Classical Exhibit

Revolution and Art 

The American Revolution influenced many different things like the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and even the French Revolution. I'm not a huge fan of history, so we don't really need to dive into any of those topics. However, I would like to discuss how the Revolution influenced the Enlightenment period which also inspired new art. The Enlightenment period got people thinking progressively about a better way of life, one where religion didn't control their everyday life. In simpler terms, people wanted a separation of church and state and they were more than willing to fight for it; thus creating the French Revolution. 

During the time of the French Revolution, artists became inspired by the Enlightenment period and wanted to stray away from creating religious art. So, a new style emerged called Neoclassical art. Neoclassical art often depicted some elements of the French Revolution like soldiers with weapons or battle scenes and post-battle scenes. There were, however, many portraits of men or women which did not showcase any hint of war. Neoclassical art is more than just paintings of war because it is actually characterized by the clarity of form, sober colors, shallow space, and strong horizontals. Nonetheless, "the Neoclassicists wanted to express rationality and sobriety that was fitting to their times. [Many] artists supported the rebels in the French Revolution through art that asked for clear-headed thinking and self-sacrifice to the State," (Katherine Taylor). So, I suppose it's safe to say you can infer pieces that depict the Revolution are Neoclassical art, however, there are some pieces where you'd have to determine its style by the piece's form, colors, and horizontals. 

"The Oath of the Horatii"
By Jacques-Louis David
Rome, 1786

The Oath of the Horatii is a very well-known piece, but it is a perfect example of Neoclassical art and the influence of the Revolution. In this piece, we see three brothers saluting their father who holds three swords. These brothers are swearing to defeat their enemies or die trying and their father commends them by giving them their weapons. On the side, we can see the women of their family sighing like they're in dismay at their decision. The moment Jacques-Louis David chose to capture was, in his words, "the moment which must have preceded the battle, when the elder Horatius, gathering his sons in their family home, makes them swear to conquer or die” (Khan Academy). This is a very moving piece because it shows the dedication of all men who chose to fight during the Revolution and the sacrifices they made, like leaving behind the women they love. This oil on canvas piece is so well done and really exemplifies Neoclassical art with its sober colors and shallow space contrasted by light. There is a lot of drama packed into it as well but also reflects a sense of passion and rationality. While this is a very well-done Classical piece, I'm not sure if I would own a copy of it- it's definitely something I would rather see once in a museum. 

"Napoleon 1 on His Imperial Throne"
By Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
Paris, 1806

Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Emperor Napoleon 1, was a French military and political leader who rose to power during the French Revolution. The artist, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, was actually taught by Jacques-Louis David (our previous artist) which is very interesting. You can definitely see some similarities in their techniques, though it may be harder to tell because both pieces are Neoclassical art. During the rise of the French Revolution, "Ingres was one of the rising stars and fresh voices of the French neoclassical movement" (Dr. Bryan Zygmont). In this oil on canvas painting, Napoleon sits on a very lavish throne and seems to be portrayed as a "God-like" individual. If you didn't know Napoleon's military history during the French Revolution, you may have never known he was anything but an Emperor based on this one piece. Ingres really captures the characteristics of Neoclassical art in this as he utilizes a delicate sense of light from an unknown source to add contrast. He also uses sober colors and there is a clarity of form. I think this piece is one of the best portraits of Napoleon, however, you really need to know his background in order to connect this art to the Revolution. 

"The Death of General Wolfe"
By Benjamin West
Canada, 1776

The Death of General Wolfe is not a very well-known Neoclassical piece, but it definitely is another great example. This piece depicts a moment in time during a battle that led up to the French Revolution. The event is pretty self-explanatory based off of the title, the French Major-General James Wolfe dies on foreign soil during battle. West captured a heartbreaking moment while creating a dramatic composition with so much detail. There is definitely a use of sober colors and clarity of form, but there's something interesting about the way he utilizes shallow space. Like I mentioned before, a characteristic of Neoclassical art is shallow space, which is seen in pieces that contain a limited amount of depth- or lack thereof. Even though it seems like there could be a lot of depth, West creates this "quiet" background and just barely touches on the depth which I personally do see as shallow space. 

Neoclassical art really does tie into what the Revolution was all about; separating from religion and thinking more progressively. There are so many different Neoclassical pieces out there that depict the French Revolution, however, almost all of them were created by Jacques-Louis David, and I couldn't use him as an example for all three. I strongly recommend you look at some of his other pieces because they are so interesting and are important works of art during the Neoclassical era- and the French Revolution. 

Work Cited. 

McCoy, Dr. Claire. “David, Oath of the Horatii.” Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/enlightenment-revolution/a/david-oath-of-the-horatii.

Taylor, Katherine. “Neoclassicism and the French Revolution.” Humanities LibreTexts, Libretexts, 9 Mar. 2021, human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Art/Book%3A_Western_Art_from_18th_to_Mid-20th_Century_(Taylor)/01%3A_Chapters/1.02%3A_Neoclassicism_and_the_French_Revolution.

Zygmont, Dr. Bryan. “Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Napoleon on His Imperial Throne.” Smarthistory, 29 Nov. 2015, smarthistory.org/ingres-napoleon-on-his-imperial-throne/.