for the greater good not minding the pain the family will go true. The French Revolution began in 1789 which was the same year one of the revolutionaries was killed (Marat) but this took place before the Revolution began. This event was depicted in David painting “The Death of Marat”. The
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These could be portrayed as a painting or as a story in the form of a print. The Romanticist also used art as a means of conveying their messages to the public with more emotion and capturing nature. An example of an artwork during this period is “Liberty Leading the people” by Eugene Delacroix. This piece depicts the events from the Revolution of 1830. (Zygmont, n.d). It showed how people rebelled to gain freedom from the monarch. Showing a female symbol holding and waving the French flag who is encouraging the people to continue to fight. This painting showed various kinds of people coming together to fight for their freedom. (Zygmont,
During the time period, France was in serious trouble, the country was having struggles for political power and many no longer wanted the monarchy system in place. King Louis XIV ruled France with an iron fist since a very young age, he was referred to as the “Sun King”. The two paintings clearly show the social status and hierarchy involved in the everyday life during this time period. In Louis XIV, the painting was meant to be put on display in the Palace of Versailles and be a
This painting is able to show in detail how emotional it was for the Spanish after the war. It flawlessly used colors and lighting to show importance of character. Goya was able to accurately demonstrate the patriotic view of the uprising and subsequent war, in which the Spanish cast the rioters of May second as defenseless heroes and innocent, modern-day martyrs and the French as brutal
The 18th century is well known for its complex artistic movements such as Romantism and Neo-classical. The leading style Rococo thrived from 1700-1775 and was originated from the French words rocaille and coquille which meant “rock” and “shell”; used to decorate the Baroque gardens1. Identified as the age of “Enlightenment”, philosophers would ignite their ideas into political movements1. Associated with this movement is England’s John Locke who advanced the concept of “empiricism”. This denotes that accepting knowledge of matters of fact descends from experience and personal involvement1. Locke’s concept assisted the improvements of microscopes and telescopes allowing art students in the French academy to observe real life1. Science and experience influenced painting more so in Neo-Classicalism. Locke fought for people’s rights and the power or “contract” between the ruler and the ruled. Reasoning that “the Light in Enlightenment referred to the primacy of reason and intellect…and a belief in progress and in the human ability to control nature”1. Hence, the commence of experimental paintings such as Joseph Wright’s (1734-1797) oil on canvas painting: Fig.1 An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. This image was developed through science by placing a bird in glass container and pumping air to see the effects it would have on the bird (White cockatoo)1. Throughout the late 18th and early 19th century in Western Europe, Neo-Classical art became the “true Style” and was accepted by the French Revolution under Louis XIV. Neo-Classical art was a reaction to Rococo’s light hearted, humour and emotion filled pieces.
They used propaganda in their work to make their own country look better but subsequently they made other nations look inferior. They would hear about these lands and cultures without visiting them then create a painting of what they would think it would like. For one example of this propaganda use in paintings is Antoine-Jean Gros, he was employed by Napoleon to depict his visit to the east. Antoine never actually visited the east so his painting is merely out of imagination, but in the painting it depicts Napoleon visiting plagued prisoners during the Siege of Jaffa. Napoleon, in the painting, is shown touching an inmate who is gesturing in disbelief. The painting also shows the eastern people as poorly dressed and dirty while napoleon and his men are clean and dressed very militarian like. Antoine depicts the easterners as dirty to provide evidence of their backwardness and barbaric ideals which allows the audience to see the french as this great nation with power (Antione, Siege of Jaffa, The Louvre,1804). This painting can be interpreted as both propaganda and orientalist because it shows how mighty the french are but also shows the french as god-like compared to the
Classicism of the Renaissance has been replenished during the Baroque period. During the Baroque artistic period, the exploration of the fundamental components of human nature and the realm of senses and emotions were very crucial. The Baroque era was a very dynamic time that showed an abundance of radiance and color. Artists of this time are passionate and sensual. Their works were many times considered to have an overpowering emotional effect.
Before Impressionism came to be a major movement (around 1870-1800s), Neoclassical and Romanticism were still making their impacts. Remembering last week’s lesson, we know that both those styles were different in the fact that one was based on emotion, while the other was practical and serious. However, one thing they both shared was the fact that the artists were trying to get a message across; mostly having to do with the effects of the French Revolution, and/or being ordered to do so. With Impressionism, there is a clear difference from its predecessors.
Although the painting itself displays many impressive artistic styles, it is also important to consider the artwork’s historical context. The Raft of the Medusa depicts the aftermath of the shipwreck of the French naval frigate Médusa, which crashed off the African coast. The desperate passengers then built a makeshift raft from the pieces of the destroyed ship, which is the moment depicted in Géricault’s painting. Particularly, The Raft of the Medusa was a contemporary piece that commented on the practice of slavery and the incompetence of the new French government in the early 19th century. Géricault, an abolitionist, sought ways to end the slave trade in the colonies. The anti-slavery cause was well known at the time and was highly promoted by the abolitionists throughout France. Thus, due to Géricault’s repugnance towards slavery, it is only fitting ...
However, in David’s painting the three brothers pledging themselves to their country are seen as heroic. Whereas, in Goya’s painting symbolic language is seen through the ordinary non-heroic man who is viewed similar to Christ during his crucifixion. David’s artwork is detailed with particular brushwork and depicts the thought of war in a traditional sense. Dissimilarity, Goya’s somber artwork separates away from the customs of Christian art and traditional paintings of war, along with the use of visible loose brush
Neo-Classical and Romanticist art had become the prevalent style of mainstream art post Industrial and Enlightenment and gave birth to the famous artists of Jacque and Eugene Delacroix which in this case study, will be discussed. Romanticism became prevalent early eighteenth century, which was a large-span “enlightenment” or “intellectual movement” that had begun in Europe. Speaking of Enlightenment, Romanticism art had been heavily influenced by the Age of Enlightenment. Which had been a widespread philosophical movement spread across Europe. The Age of Enlightenment emphasized reason over topics such as church and state.
The impressionists were greatly influenced by this. This painting shows the division between the romantic style and the neoclassical style. Romantic style emphasizes spirit and color, detachment and line. This painting is a response to the July 1830 revolution against Charles X, the King of France. According to the book Painting in the Lourve romanticisms is a movement that arose in the early nineteenth century in art, literature, and music.
Impressionism was a more sensitive medium for more personal expression. Paintings were touched strongly by the spirit of romanticism. These paintings usually contained women and children to symbolize love, sorrow, or despair. Impressionism began with Monet Renoir and Bazille. They all disliked the academic teaching so it was then they decided to paint with a new cause to be different and stand out.
People decided to rebel against the political and social rules of their time and started a new trend of art. It conveyed dramatic subjects perceived with strong feelings and imagination.
There are several events and movements within the Enlightenment that contributed to the rise of Neoclassicism. The expansion, evolution, and redefinition of the European standard classical education was one of the greatest causes, as well was the then recent archeological discoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The rise in commissioned art and architecture and the refinement of art scholarship also gave rise to this movement. Finally, the general reaction to the exorbitant styles of Baroque and Rococo necessitated a return to the more orderly ideals of antiquity. The Neoclassical movement, for the purposes of this paper, can be defined as the movement that, from 1750 to 1830, looked back to the Greek and Roman artists, philosophers, and ideals as the highest point in artistic achievement and then attempted to combine antiquity's feelings of solidarity and harmony with new designs to create a vibrant and exciting, yet distinguished and restrained art form.
The French Revolution, indeed, changed the structure of economics and social sphere of the old regime, and also the ideology of that time. In the years that followed the Revolution, the always increasing senses of both freedom and individuality were evident, not only in French society, but also in art. As stated by Dowd, “leaders of the French Revolution consciously employed all forms of art to mobilize public sentiment in favor of the New France and French nationalism.” In between all the artistic areas, the art of painting had a special emphasis. After the Revolution, the French art academies and also schools were now less hierarchical and there was, now, more freedom of engaging into new themes, not being the apprentices so tied up to their masters footsteps, not being so forced to follow them.
Not only did David want to do this but his artistic viewpoints wanted him to reflect the use of propaganda to others through art in the Neoclassical era. In other words, he wanted to depict through the painting how politics during the French Revolution were taken sternly and had serious repercussions in a sort of misleading way. In the same way, if you did not fit into the rest of society and you stood out you were labeled as a target. As we see Marat was murdered by Corday who was seen as his political enemy. In the meantime, through the style of David’s painting, we see the use of iconography or “the study or description of images and symbols” . Here in this painting of The Death of Marat, we see the main image (i.e. Marat) being used as more than just the centerpiece of the work rather, the symbol of the work which means there is more to this work than just The Death of Marat. Strangely enough, we can see the use of iconography when comparing The Death of Marat to an almost political Christ of his people. Meaning that Marat was killed for his religious beliefs/political beliefs and died for his people as that of Christ did with his religious beliefs. Incidentally, we can say that “David’s clear