Rococo, Age of Enlightenment, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Hudson River School Visual and Contextual

The Swing Visual

woman is kicking off her shoe, a sign of frivolity
elderly represents loyalty, fidelity, marriage
dog in right represents loyalty, not what the woman represent
the baron is looking up the woman’s skirts
cupid statue is keeping quiet about the baron’s secret (woman is cheating on the elderly man)
lines are curvy linear without visible brushstrokes
pastel colors
artificial, lighthearted, erotic
fete galante image
garden is fertile, lush, out of control
contributes to the sensuality of the painting

The Swing Contextual

commissioned by a member of aristocracy, Baron de St. Julian
baron wanted a painting of his lover on the swing
originally wanted a bishop in the background, pushing the swing
instead, the artist painted an elderly man pulling swing with string
elderly man is in control of swing, but the baron and woman are having fun in secret
aristocracy enjoyed this kind of art
height of aristocracy’s richness
this is what Enlightenment thinkers are going to oppose
they want more virtuous and heroic art

A Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery Visual

center of the image is an orrery, a mechanical model of the solar system
large metal rings simulate eclipses, sun is a lamp

A Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery Contextual

Wright specialized in dramatically lit scenes
tenebrism influence from Carvaggio
Wright is the unofficial artist of the Enlightenment
shift from traditional religious models of the universe to more scientific approach
artists were a part of the Lunar Society, which discussed scientific topics
painting reflects empirical observation grounded in science, and reason can best advance society
Enlightenment ideals
anti-aristocracy, anti Rococo art

Monticello Visual

dome is based on Pantheon dome
deep portico with doric columns
large front porch
pediment on top with half window
columns and the dome visually heighten the building
balustrade is on the roofline and creates a sense of horizontality
classical elements and triglyphs and metopes (also on Parthenon)

Monticello Contextual

Jefferson was US administer to France during the US revolution
had the opportunity to visit classical and neoclassical architecture
becomes secretary of state under Washington
Jefferson believed that art promotes change in society
focuses on new classical art to focus on patriotism and civic virtue, since Greeks made democracy
Grand Tour was a tour by upper class in Europe to focus on art by Ancient Greece and Rome

Oath of Horatii Visual

sons bodies are rigid and geometrical
sons are pledging allegiance to Rome
women are sad and depressed
women have curvy bodies
Roman atrium with Roman arches in background

Oath of Horatii Contextual

story of Oath of Horatii comes from Roman legend
Romans battle with Alba
Romans used the Horatii family (3 sons) to fight the Curatii family, which represents Alba
done instead of a full war
a sister of the Horatiis is married to the Curatii family, while one Curatii woman is married to one Horatii family
at the end, the last Horatii son kills his sister because he killed her Curatii husband
sacrifice and duty to Rome over sentiment
example of Neoclassical history paintings
provides examples of virtuous behavior, like personal sacrifice
didactic content
country before love
patron was King of France, Louis XVI
intended for painting to promote loyalty to France, but French revolution was about to happen
some people saw this painting as a revolution/call to arms painting
David supports the French Revolution and Robespierre’s Reign of Terror
arrested and executed people that weren’t supportive of the revolution
should FR be monarchy or democracy? was message that David painted

George Washington Visual

right arm holds a walking stick
left hand rests on fasces, a bundle of 13 rods
13 colonies
sword is outside of the fasces
plow behind his feet
indicates that he is surrendering his military power to return to life as a farmer

George Washington Contextual

Virginia General Assembly commissioned the statue of Washington
governor of Virginia asked Thomas Jefferson (who supported Classical and Neoclassical art)
Jefferson recommends French sculptor Houdon
Houdon starts by sculpting from a painting, but than that doesn’t work so he visits US and creates an idealized bust of Washington in a Classical Greek toga
Washington disliked the bust and wanted to wear contemporary military clothing
statue copied many times because it depicts Washington as a private citizen
fatherly facial expression, contrapasso position

Self-Portrait Visual

looks alert, intelligent, and self confident
red sash, white collar, white hat
we don’t know what she is painting

Self-Portrait Contextual

Vigee Le Brun was famous for painting Marie Antoinette
also painted European monarchs and self portraits
became wealthy for being the Queen’s official court painter
1789 was French Revolution, Marie Antoinette was beheaded
Vigee Le Brun escapes to Rome to paint

La Grande Odalisque Visual

exotic/orientalizing accessories
holding a peacock fan
wearing a turban
fancy jewels on headscarf
hookah pipe near her feet (used to smoke)
elongated back, relates back to Mannerism, influenced by Parmigannio

La Grande Odalisque Contextual

Ingres was a student of David
this woman is exotic (from the near east) so it’s okay for viewing
made for a male viewer
odalisque means a harem slave
harem is a group of concubines for the king
long history of fears and desires because of the distance between Christian Europe and Islamic Asia

Y no hai remedio (And There’s Nothing to Be Done) from Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War), plate 15 Visual

man tied to post with downcast head, white clothes, and blindfolded
posture is defeated, yet he is heroic
reminds people of Jesus
dead contorted body in front of him
grotesque bloody face
behind the post, there are other men tied to posts
soldiers have guns to execute the men on the post
gun is pointed at the main guy in the front
nothing to be done, he will die

Y no hai remedio (And There’s Nothing to Be Done) from Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War), plate 15 Contextual

82 images
not published until 35 years after Goya’s death
he would’ve been executed if he published them alive
protesting the French occupation of Spain
Joseph Bonaparte is in control of Spain
Napoleon got Spain and gave it to his brother Joseph while kicking out Charles IV
Goya is the court painter for Bonaparte
Peninsular war, the Spanish defeat the French

Liberty Leading the People Visual

triangle formation
open fluid brushstrokes
giant woman is nude to the waist
holds bayoneted musket and raising French flag
striding forward and is powerful, leading the people
head is in profile and is wearing a phrygian cap
cap signifies freedom
freed slaves were given one to symbol free status
woman is an allegory for liberty
all types of people surrounding her
man on left holds briquet (saber) and wears a work outfit
another wears a top hat and suit
young boy with 2 pistols
people from all social classes fought
ground is littered with the dead
sense of chaos
Notre Dame in background

Liberty Leading the People Contextual

based on news headlines
July Revolution of 1830
King Charles X abdicates, and Louise Philippe I takes over
Delacroix is famous for repetition colors, blue, white, and red
Delacroix signs his painting underneath Notre Dame

Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) Visual

impasto (paint thickly on canvas)
turner is famous for sunlight
described as painterly
emphasis on color as means to elicit emotion
social protest art
based on real account/true story
captains of slave ships would throw off sick slaves when there was a storm to claim lost cargo insurance

Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) Contextual

typhoon/storm is like divine retribution for slave captains
nature is powerful!
first owner was John Ruskin, an English abolitionist
England abolished slavery in 1833, US in 1865

The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) Visual

diagonal lines (tree, thunder showers, etc)
oxbow is part of Connecticut river
shows differences between left and right
left is stormy, right is bright sunny
left shows powerful untamed nature, aka sublime
right shows that people have settled into the land
self portrait of artist

The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) Contextual

Thomas Cole is US painter born in England
moves at 17 with family to US
undisputed leader of Hudson River School
Hudson River School are landscape painters
focuses on beauty of US wilderness
not actual school, just a group of NY painters
moral message behind landscape painting
humanity is not all powerful when compared to nature
oxbow is part of Connecticut river
painting demonstrates manifest destiny
during 19th century, westward expansion dominated politics
US feels that they are divinely ordained to settle the west
westward expansion is seen as a positive moral obligation to make nature productive?
not environmental piece
Cole elevates genre of landscape painting to the historical painting