Neoclassical
Gail Anderson
Faculty Lisa Koen
Art History: From the Early Modern to the Contemporary
May 30, 2014
Assignment 3: Comparative Analysis of Neoclassical and Romantic Art In this essay I am comparing two works of art, one Neoclassical Style and the other Romantic Style. For the Neoclassical style I chose Jacques-Louis David for his artwork of, The Death of Socrates, 1787. For the Romantic style I chose William Blake for his artwork of Pity, ca. 1795. Both of these artists believed in the morality and creating true art, by presenting noble deeds in the past can inspire virtue in the present. Jacques-Louis David was an influential French painter, he was born in Paris, France, 1748 and dies in Belgium 1825. David was a Neoclassical style painter and ideologist of the French Revolution. The Neoclassical style did not arrive until the beginning of the 18th century. This style had the patriotic, heroism, and stoic virtue, such in antiquity times, such as the Greek and Romans. David’s style of art form was using rigorous contours, sculpted forms, that looked 3 dimensional, and polished surfaces. He used history paintings to implement the morality in which he stood for. In his painting, The Death of Socrates, 1787, depicts a stoic and moralizing theme. This has been described as David’s most perfect neoclassical statement. The lines used in this painting give a sense of a more gestural line, more of a movement of shapes and form. The dominant hues used are Socrates’ disciples’ garments. He uses warm and cool colors, such as red, orange, yellow, and blue. Clearly, the focal point is Socrates on the bed, he is the emphasis in this work. I am sure he meant for Socrates to bear his skin and wear the white garment, because he becomes the focus, because he is being accused by the government of not accepting Athenian beliefs so his choice is to renounce his beliefs or die by drinking a cup of hemlock. David uses contrast of values with colors, such as the colored
Faculty Lisa Koen
Art History: From the Early Modern to the Contemporary
May 30, 2014
Assignment 3: Comparative Analysis of Neoclassical and Romantic Art In this essay I am comparing two works of art, one Neoclassical Style and the other Romantic Style. For the Neoclassical style I chose Jacques-Louis David for his artwork of, The Death of Socrates, 1787. For the Romantic style I chose William Blake for his artwork of Pity, ca. 1795. Both of these artists believed in the morality and creating true art, by presenting noble deeds in the past can inspire virtue in the present. Jacques-Louis David was an influential French painter, he was born in Paris, France, 1748 and dies in Belgium 1825. David was a Neoclassical style painter and ideologist of the French Revolution. The Neoclassical style did not arrive until the beginning of the 18th century. This style had the patriotic, heroism, and stoic virtue, such in antiquity times, such as the Greek and Romans. David’s style of art form was using rigorous contours, sculpted forms, that looked 3 dimensional, and polished surfaces. He used history paintings to implement the morality in which he stood for. In his painting, The Death of Socrates, 1787, depicts a stoic and moralizing theme. This has been described as David’s most perfect neoclassical statement. The lines used in this painting give a sense of a more gestural line, more of a movement of shapes and form. The dominant hues used are Socrates’ disciples’ garments. He uses warm and cool colors, such as red, orange, yellow, and blue. Clearly, the focal point is Socrates on the bed, he is the emphasis in this work. I am sure he meant for Socrates to bear his skin and wear the white garment, because he becomes the focus, because he is being accused by the government of not accepting Athenian beliefs so his choice is to renounce his beliefs or die by drinking a cup of hemlock. David uses contrast of values with colors, such as the colored
Cited: "Jacques Louis David: The Death of Socrates (31.45)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/31.45 (December 2013) Barker, Elizabeth E. . "William Blake (1757–1827)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/blke/hd_blke.htm (October 2004) "William Blake: Pity" (58.603) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/58.603. (October 2006) Barker, Elizabeth E. . "William Blake (1757–1827)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/blke/hd_blke.htm (October 2004) Kleiner, Fred. Gardner 's Art through the Ages: A Concise History of Western Art. 2nd Edition. Cengage Learning, 2010. VitalBook file. The Art Institutes. http://digitalbookshelf.aionline.edu/books/1111904871/id/F11-14