Rococo vs Neoclassical Art - By: Heather McAloon
There were two different types of visual arts in the Morality
and the Art of the Classical era. The two visual types were Rococo and
Neoclassical. Rococo existed around the mid 1700’s and had dominated the time
until around 175 when Neoclassical took over and began dominating the art
world.
Rococo style tends to favor pastel colors and curving
shapes and tended to lean toward the ruling classes. Rococo art was similar to
Baroque art by being ornamental, however, the Rococo style was much more
elegant and light. Paintings were typically romanticized and feminine and
sometimes to the point of being pleasure-seeking. Typically, real life wont be
reflected at all. This way was popular
until Neoclassical began to take over.
The
Swing was created in 1767 by Jean-Honoré in the Rococo art era. This
painting is now located in the Wallace Collection at the Hertford House in
Manchester Square. Fragonard was a student of Boucher and Fragonard was known
for his fluid brushstrokes. This painting was commissioned by Baron de St.
Julien to portray himself, his mistress, and the bishop. The bishop seems to be
pushing the swing, while it almost looks like the baron is hiding laying down
away from the bishop so he is not seen. There is also an angel statue to the
left hand side of the picture that almost looks as if the angel is saying, “shhhh….”.
Almost like the angel is saying to keep it a secret or that no one knows. You
can also see a vlight coming from between the trees that seems to outline the
girl and her beauty.
Neoclassical began taking
over with the help of the middle class who were appalled at the taste of the
art work that tended to be popular and was created for the ruling class. The
middle class viewed the art in the Rococo style as a symbol for the decline of
the French leadership. By 1775, the French Academy was turning down artwork
from the Rococo style and tending to lean more towards the Neoclassical style. Neoclassical art tended to have a symbolic
message and typically focused the art more on more virtues, deeds, and self-sacrifice.
A lot of the art seemed to be frozen in time in a certain moment as well.
The
painting Valentine Rescues Silvia in “Two Gentlemen of Verona” was
painted by Angelica Kauffman in between 1788-1789. The painting is now
displayed in the Davis Museum at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Back in
those days, the woman being dressed in white would represent purity while, from
what I have learned doing my research on the painting, the hero is the guy
dressed in yellow and tends to be looked at as being dressed in yellow to
represent courage. This painting is “simple” compared to some of the other neoclassical
paintings I have seen, however, that does not make it any less important. There
is still a hero and there is a lot of details involved in the simple painting.
There is a small thing of light coming from behind the trees which leads you to
believe the sun is either rising or setting. While I enjoyed doing my research
on this painting, I do not think I would like to have this painting in my home.
This does not mean all the details and hard work are not appreciated.
I
want to also highlight this next painting. It is a neoclassical painting as
well, but this on has a lot more details and ideas going on.
This
painting is called, “The Sabine Women”, and was created by Jacques-Louis
David in between 1769-1799. As you have noticed this painting took a lot longer
to create because of all the details that are involved in the art. This
painting is now proudly displayed in Paris at the Musee de Louvre. The story
that is involved in this family goes as follows:
The
Romans did not have women of their own, went and abducted the Sabine women to
make them be their wives. This resulted in to wars many years later. The painting
above is showing the girl in white, whose name is Hersilia being in the middle
of her Sabine father and her Roman husband clashing and trying to fight. All
Hersilia wants is peace. From the research done, I have learned that the woman
in white is used to represent purity and that the nudity in the painting is used
to not only represent strength but also their connection between the Greek and
Roman God’s. These God’s were drawn in the nude to help show off their
strength, but also their beauty and divinity. The goal was for the warriors to
be drawn in the nude as well, so hopefully that they can represent the Gods and
show/elaborate the connection between them. I feel as though this painting
really shows the fighting and the war, but also shows little details as well,
like about the girl in white or the mom it looks like that is holding her baby
up trying to keep it out of harms way. This painting is incredibly detailed,
and I wouldn’t mind having something like this in my home.
As
you can see, the paintings began for the higher class with the power. The art
was made for and centered around them. However, toward the end of Rococo style
and the beginning of Neoclassical style it began to go from no longer just the
higher class but the middle class as well. The Neoclassical was more focused on
the middle class and the reality instead of the art of seduction. The middle
class began to grow and get more power and eventually the power was spread out
and it was no longer about one group, but about the paintings themselves.
References:
Jones, Muffet. "The Rococo and
Neoclassicism." Introduction to Art, Boise State University,
boisestate.pressbooks.pub/arthistory/chapter/rococo-and-neoclassicism/.
Mohl, Bayli. "Explorations in Art." , 23
Oct. 2017,
baymohl.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/morality-and-the-art-of-the-classical-era/.
"Rococo vs Neoclassical Art." Artst,
22 May 2021, www.artst.org/rococo-vs-neoclassical/.
Hello Heather,
ReplyDeleteI liked the painting you posted called, The Swing. After reading your entry I had to research it. Did you know it was also known as "The Happy Accidents of the Swing." The weird thing was that it is loaded with sexual symbolism. Like the woman's skirt parts so the man laying below will be able to see up it, and the woman looses her shoe which suggests that they are both promiscuous. Research says that her shoe will fly off and land in a bush where she and he will meet later. Wow! I never would of thought all of that by just glancing at this painting without researching it. Art - its wild man! :)
Hi, Heather.
ReplyDeleteThe Sabine Women might be my favorite thing I've seen out of the Neoclassical era. Its powerfully heroic and the clean style emphasizes its virtuosity. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
What you said about some Neoclassical paintings appearing "frozen in time" rings very true. With The Swing, I can't help but see motion and imagine the moments before and after playing out. But with Valentine Rescues Silvia, its like that's it, this is the moment--even though there's plenty going on.