David’s painting is the quintessential example of Neo-Classicism, a style of severe realism, precise details, and subject matter derived from antiquity.
ART102 Art History II
Unit 5 Lecture Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
David’s painting is the quintessential example of Neo-Classicism, a style of severe realism, precise details, and subject matter derived from antiquity. The subject is based on a story of betrayal, where three men must fit to the death, and their women react and mourn. It is a powerful image inspired by the Revolutionary atmosphere of France.
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
The Oath of Horatii
Voltaire
Cupid and Psyche
The Death of Marat
The Death of General Wolfe
Jaques-Louis David The Oath of Horatii Ca. 1783-1784 Oil on canvas Musee du Louvre, Paris
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
Voltaire, a NeoClassical writer and philosopher, was a key element to the shift in power in France during the French Revolution.
These leaders believed in meritocracy over privilege, and rule by democracy instead of aristocracy.
Here, Voltaire is portrayed near the end of his life, wearing a ancient Roman-style toga, symbolizing the role models of Ancient philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle.
Jean-Antoine Houdon Voltaire Ca. 1781 Terra cotta for marble original Musee Voltaire, Switzerland
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
The Oath of Horatii
Voltaire
Cupid and Psyche
The Death of Marat
The Death of General Wolfe
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
In the Neoclassical tradition, Canova creates a stunning sculpture of Cupid and Psyche in the ancient Roman tradition. The figures are rendered to perfection, and the moment depicted is emotional and powerful.
Antonio Canova Cupid and Psyche Ca. 1787-1793 Marble Musee du Louvre, Paris
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
The Oath of Horatii
Voltaire
Cupid and Psyche
The Death of Marat
The Death of General Wolfe
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
David returns and becomes a powerful voice for the Revolution in France. This is an image of a Marat, a Revolutionist murdered in his bathtub.
He is no longer using ancient Roman references or styles, but instead leading the way into a new approach to painting.
This is considered to be one of the first truly modern paintings, because David is taking the politics of his day and revealing the horror behind it.
Jacques Louis David The Death of Marat Ca. 1793 Oil on canvas Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Belgium
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
The Oath of Horatii
Voltaire
Cupid and Psyche
The Death of Marat
The Death of General Wolfe
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
In America, historical paintings were using contemporary events as their subject. Benjamin West, an English painter, shows the people wearing modern clothes instead of ancient costumes, and the public was initially outraged because they aren’t wearing Roman costumes. West defined the contemporary history painting by defying the Neoclassical tradition.
Benjamin West The Death of General Wolfe Ca. 1770 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Canada, Ottowa
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
The Oath of Horatii
Voltaire
Cupid and Psyche
The Death of Marat
The Death of General Wolfe
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
In Spain, Goya paints in the style of Romanticism, which is defined as having powerfully emotional content. Here, we see the slaughter of innocent Spaniards by Napoleon’s troops. His paint handling is very loose and energized, not precise, and this surface adds to the emotional impact of the image.
Francisco Goya The Third of May Ca. 1808 Oil on canvas Museo del Prado, MadridAge of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
Many English painters found emotional power in the landscape, through its raw beauty. Until this time, farmland was not considered an acceptable subject matter because it was too ordinary. Painting the landscape became a way for artists to explore and understand the powers of nature.
John Constable The Haywain Ca. 1821 Oil on canvas The National Gallery, LondonAge of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
This landscape painting is far from ordinary. Here, we witness the sinking of a slave ship, and all the chaos that ensues. In the style of Romanticism, we have a powerful message, painted with gestural marks to heighten the aggression of the scene. The paint itself is becoming a powerful tool to express emotion.
Joseph Mallord William Turner The Slave Ship Ca. 1840 Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, BostonAge of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
This landscape is grim and foreboding. We see the ruins of a Gothic church, elements of an abandoned cemetery. The colors themselves are ominous, and the sky is foggy and closed in.
Caspar David Friedrich Abbey in an Oak Forest Ca. 1809-1810 Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu BerlinAge of Enlightenment
1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
In America, painters were dazzled by the encompassing landscapes of the New World. Cole combines farmland and raw wilderness in an epic piece of art.
Thomas Cole The Oxbow Ca. 1836 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
Jacques Louis David Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard Ca. 1801 Oil on canvas Chateaux de Versailles et de Trianon
David returns to create a powerful portrait of Napoleon. The style is locked in the detailed, balanced style of the Neoclassical, yet the emotional energy and emotion has the influence of Romanticism.
Age of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
This larger than life sized painting is based on a tragic event that occurred at this time. A naval ship named Medusa sunk and left 400 people in the open sea. 150 managed to create a raft, but after days, only 15 survived. They suffered malnutrition, dehydration, and the practiced cannibalism.
Theodore Gericault The Raft of Medusa Ca. 1818-1819 Oil on canvas Musee du Louvre, ParisAge of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
Delacroix is considered one of the greatest painters in the Age of Romanticism. Here, he creates a symbolic painting portraying the victorious French Revolution. The Lady Liberty is a symbol of freedom, not a specific person. She leads the Revolutionists over a mound of dead, which acts as a platform for her. In the distance, you can see the Notre Dame and the streets of Paris. His paint handling is also energetic and adds to the emotional impact of the scene.
Eugene Delacroix Liberty Leading the People Ca. 1830 Oil on canvas Musee du Louvre, ParisAge of Enlightenment 1750-1793
Age of Romanticism 1793-1848
The Third of May
The Haywain
The Slave Ship
Abbey in an Oak Forest
The Oxbow
Bonaparte Crossing the Great St. Bernard
The Raft of Medusa
Liberty Leading the People
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