Neo-classism Flashcards
Neo-classism
A serious, objective art style that was the official French Revolution’s style
Characteristics
- The French wanted to do the opposite of Rococo and make all art serious, moralising, and logical
- After France became a republic under Napolean, Neo-classism was adopted as the official style
- Served as Napolean’s propaganda
- Inspo was taken from the Roman classic period(mirrored perection, order, and morality)
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Subject matter
Figures were static and calm, taken from Roman classical statues
Compostition
Compostition is balanced and ordered. Most of the time followed geometric shapes like triangles and rectangles
Shape
- Line and drawing were very important
- Used bold outlines and shapes were very defined, looking almost carved
Colour
There was heavy contrast between colours and light and dark
Application
Application was very smooth and no brushstrokes were visible
Jacques-Louis David
- Greatest influence of Neo-classism
- Was a dictator to art because he was such a huge supporter of the revolution
The oath of the Horatii
Jacques-Louis David
- Follows a historical event of anciet Rome
- Message is patriotism is more important than family
- Three brothers swear on their father’s sword that they will fight for their country against three other brothers froma neighboring state
- Their faces lack emotion in the face of danger
- The three women at the back weep and mourn their departure, one of them was engaged to one of the sons
- “Msculine courage vs feminine emotion and weakness
- Heavy contrast of colour
- Background is composed of various geometric shapes, figures make triangular shapes
The death of Marat
Jacques-Louis David
- Marat was one of leaders of the revolution, he had a sever skin disease that required him to bath very frequently. He was murdered in his bath
- Marat was heavily idealised as a young man who died for his country
- Backgound is very dark to put emphasis on Marat
- Composition very simple
- Although it depicts a scene about death, it looks tranquil and peaceful, not violent
- His outstrerched hand looks like the one in Michaelangelo’s Christ , implying that Marat dies for his people the same way Christ did
- The turban on his head symbolises a halo, and theres a soft light beaming onto his face
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
- Was Jaques-Louis David’s successor
- Respected the past and guarded academic tyled art against Romanticism
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
- Was Jaques-Louis David’s successor
- Respected the past and guarded academic tyled art against Romanticism
The Grand Odalisque
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
- Depicts a nude Turkish women surrounded by luxurious accessories that were seen as fashionable at the time
- Depicts Jean’s smooth and cold art style
- Romanticists loved his work, but it captured the defines, smooth, precise drawing techniques of Neo-classism
An odalisque was a concubine in a Turkish private living area for women