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Neoclassicism: (1750 - 1830)
The term Neoclassicism refers to the classical revival in European art,
In the visual arts the European movement called "neoclassicism" began
as a reaction against both the surviving
Baroque and
Rococo styles, and as a desire to return
to the perceived "purity" of the arts of Rome, the more vague perception ("ideal") of
Ancient Greek arts (where almost no western artist had actually been) and, to a lesser
extent, 16th century
Renaissance Classicism.
Although the movement spread
throughout Western Europe, France and England were the countries that used the style most frequently
in their arts and architecture, using the classical elements to express ideas of nationalism, courage, and
sacrifice.
The movement was inspired by the discovery of ancient Italian artifacts at the ruins of Herculaneum
and Pompeii. Also influential in the development was the cultural studies of German art historian
Johann J.
Winckelmann who claimed that the most important elements of classical art were "noble simplicity and calm grandeur."
Neoclassicism emphasized rationality and the resurgence of tradition.
Neoclassical artists incorporated
classical styles and subjects, including columns, pediments, friezes, and other ornamental schemes in their
work. They were inspired by the work of Homer and Plutarch and John Flaxmann’s illustrations for the Illiad
and Odyssey. Other classic models included Virgil,
Raphael, and Poussin among others. Neoclassical painters
took extra care to depict the costumes, settings, and details of classical subject matter with as much accuracy as
possible. Much of the subject matter was derived from classical history and mythology. The movement
emphasized line quality over color, light, and atmosphere. The height of Neoclassicism was displayed in the
paintings of
Jacques-Louis David and
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres.
Neoclassicism continued to be a major force in academic art through the 19th century and beyond—
a constant antithesis to Romanticism or Gothic revivals— although from the late 19th century on it
had often been considered anti-modern, or even reactionary, in influential critical circles.
By the mid-19th century, several European cities - notably St Petersburg and Munich -
were transformed into veritable museums of Neoclassical architecture.
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