Neo-classicism .vs. Romanticism

David. Mars Being Disarmed by Venus and the three Graces. 1824. Neo-Classicism.

Goya. Saturn Devouring his Son. 1819-1823. Romanticism.

Every period of art works like the theory of physics that "to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Prior to Neo-classicism, the Rococo era was around and the liberties within that art style was very playful. There was a sense of lightheartedness from color, to style and composition of a painting. The rebirth of a style that existed well before Rococo, in this case Classicism, became known as Neo-Classicism. The response to Neo-Classicism was Romanticism. What is amusing is how much there can be a contrast from one era to the other, especially within artworks. My focus will be using Goya's "Saturn Devouring his Son" and David's "Mars Being Disarmed by Venus."

In Neo-Classicism, there is a sense of structure, in a better form to word things, there are rules. Neo-Classicism allowed the return of the classic rules of painting where everything had a sense of "perfection" or ideals. For example, David's representation of mythology follows that of the classical period. The proportions are fair and executed to a "T." The women hold a beauty that is flawless, just as that of Mars and their body structure holds a muscularity that belongs to athletes. Although all artists critique their society using themes or former stories they have heard, David uses lucid and vibrant colors to highlight the characters within the artwork and that does not show the exact message to be portrayed. 

Essentially, the idea of brightness or light allows the attention of an audience to focus but only on the physical presence of what is there and not the message represented. Meanwhile, Goya worked within the era that did not focus on the physical aspects of people when it came to using a theme to critique the society that he lived in. In contrast, Goya represents the aspect of Romanticism that involved the freedom of expression. He took the liberty to critique his society in a harsher form. The theme of myth telling the story of Saturn devouring his son showed that society was a variety of things in Goya's time. The sensation of humanity being demons or animals. 

The darkness surrounding the figure with no proper view of where Saturn could be, can represent the loss of humanity. Sometimes, color was not all that was needed to express a painter's feelings. Goya opposed the idea of critiquing society with vibrant colors and instead went dark, harsh and gruesome. He was not too focused on ideals of society or what was expected by it. His brushstrokes were very fluent and seem very quick in contrast to David. David's brushstrokes seem soft and controlled. Goya's on the other hand, could show how upset he was with his society--if he was--and due to the quick strokes, are harder in pressure and very much harsh. 

The messages of these two artists in critiquing society during their time, relied on theme. But, in viewing how much more focused emotion could be in the Romanticist era, I felt that Goya did a better job in critiquing his society. The ability to express in the Romanticist period, allowed for it to prevail in allowing an artwork provide the audience a moment to stop and think. The Neo-Classicist era, concentrated on the ideals of life and structure. There is restriction and rigidity to how much one can convey a message unlike in Romanticism. 

Sources:

• Images from Wikipedia.
• Eisenman, Stephen M. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print

A fun reference to look at before considering to visit the MET Museum to further understand Neo-Classicism and Romanticism. Enjoy.

Neo-Classicism Vs. Romanticism

The crux of all professions that necessitate self-promotion is that there will be conflict. No different is the battle between Neo-classicism and Romanticism, as they quarrel between the virtues of emotion and painting from what the artist feels versus that meticulous, disciplined, scientific form that Neo-classism is known for. The beginnings of Neo-classical art came from the idealization of french monarchy and looking towards the past classical era of Greco-Roman art to lay the foundations for which Neo-classicism can build on. Romanticism on the other hand came upon from a revolt against the tyranny of the Academy of Artists who proposed that art should only follow classical formats. This sparked the battle that can best be depicted between two different artists and their works. One Jacques-Louis David, a French Neo-classical painter that is recognized for exploiting the French Revolution as his muse in the early 1780’s; and Francisco Goya, a Spanish painter regarded as one of the last masters of the Romantic Era. Both of their works inspired by revolution, war, and the horrors that come along with it. Both show two immensely different views and can be said that their works are the archetypes for what Neo-Classical and Romantic mean. 

In the beginning, of France’s prosperity there was a time that painters reflected on the past works of ancient Greece and Rome to show patriotism and high merit, this was the scientific, disciplined classical style of Greco-Roman art. Riddled with themes of gods, honor, mythical narratives, and stories of antiquity. This was how French painters served their loyalty to their people, their patriotism, by resembling the forms of the Classical era. Jacques-Louis David’s was on of the first painters to employ this style and use it as a narrative to the French peoples own stories. His painting of Belisarius Begging Alms depicted a frailty within his own country. The painting depicts the story of a general of the Justinian emperor who was wrongfully accused of treason and ordered to be blinded and cast out of society, left homeless. Although, formatted in at thematic antiquity scene the this painting served as a political call out to the French public to show how much more the French Monarchy had not only let them down but how it could betray the very people they were suppose to serve. Only fueling more of the conflict that was bubbling out of the economical hardships that France was facing.

            By contrast, Romanticism came about in the time of the French Revolution, as a rebellion against the Artistic Academy. Stating their works should depict contemporary events , should speak on the wrongs of politicians, be more expressive and less restrictive. We can look at Francisco Goya’s painting, The Third of May 1808, a painting made years after the war end and that served as a depiction by the Spanish crown to show the gratitude towards those fallen, brave civilians that were massacred by the French invasion. 
           Subsequently, we can see the large differences in both paintings. Goya's  masterful use of the thick brushstrokes and although superbly evident in The Third of May we can still see the use of color to evoke an emotion. The dark colors and the black background that depict death and the horror of that night. His brush strokes around the figures show the free-form expression, rich in its ability to convey that the artist himself was had feelings towards this event. The lantern shining on the one brave Spanish civilian paying homage to la patria or the pride of Spain. Comparatively, we can see the rigid, stoic stance of guard in the middle ground of David's painting. The linear quality of the columns behind Belisarius and most of all, the idealism in how tone the men are and how flowingly perfect the female's and little girl's robes are. In Goya's painting we can see that there is no stark contrast, the lines blur, and the detail is almost non existent. 
          Finally, an interesting note to observe is the tone under which both paintings depict a gruesome scene. On the one hand of Neo-classicism we can see and feel the organization,meticulousness attention to detail that chills us with seriousness. The calm calculated effort of composition which, employs both aerial and scientific perspective. On the other hand, we have the fluid, dynamism of Romanticism. That spontaneous flare and the subjective approach the painter takes to evoke his own emotion of a event on to a canvas. Leading us to question which art style prevails now?
         In conclusion, it would be wise to say that Romanticism has defiantly laid the ground work for impressionism and modern art era that we have today. We pay millions for Jackson Pollack look-a-likes and could care less if a painter can make a 20 foot mural of a city in scientific perspective. Of course, that doesn't mean that this era doesn't have its own rebellion to deal with. With the popularity of street art we can now start seeing that there is a bit of shift towards more complex structures. Making much more art that has depth and follows some sort of loose guide to making art that can be respected in the streets. And in the end that's pretty much the goal of an artist; to make money doing what you love, be recognized, and be hated for good work. 
             

Works Cited

Eisenman, Stephen M. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print

 

Both paintings were created during the Neoclassicism Period that began in the 1760’s and progressed in the 1780’s and 1790’s.  Neoclassic art was a response to the decorative Rococo style art that dominated Europe in the 1720’s.  Here we see two warriors displaying heroism.   A revolutionary activist, writer and physicist named Jean-Paul Marat is depicted in the painting on the left.  Marat was painted by his friend and artists Jacques-Louis David, after he was murdered and during his last breath.  The painting on the right was created by artist Jean-Germain Drouais and depicts a wounded and fallen Roman warrior (nude athletic body) during times of Roman antiquity. 

Both artists used a reverse method of dark above light in the background and foreground to invoke emotion concerning the tragic events depicted in the painting.  Both paintings depict sacrifice and martyrdom as both men have been struck down and are dying their last moments of breath.  David depicts Marat with his head covered in a white turban, hanging like an image of Christ and arm hanging over his medicine bath lifelessly as he breathes his last breath of life.  On the right, the Roman soldier lies in pain from being wounded with its unnaturally twisted contour displaying agony.  The Roman soldier grasps his wounded leg on the left side of his body in a display of resistance to his defeat; whereas, Marat has given in to death as a martyr.

Marat’s painting is in color (displaying a modern time period) and the Roman warrior is in black and white (displaying ancient time period).  Although both men are depicted as heroic warriors, Marat’s weapon is his pen, and the Roman soldier a sword.  Both men are selfless because they are fighting for the lives of others.  Marat was a real activist during a revolution period that fought for social change and the Roman warrior has fallen defending his land and people against invaders.  However, Marat’s painting is of a real contemporary man and the Roman warrior is a fictitious man representing the image of soldier during the Roman Era.  Both works of art are beautifully constructed representations of heroism.

The Dying Athlete http://www.gallery.ca/bulletin/num7a/images/a7jean2.jpg

Morat at His Last Breath https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhPcbbcSI49TaMd5SOKzBDUNIc7ZttlOACP6xxDV23SrehnhDIZPLM4cMEX0sczO5tAMZBtODxU6etbcxeUL1WRRXwUUX7WPXUcvB1TvofLz0aCMw0nTBPLGe2v6xnA2jwgz_IQQPNbg/s1600/death-of-marat-by-jacques-louis-david1.jpg

Neo-Classical and Romantic Art Contrasts.

    Neo-Classicism and Romanticism Contrasts.

 During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the art world in Europe went through a series of seemingly drastic changes that reflected the political and social upheavals of the time period. During the early part of the  18th century the Rococo era in art was reacting to the Baroque era. In reaction to the lightheartedness of the Rococo, the Neo-Classical era in art came about. One era of art made an action (their art) and the next era in art reacted to these actions. Thus was the case with Neo-Classicism and Romanticism.

    The Neo-Classical artists  in the latter part of the 18th century and early part of the 19th century made art that were representing stories from the past and even contemporary events. Most of this form of art was merely art imitating life and history, all in classical canons of proportion. On the other hand the Romantic artists of the middle to latter part of the 19th century made art that not only represented what the artists saw around them or saw in history, but how they felt about what they saw or heard. 

     To illustrate this view point I shall compare two artists who represent both of these movements in art, Neo-Classicism and Romanticism. I will compare their artwork and what they represented and how the represent the movements.  The first painting is called "Mars Being Disarmed by Venus and the three Graces" and was painted in 1824 by Jacques-Louis David. It represents the tendency of artists during the Neo-Classicism movements to return to classical canons of proper proportions and grand themes. It was a reaction to the Rococo artists disregard for proper proportion and creation of space. This kind of strictness and seriousness that artists such as David inflicted on their art will be reacted to by the Romantic artists. Though David sometimes used Classical themes to criticize the society the Romantic artists take this criticism of life to another level.

David. Mars Being Disarmed by Venus and the three Graces. 1824. Neo-Classicism.

    In stark contrast to David, Francisco de Goya's "Charles IV of Spain and His Family" is a departure from the Neo-Classical artists' tendency to idealize their subjects and make them look heroic. In this portrait of the   Royal family, Goya draws them fat and not perfect and muscular as some other artists have done Royal figures. Some artists in the past drew Royal subjects looking majestic and highly heroic such as David's painting "Napoleon at Saint Bernard Pass" which was done in 1800. Whereas David's painting flatters the subject, Goya's shows how he felt about his subjects and does not stroke their egos. 

Goya. Charles IV of Spain and His Family. 1800. Romanticism.

Another one of Goya's painting (one of his most famous) shows how he felt about society by using a Classical theme but painting it in such a way that it might have scared his audience at the time. This painting is called "Saturn Devouring His Son." This painting which was done in 1819-23 was a criticism of the society and the way Goya saw it. It represents the aristocracy and politicians of the time eating up the citizens of the society though they are in charge of these citizens.

Goya. Saturn Devouring his Son. 1819-23. Romanticism.

     To conclude what I have written I say, that it seems as if every movement in art is reacting to the previous movement. Every artist chooses to represent himself and what he things of the world around him and the way hes sees it. Starting with Romanticism, artists really let the world know what they thought and how the felt. To this day some of the art from the Romantic period speaks to western society as a whole. Why? Because the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

Neoclassicism compared to Romanticism

Neoclassicism and Romanticism are two very different movements in art history.  Neoclassicism is very traditional, orderly and stoic.  Neoclassic art pays homage to Rome and Greece, the spirit of patriotism, and honor.  Neoclassic paintings and sculptures are calm and rational.  Neoclassic art pays attention to detail because of straight hard line structures in paintings and sculptures, there is very little color, and brushstrokes are not visible.  Neoclassic art is moral and inspirational you feel the divine in neoclassic art.  Generally figures in neoclassic art will be in the foreground.

Neoclassic painters Jaqcques-Louis David and Jean-Germain Drouais
had a patrimonious and contentious relationship and their contention
with each other played out in their paintings. Drouais was the angry young
student who wanted to branch out and felt restrained by the constraints put upon their work by French.  In David's The Oath of the Horatii Between the Hands of Their Father (1785) which Drouais's helped to complete and Drouais's Marius at Minturnae (1786) this conflict is evident.  Drouais's painting just a year after the Horatii is the prime example on canvas of the relationship that existed between the two. Both of these paintings pay homage to Rome, the figures are traditional and patriotic, the color is not vibrant, they are neoclassicism at its best.  The distinct difference between these two paintings is point of view.  The young soldier in Minturnae is shielding his face whereas the Horatii depicts a father passing his authority to his sons.  Drouais's felt that there was nothing more David could teach him and put his feelings on canvas.  

                          

Romanticism on the other hand is based almost purely on emotion. Romantic paintings and sculptures value imagination and intuition.  Most of the images from the Romantic period in art lend from nature and the Middle and Far East for inspiration and you see characteristics from the Baroque and Medieval.  Romantic art and sculpture is subjective, does not conform, and is spontaneous.  Romantic subjects are generally legends and extremely exotic there is also focus on nature.  You will also see a lot of violence depicted in Romanticism.  Curvy lines, visible brushstrokes, deep rich colors(you see more shades of blues and yellows).  Romantic art is very dramatic and you are drawn into the paintings.  The figures in Romantic art are very crowded and generally have a zenith.

Romantic painters Theodore Gericault and Eugene Delacroix had almost the same relationship that David and Drouais's had with each other.  In Gericault's The Raft of the Medusa (1819) and Delacroix's The 28th of July: Liberty Leading the People (1830) the spectator or viewer sees all the elements of Romanticism in both.  The colors are very vibrant and these paintings evoke emotion of freedom and liberty.  Both paintings are non-conformist and the brushstrokes are visible.  If you could have these paintings face each other the slave at the zenith of Gericault's Medusa would be looking into the eyes of what came to be the study for the Statue of Liberty in Delacroix's Liberty.
                                    

Romanticism ultimately prevailed because of the same movement from neoclassic to romantic going on in Literature at the time.  Emotion became more important than reason.  Scientific discovery was not that important in a new emerging industrial society.  People were protesting and their was revolution because working class people were tried of being oppressed by the aristocratic and political views of the late 18th century.

Link

Eisenman, Stephen M. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print

From severity to fluidity, Romanticism breath new life to Neoclassism

During the prosperity of the French monarchy in the 1780s, there was a high demand for classical art to glorify the king and emphasize the important of royalty. The Royal Academy of Painting looked back to antiquity to justify their art. Neoclassicism referenced mythological themes of the ancient Greeks and Romans; its role was to inspire, glorify, and emphasize virtue. At the end of the century, art shifts to a new direction; art begins to speak on contemporary issues of the era. Paintings become more expressive, intuitive, and dynamic, paving the road for Romanticism to dominate the art for the next century.

            Neo Classicism evolves as the monarchy favors classical art to glorify them. The French Royal Academy focuses on the severity of classical art like ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, paintings and relief sculptures. Math also applies to create perfect body proportion, as there is a sense of calm and serenity in Neoclassical painting. The needs for classical art pave the road for Jacques Louis David to input human virtue in his painting.  In the painting Socrates at the Moment of Grasping the Hemlock. 1787 oil on canvas.  David’s subject was the philosopher Socrates that was sentenced to death. David choose the moment before death as Socrates reaches for the poison while pointing upward as a sign that his teaching will live on. “ Socrates accepts without resistance the judgment of the democratic assembly the better to reject the legitimacy of the authority behind it.” (p.31) Here we see another trait of Neoclassical art as it has a political propaganda. David might speak for himself toward the resistance of the monarchy. We see that as a Neoclassical painter, David treated the canvas to a smooth surface and clearly define lines within the drapery. We also see the references of Baroque art in the dramatic lighting that was unique of Caravaggio. All of the details to create a sense of severity speak upon a human virtue that is uniquely David.

            In the departure of Neo-classicism, Romanticism lose the severity of structure to replace the art with a more fluid and expressive gesture that focused on contemporary issues. Gericault is the poster child of this period. He successfully infuses contemporary issue in his painting Raft of the Medusa 1819. His idea is a grander classical gesture with contemporary issue. The story behind the Raft of the Medusa is a true story of a tragic shipwreck. Only 50 men survive out of the 150 men that were left to fend for themselves by order of the captain and governor, as they are the dead weight for the lifeboat. Here we see the trademark of Romantic painter as being expressive in color. It is no longer simple color like the Neo classic painting but more vivid and vibrant. The composition is dynamic to replace the balance and calm of neoclassic era. The theme is no longer a mythological theme but a true event. “ …Inspired anomalies of theme and scale, he manage to recast historical drama in its terms, pushing painting to an extreme of gigantism.” (p. 75). Romantic painters evoke the drama that brings viewers to the emotional edge. As a result, this painting put the governor and captain out of position and brings justice to the men who left on the raft.

            Only a century apart, Romanticism removes itself from the strict academic structure of painting and moving toward the expressive attitude of the artist himself. Their inspiration no longer comes from mythology of ancient Greek and Rome but they stem from nature, Middle East and Baroque art. We also see a softer brush stroke that the edges also blur out. A strong characteristic that differentiates Romanticism and Neo classicism is the use of color. Romantic painters abandon the simple color of earth tones instead, to use bold and vibrant color combination that speak to the inner emotion.  Joseph Mallard William Turner in his painting, Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying- Typhoon Coming On. 1840 speak to view with the expressive use of color and brush stroke. Most importantly the role of Romantic artist change drastically. They no longer have to glorify the king or have a political propaganda but instead they evoke a deeper emotion and it’s dramatic aspect. After the over throw of the monarchy, artists finally can do what they want and art becomes more intuitive. Freedom of art making gives way for Romanticism to grow and eventually replace Neo-classicism. Artists finally make works that are none-secular and landscape painting becomes hype in the art subject.

            Both painting style of Neo-Classism and Romanticism had its own uniqueness. Each style prevail the previous art style. Neoclassicism returns to the art of antiquity and away from the abstract of Rococo art. Romanticism again breaks away from that stoic and severe art making of Neoclassicism. In the end, it is the social factor that gives rise to these art styles. French monarchy gives height to Neoclassicism but when the revolution ended, the people’s interest gives way for Romanticism to flourish. In the end, art style communicates to the audience based on their historical context. Romanticism might have prevailed Neoclassicism but each style of painting is neutral and we will view them as both important in the development of modern art.

Works Cited:

Eisenman, Stephen M. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print

            

Neoclassicism v Romanticism by Curtis

Neoclassicism and Romanticism are two very different styles, in some instances mirror opposites. Neo-classicism is a strict serious style of art that emphasized proper proportion and realistic perspective. Meanwhile Romanticism was less strict and focused more on emotion and drama, and the depiction of reality was put on the back burner. So the difference really boils down to strictness and adherence to reality versus free expression and a devil may care attitude toward the conventions of perspective and proportion.

Neoclassicism emerged in the years leading to the French revolution, in France. As such the movement was inspired by patriotism and virtue. Some artists like, Jacques-Louis David, would use their works as a way of portraying how the people should fight for freedom against the tyrannical state. As the name would imply, the Neoclassicists were inspired by the myths, legends, and works of Greco-Roman classicism. This inspiration would inform the allegorical subject matter and techniques of the movement; techniques such as idealized figures and proportions and of course adherence to proper perspective.

A painting that contains the exemplary characteristics of neoclassical art is David’s Socrates at the Moment of Grasping the Hemlock, which of course depicts the execution of classical philosopher Socrates. The figures are painted with sharp defining lines and almost nonexistent brush stokes a staple of  neoclassical art. The background is fairly detailed but is painted with dark muted colors to put emphasis on the foreground. The allegorical political message behind David’s painting tells viewers to be brave Socrates and to face death without fear, for it is better to die for what you believe in than to live for nothing.

Romanticism is passionate, forgoing the allegories of the Neoclassics, the Romantics decided to make art that was emotional and depicted what was happening around them, but not strictly in the most realistic of ways. Romanticism drew its inspiration from the surreal, from expressions and emotions, as such artists were free not to restrict themselves to realism. Lines became soft, brush strokes became harsher, and symbolism became very important. Rather than portraying a static images, artists of prefer to paint an event as it is taking place rather than the before or after it.

The Executions of the Third of May 1808, by Goya exemplifies the idea of portraying events while they are taking place as it shows a firing squad execution in action. Furthermore Goya demonstrates the Romantic style with his use of rich colors, rough brushstrokes, and soft blurriness, unique to the Romantic style. Goya’s very dramatic scene shows how Romantic artists would be more expressive because of the new looser techniques used to create dynamic and dramatic compositions.

In conclusion, Romanticism prevailed over Neoclassicism.  The people were bored of the perfection that Neoclassicism had offered, it is flaws and imperfections that make things interesting after all.

Neo vs Roma

        Even before recorded history, art has been a part of human civilization
as evidenced by the discovery of primitive cave paintings and small statues.  As
people get more "civilized," and society changes due to contemporary issues,
their style of art changes as well.  Popular styles in France for example followed
this trend.  This post will discuss two styles in particular: Neoclassicism and
Romanticism and the qualities each style in known for.  Works from each period
will be used as examples to aid in the discussion.

Jacques-Louis David Oath of the Horatii

Jacques-Louis David Marat at His Last Breath

Jacques-Louis David Oath of the Tennis Court

          Neoclassicism was apparently a reaction to the flamboyant Rococo style.
There was also a surge in interest in the antiquated styles of the Greek and
Roman classics (all-art). Neoclassical art is inspired by figures from Classical
Roman stories that stress realistic body proportions and muscle tone.  There is
a great deal of order within the works with most of the figures in the
foreground exhibiting either a strong, rational tone in the example of Jacques-
Louis David's The Oath of the Horatii Between the Hands of Their Father, or a
calmer tone like David's Marat at His Last Breath.  Many of David's works also
show patriotism as during his time, the French Revolution was starting. His Oath
of the Tennis Court illustrated the Jacobins giving an oath with their arms
outstretched similar to the ones given by the three sons in the Oath of the
Horatii.  One can really get a sense of patriotism by looking at the figures.
David's Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass will be discussed as a representative
of the Neoclassical period.

Jacques-Louis David Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass

In the painting, David follows all the trends of Neoclassical style.
His figure, Napoleon on a horse, is in the foreground with a strong, heroic pose
with his arm pointing forward and his horse rising on its hind legs.  This pose
makes the viewer know that Napoleon is in charge with his confident gesture and
calm temperament even with his horse bucking backwards in rocky terrain.  The
horse's anatomy and musculature is well illustrated with clever shadowing.
Napoleon's clothing also looks realistic with wrinkles on his pants where he
bends his knee as well as the folding from the drapery around his shoulders.
Although Napoleon is supposed to be in a hectic environment, David portrays the
scene in an classical and orderly fashion.  The rocky terrain just breaks off at
the ends with smooth terrain throughout.  The wind blows in one direction,
making Napoleon look dramatic.  Within a decade, however, a new style will rise:
Romanticism.

Eugene Delacroix The Massacre at Scio

Joseph Mallord William Turner Snow Storm

Theodore Gericault The Charging Light Cavalryman

Romantic art style developed as a response to the aftermath of the
French Revolution (met). Disillusionment with Enlightenment values was met with
emotion and spontaneity, characteristics of Romanticism.  It can also be seen as
a distortion of Classicism.  The subjects of Romantic works were more prone to
legends and nature rather than Greek and Roman influences.  Violent and exotic
themes were depicted to stir emotion in the viewer as seen in Eugene Delacroix's
The Massacre at Scio.  In this painting, bodies are littered all over the
foreground opposite to the orderly composition of Neoclassical art.  The viewer
gets a sense of the suffering the victims experience under the hands of the
oppressors with faces showing anguish and hopelessness.  This sets up a very
dramatic scene.  Romantic art is also characterized by visible brushstrokes and
vivid color.  This is best scene in Romantic landscape paintings for example
Joseph Mallord William Turner's Snow Storm Hannibal and His Army Crossing the
Alps.  Unlike David's Napoleon at St. Bernard's Pass, Theodore Gericault's The
Charging Light Cavalryman uses vivid red in his figure's attire while Napoleon's
red drapery was a dull red.  The rider in Gericault's work is also an unnamed
soldier unlike the well-known Napoleon.  The figure is also twisted diagonally
with the soldier facing one direction and his horse the other.  This gives a
sense of disorder compared to the unified stance the David's figures have with
both Napoleon and his horse facing the same direction.  The ground in
Gericault's painting is also more chaotic and blurry not like David's clearly
drawn mountain pass. All these characteristics distinguish Romantic art from
Neoclassical.
In regards to which style ultimately prevails, I would say Romanticism
did in the long run.  Looking ahead in the art and society of the late 19th-
early 20th century, the fall of monarchical systems gave rise to the power of
the individual and thus his/her own expression in the arts.  Works following the
period of Neoclassicism/Romanticism showed more Romantic qualities like brush
strokes and compositions based on the artists' personal preferences and nature as
seen in Impressionist art as one example.

Claude Monet The Cliffs at Etretat

     
         In conclusion, Neoclassicism and Romanticism both have their own unique
styles.  Societal and political factors serve as an important influence for
these movements. The shifting from works based on the aristocracy and Classical
works to more personal and exotic themes showed the changing interest of the
artist from gaining the favor of the lavish, to his/her own expression.  

Works cited:

all pictures taken from wikipedia

met - http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm

all-art -  http://www.all-art.org/history356.html

adjectives used in describing the qualities

http://www2.palomar.edu/users/mhudelson/StudyGuides/NeoCvsRomant_WA.html

Romanticism reaction to Neoclassicism

         There are many differences between Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Neoclassicism is all about intellectuality, idealism and perfection. It has grand heroic themes and honor as subjects. Romanticism, on the other hand, can be described as a state of mind. Painters connect what they see with what they feel. It’s more expressive and dynamic. There’s no more Neoclassical poses. It’s sentimental (the heart) with the heroic (rebellions and morality). 

    By comparing Jacques-Loius David's Death of Marat and Théodore  Gericault's The Raft of the Medusa, it is possible to identify the differences between Neoclassicism and Romanticism.

Jacques-Louis David,
Death of Marat,1793

            In "Death of Marat," (1793) David paints his friend Marat's assassination. Those are Marat's last moments, last breaths. Marat was a revolutionary writer and was assassinated. He was on his bath tub because he had a skin condition that needed to be soothed in water. Even though he had a skin condition, Marat paints him as if he's not a body anymore. His skin is perfected and smooth. He becomes ideal: David makes him statue-like. Everything is rational and calculated.

     

Théodore Gericault,
The Raft of the Medusa, 1918-9

   


   
     Contrasting with that, we have the expressive and dramatic "The Raft of the Medusa" (1918-9). It's a rescue. It's a desperate situation. Half of them die. There's a possibility of cannibalism. They're hungry and sick. He probably paints the highest drama and emotion. The focus is the moment that they might be rescued. There's a lot of symbolism . He's taking some liberty. There's still some idealism:  the person on top of the pyramid shaking the shirt/flag is still healthy. However, there's a lot of chaos going on. Unlike Marat, who's statue-like, the figures are spontaneous and dynamic. 

            Romanticism comes right after Neoclassicism. It was a reaction to the lack of expression of the Neoclassicism. Romantic artists wanted to bring emotion, fluidity, free form and spontaneity to the works of art. Even though there is not a long time between the movements, we notice a lot of differences between them.

If you would like to see more Neoclassicism works, you can check the Metropolitan Museum of Art web page. http://www.metmuseum.org/search-results?ft=neoclassicism&pg=1&cat=All+Results


Kleiner, Fred S., Gardner's Art Through the Ages,
Thirteenth Edition, Vol. II

Neoclassicism & Romanticism

Even though the artistic periods of Neoclassicism and Romanticism are very close to each other in terms of time, the difference in the style of art between these periods is so great that the works in each of these periods seem to be hundreds of years apart. For instance, the artists who first come to mind as representative of these periods are; French Neoclassic Painter Jacques-Louis David, who was tired of leaving under the rule of the undeserving monarchy and decided to use his painting as a way to inspire people into revolution. And Spanish Romantic Painter Francisco De Goya, who also used his paintings to inspire his countrymen to arms and take back their Country from Napoleon. For illustrative purposes, I will be writing about four paintings in total, two from each style. First David’s The Oath of the Horatii Between the Hands of Their Father then, Socrates at the Moment of Grasping the Hemlock, then, Goya’s “The Uprising of the Second of May, 1808” and finally, The Execution of the Third of May, 1808 Each of the paintings characterizes the period and the sources of their ideas which we can see further as I discuss Neoclassicism and its’ beginnings.

During the late 18th century, yearning for enlightenment, artists began once again to look back at antiquity for inspiration, thus Neoclassicism (Classic extra) was born. Roman and Greek gods, myths and heroes became the artist’s main themes as a way to . Because of their complicity and great level of difficulty, human figures in groups became the ideal way for artists to show off their talent. To help with the narrative the subject is brought center front and given very clear a facial expression in a stage like setting with dramatic lighting. To further emphasize the importance of the subject, backgrounds for the most part are boring so that it may not pull away focus. Finally, compositions were made with hard lines, very realistic, with a lot of detail and in a way that little to no brush strokes could be seen. Unlike Neoclassicism, Romanticism is a time for passion and rather than conveying their thoughts through myths and legends, the Romantics decided to make emotional art to show what was happening around them. Their paintings emote the drama of the day through forceful lighting and strong posing.

David’s The Oath of the Horatii Between the Hands of Their Father is the tragic tale in which two neighboring countries, in order to settle a feud and to avoid unnecessary blood shed, have chosen three heroes each to fight to the death. Cousins are therefore forced to fight against each other making a woman choose between family and love. This is a perfect example of Neoclassical art, in it the subjects are painted in the foreground, in a statute/heroic like pose, under a very dramatic light. Though there is a mildly detailed background it is painted in dark tones so that it may not take away from the main characters in the foreground. More than just a painting this is a message that tells the viewer of that time we are all responsible for defending what is ours, we must raise to arms and take back our land. If six soldiers can change the fate of two nations why can us many change the fate of one, and though we will lose love ones along the way this must be done to ensure a better future for everyone.

Another painting that does a great job at illustrating the characteristics of neoclassical art is David’s Socrates at the Moment of Grasping the Hemlock, Socrates a Greek philosopher is accused and found guilty of corrupting the mind’s of his young apprentices. He is given two options; either admit his mistake, retract himself and promise to stop or he can be put to death by self poisoning, he chose the latter one. Though Socrates may look energetic the painting as a whole still has that sense of statue like figures posing for the artist. The figure are painted with very sharp defining line and almost none existing brush stokes which was one of the major qualities of neoclassical art. They are under a dramatic light that falls upon Socrates and the young man handing him the poison making them the focal point of the composition. As in The Oath, the background has a good amount of detail but is painted with dark saturated colors so the viewers will maintain their attention on the figures on the foreground. Like most of David’s paintings this one carried a political message behind it, David tells the viewers to have courage like Socrates and to face death head on and with no regrets. It is better to die knowing you stood for something rather than to live on your knees kissing the boots of other.

Unlike Neoclassicism, Romanticism is a time for passion, rather than conveying their thoughts through myths, legends and allegories the Romantics decided to make emotional art which depicted the reality of what was happening around them. Because Romanticism drew its inspiration from things such as dreams, expressions, emotions artists no longer had to make realistic painting. The lines became softer with rough and broad brush strokes, individualism was coveted, the artist’s point of view became greater than the viewer’s and symbolism became a very important part of the painting. Also rather than painting a static moment, artists of this period prefer to paint “action shots” an event as it is taking place rather than the prologue or the aftermath of it. 

Goya’s “The Uprising of the Second of May, 1808” depicts the beginning of the Spanish uprising, tired of being mistreated by Napoleon’s troops the Spanish people took to the streets and began to riot. In an effort to stop the riots from escalating some of Napoleon's newly “acquired” Middle Easter troops were sent to disperse the crowd, but instead of dispersing the crowd revolted and attacked the troops. This marked the beginning of the Spanish Revolution. Unlike Neoclassic paintings where the subjects were painted in a statue like scene, here both soldiers and citizens are in the middle of the action. Using a combination of soft lines and heavy brush strokes Goya is able to depict the horror on the soldier’s face as he sees his brother being stabbed. Goya uses the entire canvas, there is no longer a focus only on the foreground. Another great aspect about this painting is its symbolism, for example,   the background is blurry to represent the fog of war that is about to engulf the whole country. The people being stomped by the horse represent Spain’s current situation where French soldiers do as they please with no consequences. The soldiers are painted on horseback to represent their military superiority but hope still lingers for the Spaniards, which is depicted by young man pulling the soldier of the horse and stabbing him.

Romantic art can be seen at it’s best in Goya’s “The Execution of the Third of May, 1808,” this depicts the French soldiers retaliation to the uprising. On this day Spaniard men, both innocent and guilty, were gathered, lined up against the city walls and shot to death. As with all Romantic artwork, both soft lines, rough and broad brush strokes are used to better convey a sense of movement and humanity within the painting. Even though there is only one source of light, the background can clearly be distinguished. Because of Romantics love for symbolism this painting is filled with it; first the soldiers are shown facing backwards as a way to dehumanize them, also they are armed unlike the Spaniards, which is a very clear statement that this is not gonna be a fair fight. The lamp in the center symbolizes the “enlightenment” that the French were supposed to bring to Spain but instead was being used against its citizens. The most important figure in this painting is the man in the middle. He is standing with his arms open like Jesus on the cross, and has a stigmata like wound on his hand. He not only represents the Spanish people who are afraid for their lives but are willing to die for their country, but he is also being used to demonize Napoleons army by saying he ordered the killing of a Christ like figure.

Death, destruction, lost loves, and heroic actions are emblematic of these two eras as evidenced by works by David and Goya. The paintings were both expressions and methods to communicate the frustrations towards those who ruled at that time. Even though these art styles had very different techniques both of them seek one thing; to show people know that just because you are on the bottom of the totem pole it doesn’t mean that you are less than the people above. But most importantly that if people unite they can become a force to be reckoned with.




Eisenman, Stephen, and Thomas E. Crow. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. 4th ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.

Kleiner, Fred S., Christin J. Mamiya, Richard G. Tansey, and Helen Gardner. Gardner's Art through the Ages. 13th ed. Vol. II. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2004. Print.

Janson, H. W., Joseph Jacobs, and H. W. Janson. Janson's History of Art: The Western Tradition. Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print

Neoclassicism and Romanticism

Often the question is posed whether art imitates life or life imitates art in the attempt to understand whether artistic expression influences culture or vice versa. In some cases, art is a reaction to contemporary issues or attitudes; in others, art influences that culture. Neoclassicism and Romanticism evolved as art movements in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, inherently influenced by both the artists and the environments in which these artists lived. By nature, or more so technique, these movements represent two very disparate popular mindsets that occurred within a small time frame. A Marat by Jacques-Louis David and The Raft of the Medusa by Theodore Gericault represent the epitome of Neoclassical and Romantic style, respectively. However, despite the stark differences in style, these works share just as much common ground as they do differences; moreover, the development of both is rooted in the same spirit of change.

   The Neoclassical movement arose as a reaction to the superficial and extravagantly ornate style of the Rococo. This new style of painters looked back to Greek and Roman copies of sculptures and paintings, using the inclination towards the perfection of the human form to express and paint their own subject matter.  A Marat represents one of David’s more famous works, but it also exemplifies some of his most poignant qualities as a painter with a political message to convey. As the Revolution took France by storm, David painted scenes with mythological and classical allegories, drawing on antiquity to express his patriotic sentiments. In the case of Marat, a close friend of David and a very prominent revolutionary writer was assassinated in his bathtub, causing much uproar among the supporters of a new French government. David’s crisp and haunting depiction of this moment served as the Neoclassical period’s answer to propaganda art in a sense.

    In the same fashion that Neoclassicism became a movement in order to counteract the useless decoration of the Rococo, Romanticism became a countermovement where color and stroke took precedence over subject and line. Nature and emotion became the focus of many painters and their work, especially since the new century brought in much change with the end of the French revolution. The Raft of the Medusa is a very relevant to understanding the concept of Romanticism because the painting plays on emotions very well. A true story of survival at sea, despite cannibalism and mental instability, was depicted in a way that incited compassion in the viewer, which to this day is regarded as powerful (Eisenmen 25).

    In light of their separate doctrines, these paintings have both similarities and differences. Both Marat and The Raft of Medusa focus on an aspect of death and sacrifice. Marat is immortalized in this painting as a martyr for his views on the revolution and for the literature which he produced. The men (or better yet wraiths) on the raft are lost at sea, forced to eat other for survival. Stylistically, Marat is much more stoic and calculated, his milky white skin reminiscent of the marble of Greek statues. The tone is very serious; his technique is very academically inclined with the crisp lines and the stark Caravaggian light. The Raft of Medusa, however, is much more expressive and dramatic, relying on emotion to convey its point. The composition is dynamic and chaotic, the proto-journalist approach is noted.

    Although both styles of art are aesthetically pleasing, they both served very different purposes in French society. Their intentions were to alert the people of change, but certain paintings were more inclined to cause feelings of unity and uplift in viewers. When comparing both movements, the Romantic movement prevailed in terms of chronological triumph. The Romantic movement succeeded Neoclassical, but it took a very long time for Neoclassical to evolve from Rococo. Essentially, these two paintings describe the two art movements, or at least represent of their most salient qualities.

CITATIONS

Eisenman, Stephen, and Thomas E. Crow. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. London: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Print.