Compare and Contrast Rococo and Neoclassical Art in Terms of Subject Matter and Stylistic Features

Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism refers to movements in the arts that draw inspiration from the "classical" fine art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome.

Learning Objectives

Identify attributes of Neoclassicism and some of its key figures

Fundamental Takeaways

Central Points

• The height of Neoclassicism coincided with the 18th century Enlightenment era, and connected into the early on 19th century.
• With the increasing popularity of the Grand Tour, information technology became fashionable to collect antiquities as souvenirs, which spread the Neoclassical style through Europe and America.
• Neoclassicism spanned all of the arts including painting, sculpture, the decorative arts, theatre, literature, music, and architecture.
• More often than not speaking, Neoclassicism is divers stylistically past its employ of direct lines, minimal use of colour, simplicity of grade and, of grade, an adherence to classical values and techniques.
• Rococo, with its emphasis on disproportion, bright colors, and ornament is typically considered to be the straight contrary of the Neoclassical style.

Primal Terms

• M Tour: The traditional tour of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-form European young men of ways. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s.
• Enlightenment: A concept in spirituality, philosophy, and psychology related to achieving clarity of perception, reason, and knowledge.
• Rococo: A style of bizarre architecture and decorative fine art, from 18th century French republic, having elaborate ornamentation.

The classical revival, too known as Neoclassicism, refers to movements in the arts that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. The height of Neoclassicism coincided with the 18th century Enlightenment era, and connected into the early 19th century. The dominant styles during the 18th century were Baroque and Rococo. The latter, with its emphasis on asymmetry, bright colors, and ornamentation is typically considered to be the direct contrary of the Neoclassical style, which is based on order, symmetry, and simplicity. With the increasing popularity of the Grand Tour, information technology became stylish to collect antiquities as souvenirs. This tradition of collecting laid the foundations for many swell art collections and spread the classical revival throughout Europe and America.

Neoclassicism grew to encompass all of the arts, including painting, sculpture, the decorative arts, theatre, literature, music, and architecture. The style can generally exist identified by its use of directly lines, minimal use of color, simplicity of form and, of course, its adherence to classical values and techniques.

In music, the menses saw the ascension of classical music and in painting, the works of Jaques-Louis David became synonymous with the classical revival. Notwithstanding, Neoclassicism was felt nearly strongly in architecture, sculpture, and the decorative arts, where classical models in the aforementioned medium were adequately numerous and attainable. Sculpture in particular had a neat wealth of ancient models from which to acquire, however, most were Roman copies of Greek originals.

Rinaldo Rinaldi, Chirone Insegna Advertizing Achille a Suonare La Cetra : Executed in a classical fashion and adhering to classical themes, this sculpture is a typical example of the Neoclassical style.

Neoclassical architecture was modeled after the classical style and, as with other art forms, was in many ways a reaction against the exuberant Rococo style. The compages of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio became very popular in the mid 18th century. Additionally, archaeological ruins establish in Pompeii and Herculaneum informed many of the stylistic values of Neoclassical interior pattern based on the ancient Roman rediscoveries.

Villa Godi Valmarana, Lonedo di Lugo, Veneto, Italy: Villa Godi was i of the first works past Palladio. Its ascetic facade, arched doorways and minimal symmetry reflect his adherence to classical stylistic values.

Neoclassical Paintings

Neoclassical painting, produced by men and women, drew its inspiration from the classical art and culture of aboriginal Hellenic republic and Rome.

Learning Objectives

Hash out the overarching themes present in Neoclassical painting

Fundamental Takeaways

Key Points

• Neoclassical bailiwick matter draws from the history and general culture of ancient Hellenic republic and Ancient Rome. Information technology is frequently described as a reaction to the lighthearted and "frivolous" subject matter of the Rococo.
• Neoclassical painting is characterized by the utilise of straight lines, a smooth paint surface, the depiction of light, a minimal utilize of color, and the clear, crisp definition of forms.
• The works of Jacques-Louis David are commonly hailed equally the prototype of Neoclassical painting.
• David attracted over 300 students to his studio, including Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Marie-Guillemine Benoist, and Angélique Mongez, the last of whom tried to extend the Neoclassical tradition beyond her teacher'southward death.

Key Terms

• Enlightenment: A philosophical movement in 17th and 18th century Europe. Also known every bit the Age of Reason, this was an era that emphasized rationalism.

Background and Characteristics

Neoclassicism is the term for movements in the arts that draw inspiration from the classical art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. The height of Neoclassicism coincided with the 18th century Enlightenment era and continued into the early 19th century. With the appearance of the Grand Tour—a much enjoyed trip around Europe intended to introduce immature men to the extended civilization and people of their world—information technology became fashionable to collect antiquities equally souvenirs. This tradition laid the foundations of many groovy collections and ensured the spread of the Neoclassical revival throughout Europe and America. The French Neoclassical style would greatly contribute to the monumentalism of the French Revolution, with the emphasis of both lying in virtue and patriotism.

Neoclassical painting is characterized by the use of straight lines, a smooth pigment surface hiding brush work, the depiction of light, a minimal employ of color, and the clear, crisp definition of forms. Its subject matter usually relates to either Greco-Roman history or other cultural attributes, such every bit apologue and virtue. The softness of paint application and light-hearted and "frivolous" discipline affair that characterize Rococo painting is recognized equally the opposite of the Neoclassical manner. The works of Jacques-Louis David are widely considered to be the image of Neoclassical painting. Many painters combined aspects of Romanticism with a vaguely Neoclassical style before David's success, but these works did non strike any chords with audiences. Typically, the subject area affair of Neoclassical painting consisted of the depiction of events from history, mythological scenes, and the architecture and ruins of aboriginal Rome.

The Schoolhouse of David

Neoclassical painting gained new momentum with the great success of David's Oath of the Horatii at the Paris Salon of 1785. The painting had been deputed by the royal government and was created in a manner that was the perfect combination of idealized structure and dramatic consequence. The painting created an uproar, and David was proclaimed to have perfectly defined the Neoclassical taste in his painting style. He thereby became the quintessential painter of the move. In The Oath of the Horatii, the perspective is perpendicular to the moving picture plane. Information technology is defined by a dark arcade behind several classical heroic figures. There is an element of theatre, or staging, that evokes the grandeur of opera. David soon became the leading French painter and enjoyed a great bargain of government patronage. Over the course of his long career, he attracted over 300 students to his studio.

Jacques-Louis David. The Oath of the Horatii (1784): Oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a Neoclassical painter of history and portraiture, was ane of David'southward students. Deeply devoted to classical techniques, Ingres is known to have believed himself to be a conservator of the style of the aboriginal masters, although he later painted subjects in the Romantic style. Examples of his Neoclassical work include the paintings Virgil Reading to Augustus (1812), and Oedipus and the Sphinx (1864). Both David and Ingres made use of the highly organized imagery, straight lines, and clearly defined forms that were typical of Neoclassical painting during the 18th century.

Virgil Reading to Augustus by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1812): Oil on canvas. The Walters Art Museum.

While tradition and the rules governing the Académie Française barred women from studying from the nude model (a necessity for executing an effective Neoclassical painting), David believed that women were capable of producing successful art of the fashion and welcomed many as his students. Among the nearly successful were Marie-Guillemine Benoist, who eventually won commissions from the Bonaparte family, and Angélique Mongez, who won patrons from as far abroad as Russia.

Cocky-Portrait by Marie-Guillemine Benoist (1788): In this untraced oil on canvas, Benoist (then Leroulx de la Ville) paints a section from David's acclaimed Neoclassical painting of Justinian's blinded general Belisarius begging for alms. Her render of the viewer's gaze and classical attire show her conviction as an artist and conformity to artistic trends.

Mongez is best known for existence one of the few women to paint monumental subjects that often included the male nude, a feat for which hostile critics often attacked her.

Theseus and Pirithoüs Clearing the World of Brigands, Evangelize Ii Women from the Hands of Their Abductors by Angélique Mongez (1806): Oil on canvas. Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mongez and Antoine-Jean Gros, another of David's students, tried to carry on the Neoclassical tradition after David's death in 1825 but were unsuccessful in face of the growing popularity of Romanticism.

Neoclassical Sculpture

A reaction against the "frivolity" of the Rococo, Neoclassical sculpture depicts serious subjects influenced by the aboriginal Greek and Roman past.

Learning Objectives

Explain what motifs are mutual to Neoclassical sculpture

Cardinal Takeaways

Key Points

• Neoclassicism emerged in the 2nd half of the 18th century, following the excavations of the ruins of Pompeii, which sparked renewed interest in the Graeco-Roman world.
• Neoclassical sculpture is defined by its symmetry, life-sized to awe-inspiring scale, and its serious subject matter.
• The subjects of Neoclassical sculpture ranged from mythological figures to heroes of the past to major contemporary personages.
• Neoclassical sculpture could capture its discipline as either arcadian or in a more than veristic style.

Primal Terms

• verism: An aboriginal Roman technique, in which the bailiwick is depicted with "warts and all" realism.

As with painting, Neoclassicism made its way into sculpture in the second half of the 18th century. In improver to the ideals of the Enlightenment, the excavations of the ruins at Pompeii began to spark a renewed interest in classical civilization. Whereas Rococo sculpture consisted of small-scale-scale asymmetrical objects focusing on themes of love and gaiety, neoclassical sculpture assumed life-size to monumental scale and focused on themes of heroism, patriotism, and virtue.

In his tomb sculpture, the Enlightenment philosophe Voltaire is honored in truthful Neoclassical form. In a style influenced by ancient Roman verism, he appears as an elderly homo to honour his wisdom. He wears a contemporary commoner's blouse to convey his humbleness, and his robe assumes the appearance of an ancient Roman toga from a distance. Similar his ancient predecessors, his facial expression and his trunk linguistic communication suggest an air of scholarly seriousness.

Voltaire's tomb.: Panthéon, Paris.

Neoclassical sculptors benefited from an abundance of aboriginal models, albeit Roman copies of Greek bronzes in most cases. The leading Neoclassical sculptors enjoyed much acclaim during their lifetimes. Ane of them was Jean-Antoine Houdon, whose work was mainly portraits, very often as busts, which do not sacrifice a potent impression of the sitter'south personality to idealism. His style became more classical every bit his long career continued, and represents a rather smooth progression from Rococo amuse to classical dignity. Different some Neoclassical sculptors he did non insist on his sitters wearing Roman dress, or being unclothed. He portrayed most of the cracking figures of the Enlightenment, and traveled to America to produce a statue of George Washington, equally well as busts of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and other luminaries of the new republic. His portrait bosom of Washington depicts the first President of the United States as a stern, still competent leader, with the influence of Roman verism evident in his wrinkled forehead, receding hairline, and double mentum.

Bust of George Washington by Jean-Antoine Houdon (c. 1786)

National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC.

The Italian artist Antonio Canova and the Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen were both based in Rome, and as well as portraits produced many ambitious life-size figures and groups. Both represented the strongly idealizing tendency in Neoclassical sculpture.

Hebe by Antonio Canova  (1800–05).: Hermitage Land Museum, St. petersburg, Russia.

Canova has a lightness and grace, where Thorvaldsen is more astringent. The departure is exemplified in Canova's Hebe (1800–05), whose contrapposto almost mimics lively dance steps equally she prepares to pour nectar and ambrosia from a small amphora into a beaker, and Thorvaldsen'south Monument to Copernicus (1822-xxx), whose discipline sits upright with a compass and armillary sphere.

Monument to Copernicus by Bertel Thorvaldsen (1822–30).: Statuary. Warsaw, Poland.

Neoclassical Architecture

Neoclassical architecture looks to the classical by of the Graeco-Roman era, the Renaissance, and classicized Bizarre to convey a new era based on Enlightenment principles.

Learning Objectives

Identify what sets Neoclassical architecture apart from other
movements

Primal Takeaways

Key Points

• Neoclassical architecture was produced by the Neoclassical movement in the mid 18th century. It manifested in its details equally a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic decoration, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of the classicizing features of Late Baroque.
• The first phase of Neoclassicism in France is expressed in the "Louis 16 mode" of architects like Ange-Jacques Gabriel (Petit Trianon, 1762–68) while the 2nd phase is expressed in the late 18th-century Directoire manner.
• Neoclassical architecture emphasizes its planar qualities, rather than sculptural volumes. Projections and recessions and their effects of light and shade are more flat, while sculptural bas- reliefs are flatter and tend to be enframed in friezes, tablets, or panels.
• Structures such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon in Paris, and Chiswick House in London accept elements that convey the influence of ancient Greek and Roman architecture, equally well as some influence from the Renaissance and Late Baroque periods.

Neoclassical compages, which began in the mid 18th century, looks to the classical past of the Graeco-Roman era, the Renaissance, and classicized Baroque to convey a new era based on Enlightenment principles. This movement manifested in its details every bit a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing features of Late Baroque. In its purest form, Neoclassicism is a style principally derived from the compages of Classical Greece and Rome. In course, Neoclassical architecture emphasizes the wall and maintains separate identities to each of its parts.

The get-go phase of Neoclassicism in France is expressed in the Louis Sixteen style of architects like Ange-Jacques Gabriel (Petit Trianon, 1762–68). Ange-Jacques Gabriel was the Premier Architecte at Versailles, and his Neoclassical designs for the royal palace dominated mid 18th century French compages.

Ange-Jacques Gabriel. Château of the Petit Trianon.: The Petit Trianon in the park at Versailles demonstrates the neoclassical architectural style under Louis Sixteen.

After the French Revolution, the second phase of Neoclassicism was expressed in the late 18th century Directoire style. The Directoire style reflected the Revolutionary belief in the values of republican Rome. This way was a menstruum in the decorative arts, fashion, and particularly furniture design, concurrent with the post-Revolution French Directoire (November 2, 1795–November 10, 1799). The fashion uses Neoclassical architectural forms, minimal carving, planar expanses of highly grained veneers, and practical decorative painting. The Directoire mode was primarily established by the architects and designers Charles Percier (1764–1838) and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853), who collaborated on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which is considered emblematic of French neoclassical architecture.

Arc de Triomphe: The Arc de Triomphe, although finished in the early 19th century, is emblematic of French neoclassical architecture that dominated the Directoire period.

Though Neoclassical compages employs the same classical vocabulary every bit Late Baroque architecture, information technology tends to emphasize its planar qualities rather than its sculptural volumes. Projections, recessions, and their effects on light and shade are more flat. Sculptural bas-reliefs are flatter and tend to be framed in friezes, tablets, or panels. Its conspicuously articulated private features are isolated rather than interpenetrating, autonomous, and complete in themselves.

Even sacred architecture was classicized during the Neoclassical period. The Panthéon, located in the Latin Quarter of Paris, was originally congenital equally a church dedicated to St. Geneviève and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics. All the same, during the French Revolution, the Panthéon was secularized and became the resting identify of Enlightenment icons such every bit Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Designer Jacques-Germain Soufflot had the intention of combining the lightness and brightness of the Gothic cathedral with classical principles, just its office as a mausoleum required the nifty Gothic windows to be blocked. In 1780, Soufflot died and was replaced by his educatee, Jean-Baptiste Rondelet.

Jacques-Germain Soufflot (original architect) and Jean-Baptiste Rondelet. The Panthéon.: Begun 1758, completed 1790.

Like to a Roman temple, the Panthéon is entered through a portico that consists of three rows of columns (in this case, Corinthian) topped past a Classical pediment. In a manner more closely related to ancient Hellenic republic, the pediment is adorned with reliefs throughout the triangular infinite. Below the pediment, the inscription on the entablature translates equally: "To the great men, the grateful homeland." The dome, on the other hand, is more than influenced by Renaissance and Baroque predecessors, such every bit St. Peter'southward in Rome and St. Paul'southward in London.

Intellectually, Neoclassicism was symptomatic of a desire to return to the perceived "purity" of the arts of Rome. The movement was also inspired past a more vague perception ("ideal") of Ancient Greek arts and, to a bottom extent, 16th century Renaissance Classicism, which was also a source for academic Late Baroque compages. There is an anti-Rococo strain that can be detected in some European architecture of the earlier 18th century. This strain is most vividly represented in the Palladian compages of Georgian United kingdom and Ireland.

Lord Burlington. Chiswick House: The design of Chiswick House in Westward London was influenced by that of Palladio's domestic architecture, peculiarly the Villa Rotunda in Venice. The stepped dome and temple façade were clearly influenced by the Roman Pantheon.

The trend toward the classical is likewise recognizable in the classicizing vein of Late Baroque architecture in Paris. It is a robust architecture of cocky-restraint, academically selective now of "the best" Roman models. These models were increasingly available for close report through the medium of architectural engravings of measured drawings of surviving Roman architecture.

French Neoclassicism continued to exist a major force in academic fine art through the 19th century and beyond—a constant antithesis to Romanticism or Gothic revivals.

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Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-arthistory/chapter/neoclassicism/

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