Neo-Classicism and Romanticism

          Neoclassicism and Romanticism were two styles that were very different from each other. On one hand, Neo-classicism was a very serious style of art. Everything was mathematically worked out, which made every object in the painting in perfect proportion. Also, everything was very organized and detailed, just as the Renaissance artists painted their masterpieces. On the other hand, Romanticism brought out more emotion and drama through the painters’ brushstrokes and the way they would convey their subjects. In other words, one can say that they were less restricted than the neo-classical painters.  Both styles were very important to their times in the process of educating and alerting their contemporaries.  

            Neo-Classicism emerged in reaction to the Rococo movement. Rococo was a very lighthearted, exotic movement. Artists of this style wanted to break free from the classicism (Baroque movement) that the French Monarchy was forcing artist to paint. Once the breakthrough of the French parliament, artists started up the lighthearted Rococo movement. Once Rococo became over-played, artists wanted to get back and get into the classical perfection that the Baroque movement had to offer.  Jacques-Louis David was the definition of Neo-Classicism. He treated the contemporary history in an idealized manner and treaded his ancient historical subjects in an epic and restrained drama. An example of his characteristics is The Oath of the Horatii. Everything in The Oath of the Horatii is in perfect proportion and goes back into space (deep space). The colors that David paints with in this painting are very simple colors. These are some characteristics that Neo-Classicism held. They strived for that perfection that the Baroque movement held. The story of this painting was about three Horatii brothers giving their oath to their father (who holds up three swords). On the right are the Curiatii women. One of them is the wife of one of the younger Horatii brothers. She is weeping because her husband was murdered by one of the surviving Horatii brothers. This painting was meant to call to unit the revolutionaries by relating current events with an ancient Roman story.

Another one of David’s paintings, Death of Marat, shows the seriousness and political propaganda that Neo-classicism intended to stir up. The painting is a scene that is straight out of the French Revolution. Death of Marat displays the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat, who was a close friend of David. By painting this, David gave encouragement and inspiration to those fighting in the Revolution. David displays Marat, who was stabbed by Charlotte Corday (a political activist from a rival faction) in his medical bathtub. Because of his skin condition, Marat would spend his time writing to people, which David displayed him lifeless, holding a pen in his right hand and the letter in his left. Everything in Death of Marat is mathematically worked out. David places the box in the foreground with the artist’s signature on it.  In the middleground, the dead body with the note in the hand, is all in proportion.  In the background, David places a deep dark wall (to create the drama). Another way David creates space is by his highlights and shadows. He places a shadow underneath the note and gives highlights from the light source, which is coming through the left side of the painting. All these qualities that David paints in Death of Marat are all traits of Neo-Classicism. Like The Oath of the Horatii, Death of Marat was meant to make his contemporaries aware of what was going with the current events of that time by displaying his beloved friend whom was martyred.

In reaction to Neo-Classicism was Romanticism. Romanticism was about stirring up emotion by the drama that was happening in their current events. An artist who was a strong Romanticism artist was Gericault.  His painting The Raft of the Medusa was based on a story that leaked to the newspapers. A French ship off the coast was destroyed and the captain and the high ranked sailors escaped safely from it. Because of this, they ended up leaving 150 people to fend for themselves. Out of the 150 people, only 15 lived (due to converting to cannibalism). When Gericault heard about this story, he was horrified and decided to share his disgust with his contemporaries. Gericault creates drama by displaying the moment before the 15 survivors get rescued. The rescue ship is way out in the distance and the sail of the raft is blowing the other way. On top of that, Gericault paints a huge wave about to hit the raft. Most of the bodies in the painting are lifeless and the people on board are climbing up and reaching for the rescue ship. Before Gericault started The Raft of the Medusa, he went to morgues to do studies on lifeless bodies. These lifeless bodies that are on the raft seem to be spilling out at the viewers, which does create a huge sense of drama. The black man up in front of the boat represents the issue of slavery going on at the time. On the actual boat, there were slaves on board and most of them were drowned due to financial reasons. The man that is dead center is barely holding a lifeless corps, which represents the survivors barely holding on to humanity. The complex composition carries the viewer’s eyes all over the painting, therefore making viewers experience everything that is going on.

            Another Romantic artist was Delacroix. Like Gericault, he too broke away from Neo-Classicism by painting chaotic scenes. In his painting, Death of Sardanapalus depicts a Middle Eastern king whose kingdom was being taken over by his enemies. Sardanapalus’ last command was for everyone and everything that he loved to be destroyed or killed before he died. That way no one can take anything away from him. In a way, Sardanapalus wants to show how powerful and magnificent his lifestyle was. As his kingdom is being destroyed, Sardanapalus is lounging back and enjoying the massacre that is taking place. By depicting this scene, Delacroix is commenting on his own monarchy in France. At this time, imperialism is taking place and the imperialist are taking over and destroying countries. In a way, Sardanapalus symbolizes the king of France. Women were previously depicted nude because an artist wanted to display the beauty of women. Now, Delacroix symbolizes them as possessions of men and the understanding of women’s roles in his time. The black soldier in the painting doesn’t represent slavery (as was Gericault’s). The black solider represents the imperialist movement within that time. Delacroix does not have any statue poses within his figures (unlike the Neo-Classist) but has more of a chaotic scene (also unlike the neo-classist).  

            In conclusion, Romanticism prevailed over Neo-Classicism.  The people were bored of the perfection that Neo-Classicism had offered and they wanted something that would stir up emotion deep within. The people wanted something new, something they had not experienced before. They wanted to break free from the standard and move to deeper meanings within art.  ­­­


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

Google Images: 
Oath of the Horatii 
Death of Marat
The Raft of the Medusa
Death of Sardanapalus