Today, we talked about Neoclassicism. Logic and morality are two important/ fundamental ideas for enlightenment thought and 18th-century art. We began by discussing Anton Raphael Mengs, a critical figure in the Neoclassical style. He was German and worked in Rome. Winckelmann recommended him for his work. The work we discussed was Parnassus, a Greek mountain where all the gods reside. Apollo is surrounded by 7 musses. This is very similar to Raphael’s take on Parnassus, which is displayed in the Vatican. Even though these works are 200 years apart, they are remarkably similar. Both are very structured and organized. The color scheme is also very similar to their use of primary colors. Anton clearly looks at ancient art and wants the viewers to recognize the source. We then talked about Lord Burlington and William Kent’s Chiswick House. This house appears a little out of place in Britain. This is because the architectural styles in Italy do not seem to work so well in Britain due primarily to the weather. We then discussed Robert Adam’s Library Kenwood House. This is a great example of a neoclassical interior. It is all based on classical forms. And everything is clearly defined with colors to separate. We get a sense of Raphael’s color scheme and some Rococo as well. Towards the end of our discussion we were introduced to Benjamin West, the first American artist in our discussion. He came from Penn and had no art schools. His work, The Death of General Wolfe, is a history painting. General Wolfe is the leader of the British troops in the Battle of Quebec. The General’s death is a reminder of Christ from his position in his body. The scene is tragic, and obviously, there is great respect for the General. We concluded the lecture with Jacques-Louis David and his work, The Oath of the Horatii. The King of France commissioned this before the French Revolution. Things are less clear-cut as the three brothers declare to fight. The men are straight and erect. There is also an apparent gender separation as women are depicted as emotional and weak. There are three arches and three brothers forming triangles, a nod to the Holy Trinity. The painting is about control/ purpose.