Category: Uncategorized (Page 20 of 48)

Today we started our discussion of Neoclassicism. We didn’t confine our discussion to any particular region, instead, we tracked the ideological and cultural development of Neoclassical ideals across Europe, bouncing from Rome to England and France.

We spent a lot of time talking about architecture today, which makes sense given that Grecoroman designs first made their way into the artistic dialogue of the Brits through their Grand Tours of Italy where they were exposed to humongous Roman monuments. This artistic development, of course, blossomed alongside and was greatly informed by Enlightenment ideals of empiricism, rationality, and divine symmetries. I wonder, to what extent, the Industrial Revolution also played a role in the development of Neoclassicism, particularly in Britain.

Across Europe, particularly through institutions like the Royal Academies of France and Britain, history painting became a means to materialize and tastefully represent the moral and ethical beliefs of antiquity. Ideas like bravery, sacrifice, and devotion permeated both contemporary histories (a la The Death of General Wolfe) and traditional histories (David’s The Oath of the Horatii) in a very austere and almost tangible manner.

Today we discussed the neoclassicism period. Logic and morality were two aspects that received an emphasis and newfound importance throughout this period. Anton Raphael Mengs was a supporter of the neoclassical style and its implied greco-roman revival. His painting Parnassus represents noble simplicity and clam grandeur to a tee. A scene of Apollo and the muses, water flows peacefully around them and the natural mountain scene is peaceful. Similar to a painting by Raphael, it places Apollo compositionally central and uses a primary color scheme to give it an almost playful feel. The contrapposto pose of Apollo imitates ancient art and has an otherworldly air with the graceful movements of the muses. But as the distinctions between artistic periods is now more blurred, the focus on lines supports Poussinistes and the charming air is reminiscent of the Rococo era.

Thomas Gainsborough was a prominent English portraitist. His portrait Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan depicts a woman seemingly enveloped by the nature around her. She appears to sit naturally, at ease in an area that must be familiar to her. Her serene composition implies that it’s her land surrounding her. The brushwork of the neoclassical style blends her as one into the landscape, with her hair’s texture similar to that of the trees, and the wind blowing her dress with the brush around her. Her pure composure combined with the brushwork and colors makes the painting a good representation of the style.

During the Baroque period in the Netherlands, panoramic views of recognizable landscapes became popular. In Jacob van Ruisdael’s View of Haarlem with Bleaching Grounds, the city is identifiable through the steeples of distant churches, particularly the famous Grote Kerk. Although the sky takes up about three-fourths of the painting, the view of the distant city is still a large element of the piece, as well as the more pastoral setting in the foreground. To me, this scene seemed almost patriotic, showcasing the grandiose scale of Grote Kerk, as well as taking pride in Haarlem’s linen-bleaching, of both foreign and local textiles.

The powerpoint also included Willem Claesz Heda’s Still Life with Oysters, a Roemer, a Lemon, and a Silver Bowl. I absolutely loved how the monochromatic color scheme of this piece allows for the reflections to truly shine. Heda was particularly fascinated with textures, and this can clearly be seen through the variety of surfaces in this painting– the roughness of the lemon peel, the shininess of metal and glass, the water. The unbalanced composition of this still life, as well as the implications of a hasty departure (the half-peeled lemon and the toppled glasses) solidify this piece as a vanitas.

The Rococo period is primarily defined via the reign of Louis XV. As opposed to the grandiose and theatrical settings of the Baroque, Rococo works were set on a smaller stage, with patrons sponsoring domestic art for their residencies. Many of these works are referred to as “fete gallants”, usually consisting of romantic subjects, the idealization of nature, and a celebration of love and other emotions.

Hotel Particuliers, or what later became salons, were intimate townhouses serving as residencies of the French aristocracy. Artworks made for these salons were lighthearted in nature. Two of these fete gallantes particularly stood out to me.

Jean-Antoine Watteau’s A Pilgrimage to Cythera is based in a classical setting, the island of Cythera being the location of the Birth of Venus, and therefore recognized as the island of love in classical mythology. I particularly enjoyed the delicate, pale colors and gentle gradations of this work that add a relaxed, nonchalant feel to the painting.

Francois Boucher’s Portrait of Madame de Pompadour is an example of a portrait of a femme savant, showcasing her elegance, status, opulence, and intellect as Lady-in-Waiting. The sheer scale of her dress, the light blue and the shimmering fabric demonstrates her grandeur, while the library setting, the book, and the stationary convey her intellectual achievements. Additionally, the subject is associated with Venus in the portrait, through the inclusion of cupid, and the donning of pearls (from the sea, from which Venus was born). She is draped over a chaise longue, her relaxed posture further adding to her elegance and nonchalant nature.

We opened class by dissecting what exactly Neoclassicism is, and how it diverts from the previous periods of art that we’ve discussed so far. This is the first “movement” that we’ve studied– with artists collaborating and moving towards an idea. We discussed the Encyclopedie, and how it signified the change of ideas that occurred during the Enlightenment (how seeing the world through reason became an ideal, and how the importance of knowledge was stressed). We also talked about the Grand Tour, and how cultural norms of the study of Greco-Roman antiquitous works on morality, politics, and philosophy influenced works of art during this period.

Prof. Plesch covered works in lecture that showed the transitional period into Neoclassicism, one of these being Anton Raphael Mengs’ Parnassus, which was painted for the villa of Cardinal Albani in 1761. Mengs was the contemporary of German art historian Winckelmann, who also worked for Albani. He often wrote about the artistic ideal of showcasing “noble simplicity” and “calm grandeur”– in other words, an ideal of a stately nobility. This “calm grandeur” can be seen in Mengs’ work, and becomes a widespread characteristic amongst Neoclassicist art. Mengs was clearly inspired by Raphael’s fresco of the same title; both artworks have symmetrical, structured, and organized compositions, with Apollo serving as a focal point. The structural integrity of the composition is stressed through the use of primary color, which is spread evenly throughout the work. The subject of Parnassus is an antiquitous subject: Mt. Parnasus being the home of the gods in Roman mythology. Mengs’ portrayal of Apollo references the Apollo Belvedere through his garb, hair, and contrapposto.

Another work we covered in class today that I found particularly interesting was Benjamin West’s The Death of General Wolfe, which was a depiction of a contemporary event at the time. General Wolfe was the leader of British troupes in the French and Indian War. Although he perished in battle, he lead his troupes to victory, making him a war hero. For me, the depiction of General Wolfe seemed to be a clear illusion to the death of Christ, and the many works surrounding The Lamentation that we’ve studied in class. One detail that stands out to me is the witnesses’ expressions– they are completely stoic, and react calmly, embodying the “calm grandeur” expressed by Winckelmann in his commentaries. This stoicism is an ideal stemming from ancient philosophy, playing within the framework of rationalism popularized during the Enlightenment.

Today we picked up on how the transition from the 18th and 19th centuries had no formal change in art styles, unlike other periods. In today’s class, we started on neoclassicism and how it is slightly different than other art styles. The Neoclassic style was dominated by Antone Raphael Mengs. Mengs being a critical figure of Neoclassical art opened opportunities for the artist to explore the art style. We dissected his Parnassus, which was a copy of Raphael’s art piece in the 16th century. This theme of ancient art is a significant part of Neoclassicism and Neoclassical art. We then moved to architecture and noticed many ancient forms being imitated from earlier centuries. The art of Neoclassicism was not only reviving old art styles but also values. The change in politics can be noticed in art and architecture as well. The next artists we focused on were Henry Flitcroft and Thomas Gainsborough. Filtcroft created a realistic landscape of a pastel painting and Gainsborough created portraits. Gainsborough imitated the portrait created by Boucher in 1766. We noticed the difference in how contemporary and historical artists chose to depict their artwork. Many artists in the 18th century focused on ancient art and antiquity which was an important detail in how 18th and 19th centuries art and architecture.

The movement into Rococo art un the Eighteenth Century was pushed forward by the Death of Louis the 14th. Nobility then moves into the city causing a shift from architectures focus from the outside to inside of buildings. The Hotel Particulier is a good example of this housing many detailed decorations in its interior, many of which are naturalistic. In comparison to the Hall of Mirrors this space is lighter, homier, and airier. It is a space made for private living. This is a great example of the Rococo style. This style seems to be dominant today in modern living where decorations of modern architecture are often kept inside the house where the outside structure is mainly utilitarian.

Another example of the Rococo style as well as Rubenist philosophy which held a greater importance for color and emotions was A Pilgrimage to Cytheria. It lacked the lines of the opposing Pousinist perspective and instead had softer splotchy colors. This work shows a multitude of couples leaving Cytheria during a sunset. Pouties are flying around them. They are disappointed and are longing for their time there as shown by the lady in the middle of the work. She is glancing back longingly showing the escapist movement which was pervasive at the time. It is the idea of leaving reality.

The Swing is a good example of Bouduour painting. It shows a man looking up at his mistress on a swing with a Biship pushing her. The suggestive angle at which he is looking is representative of Bouduor painting. A boudoir was a private room for woman in which things like this would be hung. The girl seems to be the focal point as she is the brightest point in a warmly colored work.

In class today, we shifted focus from the Baroque to the Rococo period. Following the death of Louis XIV, there was a shift in interest from the grandeur that was used to communicate the power of the absolute monarchy to the private indulgence of the nobility. Now that the nobility was no longer required to pay periodic visits to Versailles, the class rooted itself in Paris where private residences known as hôtel particuliers were a more intimate and private indulgence. While the building facades would have been small due to the cramped architecture in Paris, the interiors were ornate and decorative. However, whereas in Versailles the decoration was bold and large-scale, the style of hôtel particular decor was lighter and more delicate. Additionally, decorative elements were not strictly symmetrical which we learned is an important distinguishing factor between Rococo and Baroque styles.

Next, we looked at several Rococo works that were commissioned by and or painted for the nobility. I noticed these works all shared a theme of indulgence. In Jean-Antoine Watteau’s A Pilgrimage to Cythera, a large group of noble people is leaving the island of Cythera after leaving an overly enjoyable day in a fantastical setting. In Watteau’s Gersaint’s Signboard, while there is a larger message about the end of Louis XIV’s monarchy, we see members of the nobility shopping for art and luxury objects. In Boucher’s Portrait of Madame de Pompadour, the woman, who was the king’s mistress, is shown in her boudoir which was a private luxurious room meant for relaxation and private indulgence. Fragonard’s The Swing is not only an example of a painting that would be displayed in a boudoir, but depicts a scene of sexual indulgence for the patron. 

The rococo works painted for a bourgeoise audience were much different. While the color palette and style were similar, the subject matter and message of these works were intended to communicate a message about moralistic, wholesome values.

Today we began our discussion of the Rococo period, starting with a look at the “Hôtel Particulier,” the place of living for the nobility in Paris. These rooms signified the change in focus by architects from facade to interior, which was a large change from the works of previous periods. Instead of focusing on the view of others, the architects started to focus on the decor for the owners, allowing them to have a more pleasant sight in each room. We looked at the works of several Rococo painters, which highlighted their interesting choices in color and elements, showing a focus on the subject of the painting, not the extra additions. The Rococo is an interesting period of art, and its deviation from the norm is striking in the choices of the artists.

In today’s class we focused on the Baroque in France, beginning with a primary focus on the entire Palace of Versailles and the works inside it. Having been to Versailles before, it is absolutely fascinating to see the scale that Versailles was built on, and the lengths that Louis went to show his absolute power over the nobility. The Hall of Mirrors is especially impressive due to the massive cost that was undertaken in order to import the expensive mirrors for the room. We then moved briefly to a discussion of some baroque painters, such as Poussin and Lorrain. The works of Poussin, especially The Abduction of the Sabine Women, struck me as strange, given that it portrays a chaotic scene yet seems to show little action regardless of that fact.