1. 18th Century :
Rococo to Roman Revival
Rococo and The Enlightenment
The Reader, Fragonard Am I Not a Man and a Brother?, Wedgwood
2. Early 18th Century Rococo Architecture
• Shift of power after
Louis XIV died
• Emerging middle class
• Paris townhouses
(Rococo style hôtels)
• Style spread to
European painting and
sculpture
Salon de la Princesse, Hôtel de Soubise , 1732
3. Rococo Architecture: More is MORE
Dynamic and
moving spatial
environment
No empty
spaces
Unified art &
architecture
Imperial Hall, Wurzburg, Balthasar Neumann with Fresco by Tiepolo
7. Women Artists: A Foot in the Academy Doors
Charles Sackville, 2nd Duke of Dorset, 1730, Rosalba Marie Antoinette with Her Children, Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun,
Carriera, pastel on paper 1787
13. Morality Paintings Reject Rococo Excess
The Drunken
Cobbler,
Greuze.
1785
Inspired by
Diderot,
“art’s
proper
function is
to improve
virtue and
purify
manners”
15. NeoClassical History Paintings: Academy Approved
Considered the highest form of art, they use classical allusions
even when showing current events or contemporary portraits,.
17. Rococo did not die…
Rival Artists, Rival Styles
Disagreed with Sir Reynolds
about having to do classical
history style in portraits
Blue Boy, late 18th century
Notes de l'éditeur
Hello. Let’s take a look at a time of drastic change, the 18th century in Europe and the New World. Art and architecture reflected and mediated these changes in philosophy, politics, and even fashion. The YOLO values of the pampered aristocracy gave way to revolts against the Empires of France and Great Britain. The scientific advances of the 17th century, laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution. And the philosophy of Rationalism reduced the role of the church, even as the middle class grew stronger.
In the French royal court, Louis XIV died and some power began to shift to the emerging middle class. The Sun King ran a very stuffy and boring court, so the upper class was glad to have a more relaxed approach to enjoying their lives. The Baroque interest in royal palaces shifted to Paris style hotels, or townhouses, which build on the elaborate Baroque style.
In painting, the artworks have lovely pastel colors, delicate forms, and shimmering fabrics. The subjects are light hearted, like romance or the rich enjoying a beautiful picnic, as seen in the Pilgrimage to Cythera by Watteau.
Artists like Fragonard had upper class women as patrons, for example, Mme Du Barry, the mistress of Louis XV. Fragonard’s beautiful color palette and brushstrokes inspired Disney animators in make the movie Tangled. In The Swing, we see the beautiful young lady enjoying a swing in the garden, and giving the young man in the bushes, a little peek up her skirt.
By the middle 1700s, Enlightenment philosophers like Diderot, John Locke, and Jefferson were promoting life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This philosophy rejected royal and aristocratic authority, which eventually led to revolutions in America and France. At the same time, the ruins of the Roman town of Pompeii were discovered, which led to a revival of the classical Greek and Roman styles in art and ladies’ fashions.
The Salons and Academies ruled that History Paintings were the highest form of art, and artists such as David made this a lasting trend. Even portraits used classical allusions or classical dress.