Eighteenth Century Art - Week 7

William Kent, Chinese House, Stowe House gardens, 1738

-first chinese house in an english garden

-exotic, european interpretation

-chinoiserie mania

-contains Rococo elements, such as the gilding and chinoiserie

-Commissioned by Viscount Cobham

-Decorated by Francesco Sleter, featuring paintings that blend European interpretation with Chinese aesthetics.

William Kent, Temple of British Worthies & Temple of Ancient Virtues, Stowe House
gardens, c. 1737

-Space for lots of busts in niches

-A turn towards the English Landscape style, embracing curves and naturalistic elements, true nature and organic shapes

-the two temples face each other across the stream

-Ancient vs. British, living up to the past ideals

-Influenced Capability Brown’s approach to British Landscape

Capability Brown, Blenheim Palace gardens, begun 1764
-English Landscape “art that conceals art”, seems naturalistic but is highly designed

-arcadian

-uses clumps of trees which is another trait of English Landscape

-Often described as a “living painting”

-Created lake

-Aristocratic

Richard Wilson, Lake Nemi & Genzano, c. 1755

-Painted after a visit to italy, brought back the classical feel

-Classical british landscape

-Altered/idealized, picturesque

-Influenced by Claude Lorraine

Paul Sandby, A View of Kent with Mr. Whatman's Paper Mills, 1794, watercolor

-Wove paper

-British watercolor masterpiece

-Industrial innovation at a critical time

-Manufacturing juxtaposed with rural life

-Important because of its showing industrial ideas in a classic idealized landscape

Joseph Wright, Viewing the Gladiator, c. 1765

-large painting

-connoisseurs: appreciation of good art

-”candlelight” painting

-chiaroscuro af

-the study of anatomy/sculpture, and the act of viewing art in dimly lit, intimate settings.

Joseph Wright, A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery, c. 1766

-level of appreciation from adults and kids

-Lunar Society

-Orrery—a clockwork model of the solar system

-Shows shift towards science and rationalism

-Conversation piece (informal group portrait)

-Shows caravaggio influence, baroque drama