18th Century Art and Neoclassicism Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering major 18th-century art movements, key art terminology, and significant works from Rococo to Neoclassicism and the Enlightenment.

The Grand Tour

An extended visit undertaken between 1740 and 1770 by wealthy, educated young European or American gentlemen to the major cultural sites of Europe, beginning in Paris and focusing on Italy, accompanied by a tutor and servants.

Capriccio

A type of city view painting in which the artist mixes actual architectural features, especially ruins, into imaginatively pleasing compositions.

Veduta

A naturalistic rendering of a well-known tourist attraction that takes the form of a meticulously detailed, topographically accurate panoramic view populated with contemporary figures engaged in typical activities.

The Doge's Palace and the Riva degli Schiavoni

A 1730 veduta painting by Canaletto providing a detailed and topographically accurate view of Venice.

Capriccio of Rome

An architectural painting by Pannini that imaginatively combines classical Roman monuments and ruins into a single composition.

The Age of Enlightenment

An 18th-century European intellectual movement that aimed to reform society and advance knowledge through critical thinking independent of religion, myth, or tradition, promoting the scientific method and technological invention.

Pilgrimage To the Island of Cythera

A 1717 Rococo painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau portraying aristocratic figures visiting an island associated with the goddess Venus.

Nymph and Satyr (The Intoxication of Wine)

A 1775 Rococo terracotta sculpture by Clodion depicting a sensuous and dynamic interaction between mythological figures.

Oath of the Horatii

A 1784 Neoclassical masterwork by Jacques-Louis David depicting three Roman brothers swearing an oath to defend Rome.

Death of Marat

A 1793 painting by Jacques-Louis David depicting the assassinated French revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat in his bathtub.

Napoleon Crossing the Alps

An 1800 equestrian portrait by Jacques-Louis David depicting Napoleon Bonaparte leading his troops across the Alps.

Cupid and Psyche

A Neoclassical marble sculpture created by Antonio Canova depicting the mythological lovers in an embrace.

Marriage A la Mode

A satirical series of paintings created by William Hogarth in the 1740s illustrating the downfall of an arranged, mercenary marriage among the upper classes.

Lady Sarah Bunbury Sacrificing to the Graces

A 1765 Grand Manner portrait by Joshua Reynolds showing an aristocratic British lady making an offering to statues of the Three Graces.

Mr and Mrs Andrews

A painting from 1748-1750 by Thomas Gainsborough combining portraiture of an English gentry couple with an expansive country landscape.

Blue Boy

A famous portrait by Thomas Gainsborough featuring a young boy outfitted in 17th-century period costume influenced by Anthony van Dyck.

Experiment with an air pump

A 1768 Enlightenment painting by Joseph Wright of Derby illustrating a natural philosopher demonstrating the effects of a vacuum created by an air pump on a bird.

Cornelia Presenting her Children as Treasures

A 1785 Neoclassical history painting by Angelica Kauffman depicting the Roman mother Cornelia presenting her sons as her true jewels.

Broken Eggs

A 1772 moralizing genre painting by Jean-Baptiste Greuze.

Boy with soap bubbles

A 1739 genre painting by Jean-Siméon Chardin depicting a young boy focused on blowing a soap bubble.

Self-portrait Yawning

A 1783 unconventional self-portrait by French artist Joseph Ducreux showcasing an expressive, animated facial gesture.