The document discusses the Ancien Régime and its transformation during the 18th century. It describes the key elements of the Ancien Régime, including the estates system, absolute monarchy, and agrarian economy. During the 18th century, Enlightenment ideas spread across Europe and challenged the existing social and political order. Enlightenment thinkers advocated for reason, equality, liberty and separation of powers. Their ideas later inspired revolutions and helped transform the Ancien Régime.

1. THE ANCIEN RÉGIME AND
ITS TRANSFORMATION
El siglo XVIII en España.

2. In this unit we will study:
• The Ancien Régime: definition and elements.
• Changes during the 18th century.
• The Enlightenment.
• Enlightened politics in Europe and America.
• Social changes due to Enlightenment.
• Art during the Enlightenment.
• The 18th century in Spain.

3. THE ANCIEN REGIME

4. What is the Ancien
Regime?
The Ancient Regime is the social, political and economic
system that existed in Europe before the French
Revolution during the Early Modern Age (16th-18th
centuries).
Elements
Low growth
of the
population
Agrarian-based
economy
The estates
of the realm
Absolute
monarchy of
divine origin

5. Low growth of the
population
During the Early Modern Age there was a low natural growth because
high birth rates were counteracted by high death rates. It depended
on human and natural disasters which caused famines and
epidemics.

6. Agrarian-based economy
● The 75% of the population belonged to the Primary sector.
● There was a closed or subsistence economy:
○ the population depended on resources, goods and services that were
provided by its own members.
○ There was little or no trade with other regions.

7. Agrarian-based economy

8. Agrarian-based economy
Survival of the Feudal system
○ Lords owned the biggest lands or large estates.
○ Landowners rented plots of lands to the peasants.
○ Lords received a significant amount of incomes from the rent of lands
.
Landowners
Nobility Clergy

9. Craft-industry
● Craftsmen made their products by hand
.
● They worked in small workshops, which
were located in the owner´s house.
● Their products were sold there too.
● They controlled the whole production
process, from the beginning to the end.
● They used very little machinery.
● The sources of energy were: human,
animal or the one given by water or
wind.

10. Trade
● Long-distance trade
● The triangular trade:
○ capture slaves in Africa and
take them to America in order
to work in mines and
plantations,
○ export the raw materials
produced by slaves to Europe,
make manufactured products
in Europe,
○ exchange those products in
Africa for slaves, repiting the
cicle.
● Controlled by the bourgeoise, who
became very rich.

11. ACTIVITES
•Do the following activities:
oPage 65: 18 and 19 (Trade)

12. Economic system
After the discovery of America, two economic systems developed:
Commercial capitalism Mercantilism
16th-century Parisian fair,
showing how trade facilitated
great economic expansion (John
James Chalon, 1822)

13. Economic System
THE 16TH CENTURY: COMMERCIAL CAPITALISM
● Thanks to the discovery of the New World there was a significant
economic growth in Europe.
● The New World became an important new market for European
exports.
● Commercial capitalism developed:
○ A new system that enabled private businesses to accumulate profits,
especially through trade.
○ Factors:
■ The emergence of new forms of craft production in workshops
and through the domestic system.
■ The establishment of banks (commercial operations)
■ New commercial and financial practices (bills of exchange,
loans)

14. Economic System
THE 17TH CENTURY: MERCANTILISM
● There was a serious economic crisis, caused mostly by the enormous
amounts of gold and silver that arrived in Europe from America.
● An excess of these precious metals caused their value to fall, while prices
increased.
● Mercantilism
○ imposed by Europe´s absolute monarchs
○ Based on the idea that a country´s wealth depended on how much
gold and silver it possessed.
○ In order to accumulate more of these precious metals, monarchs
implemented protectionist policies to limit imports and encourage
exports.

15. ACTIVITES
•Do the following activities:
oPage 43: 13 (Economy)

16. The estates of the realm
● In the Early Modern Age, there was still a closed society:
○ There was a rigid social system which didn´t allow people to change
groups easily.
● The estates of the realm continued to be the dominant form of social
organisation in Europe.

17. The estates of the realm

18. The estates of the realm

19. The estates of the realm

20. The estates of the realm
THE BOURGEOISIE
● Upper middle class or bourgeoisie
○ was composed of prominent merchants and business owners,
bankers, investors, functionaries, lawyers…
○ They become richer and more powerful as the European economy
prospered.
● The lower middle class, or petite bourgeoisie
○ composed mostly of small merchants and
craftsmen

21. The estates of the realm
THE PEASANTRY
● It was the most numerous group in
society.
● It was composed of poor farmers and
labourers
● They suffered during the 17th
century because of:
○ poor harvests,
○ rising prices
○ and the higher taxes which they
had to pay to the crown, nobility
and clergy.

22. ACTIVITES
•Do the following activities:
oPage 47: 15 (Society)

23. Political system
Three types of monarchy
during the Early Modern Age
Authoritarian monarchy
16th century
Absolute monarchy
17th century
Parliamentary monarchy
17th century

24. Political system
Authoritatian monarchy
Authoritarian
monarchy
It existed in the
16th century.
But they had to
respect
institutions that
were able to
limit their power.
Monarchs were
described as
«authoritarian» because
they had forced the
nobility to accept their
authority.
The Cortes in Spain

25. Political system
Authoritatian monarchy
• Authoritarian monarchs´ measures in order to govern their kingdoms
more effectively:
Measures
They unified all the territories that were under their control.
They established administrative unity for the entire kingdom.
They created royal armies to end their dependence on the
nobility for military support.

26. Political system
Authoritatian monarchy
• They unified all the territories that were under their control.
Before uniting the kingdoms in the
Iberian Peninsula. After uniting the kingdoms in the
Iberian Peninsula.

27. Political system
Authoritatian monarchy
• They established administrative unity for the entire kingdom.
Holy Brotherhood
Administrative
unity of the
Catholic
Monarchs
Corregidores
Royal Council
Royal
Treasure

28. Political system
Authoritatian monarchy
• In Spain, the Catholic Monarchs established religious unity for the
entire kingdom.
Religious unity of
the Catholic
Monarchs
Tribunal of the
Inquisition
The
expulsion on
the Mudejars
Imposition of the
Catholicism
The
expulsion of
Jews

29. Political system
Authoritatian monarchy
• They created royal armies to end their dependence on the nobility for
military support.

30. Political system
at the beginning the 18th century
Political systems
Absolute
monarchy
In almost every
European
monarchy
Parliamentary
monarchy
The exception in
Europe

31. Political system
Absolute monarchy
• The authoritarian monarchies evolved and became absolute monarchies.
Absolute
monarch
head of a strong
central government
Executive
power
Legislative
power
Judicial power Militar power
Centralised
administration
Control over
the Church
and other
institutions

32. Political system
Absolute monarchy
• It´s impossible for the Absolutism to separate monachy and State.
Monarchy State
Louis XIV of France

33. Political system
Absolute monarchy
• Absolutism was born in France in the 17th century.
• It was supported by the theories of some philosophers like Bossuet, who
believed in the Divine Right of Kings.
o These theories believed that monarchs
represented God on Earth and everyone
should obey them.
o Neither laws nor institutions could be above
the king.
Jaques-Bénigne Bossuet

34. Political system
Absolute monarchy
• Louis XIV of France was the first absolut
monarch.
• He took control of the government without a
prime minister.
• He ruled according to his own wish without
asking advice from his ministers or the General
Estates (similar to a parliament).
• He created a system of centralised and efficient
power.
• He controlled his people tightly, including the
nobles.
• He defended the divine origin of his power.
• He considered himself to be the incarnation of
the State: «Létat, cést moi» (I am the State).
• He developed a complete programme of
propaganda and self-glorification.
Louis XIV

35. Political system
Parliamentary monarchy
• English parliamentary monarchy was the exception in the absolutist Europe.
• English monarchs´ power was limited by the parliament.
• In 1215 the Magna Carta Libertatum
(Great Charter of Freedoms) had begun
to limit the power of the King.
• Over the following centuries, Parliament
became increasingly important and more
representative.
English Magna Carta Libertatum. 1215

36. Political system
Parliamentary monarchy
• In the early 17th century, the kings of the
House of Stuart wanted to govern as
absolute monarchs.
• Charles I of England wanted to impose the
Absolutism.
• The bourgeoise didn´t support the absolute
monarchy.
• In 1642 there was a civil war between the
supporters of absolute monarchy and the
defenders of Parliament.

37. Political system
Parliamentary monarchy
• The civil war was led by Oliver Cromwell.
• He was in favour of the trial and execution of
Charles I.
• In 1649 Charles I was tried by Parliament,
found guilty of treason and executed.
• The Republic was proclaimed and Oliver
Cromwell became the ruler of England
between 1653 and 1658.
Oliver Cromwell

38. Political system
Parliamentary monarchy
• In 1660, Parliament re-established the
monarchy and Charles II was named King.
• In 1679 the Habeas Corpus Act was passed
by the Parliament:
o It prevented the King from arbitrarily
imprisoning people.
Charles II of England

39. Political system
Parliamentary monarchy
• In 1688, the «Glorious Revolution» took
place:
o Parliament overthrew James II.
o They offered the throne to his daughter
and her husband: Mary II and Wlliam III
(1689).
o They swore to respect the Bill of Rights.
 It limited the powers of the monarch.
 It submitted some of his decisions to
Parliament.
 The monarch could not impose taxes
without Parliament´s
consent.
• In this way, in England the
separation of the three powers
were imposed.
James II of England

40. Political system
Parliamentary monarchy

41. Revision

42. Political system
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENGLISH MODEL
OF PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY
• In the late 17th century, the English philosopher
Political
liberalism
Freedom
every person had rights
Equality before the law
(the opposite to the privileges)
The property
as criteria for social differentiation.
Only those who owned properties
contributed to the State. Consequently,
only these had the right to take part in the
political system (restricted suffrage)
John Locke:
o Criticised absolutism.
o Defended the principles and values of the English
model of parliamentary monarchy.
o He enunciated the doctrine of the political
liberalism:
John Locke, by Herman Verelst.
His reflections became the origin of the Enlightenment in France.

43. Political system
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENGLISH MODEL
OF PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY
- In the 18th century,
French philosophers
such as Montesquieu,
Voltaire and Rousseau
spread Locke´s political
ideas, which brought into
question the Ancient
Regime.
- Many of these ideas
formed the ideological
basis of the French
Revolution and the liberal
revolutions in Europe and
the rest of the world.

44. ACTIVITES
•Do the following activities:
oPage 43: 8, 10 and 12 (Politics)

45. ACTIVITES
•Do the following activities:
oPage 65: 18 and 19 (Trade)
oPage 43: 13 (Economy)
oPage 43: 15 (Society)
oPage 43: 8, 10 and 12 (Politics)

46. THE TRANSFORMATION
OF THE ANCIEN RÉGIME

47. The 18th century: the Early
Modern and Modern Ages

48. The 18th century: the Early
Modern and Modern Ages
Read the text and look for the answers
to the following questions:
Voltaire
1.- What is the importance of the 18th century?
2.- What happened during this period?
3.- What was one of the main developments in the 18th century?
4.- What did the supporters of the Enlightenment want?
5.- What was the consequence of the ideas of the Enlightenment?

49. The 18th century: the Early
Modern and Modern Ages
• Transformation of the basic structures of the Ancien Régime:

50. The Enlightenment:
a change in thinking.

51. The Enlightenment
Read the text and answer the following questions:
1. What was Enlightenment?
2. What was Enlightenment thinkers´ opinion about the Ancien
Régime?
3. What did Enlightenment thinkers want?
4. Name the main principles of Enlightenment thought.
5. What did Enlightenment thinkers say about reason?
6. What did Enlightenment thinkers say about learning and
thinking?
7. What did Enlightenment thinkers say about equality and
liberty?
8. How were enlighted ideas spread?
9. Where did Enlightenment thinkers organised meetings?
10. Describe the picture on page 53.
11. What did the intellectuals D´Alembert and Diderot do?
12. What was the importance of the Encyclopaedia?
Voltaire

52. Enlightenment
Principles of Enlightenment
Reason
versus
tradition
or
superstition
Learning
and
teaching
Educate
and
«enlighten»
society.
Natural
rights of
the
human
being:
power
can´t
eliminate
individual
freedom
and
property.
Tolerance
to coexist
in society.
Social
equality:
- Oposition to
the estates of
the realm.
- Every
person could
progress in
society
thanks to
his/her
abilities, in
stead of the
economic
privilegies of
noble
families.
Equality
and
liberty
under
the law:
All people
should
enjoy the
same
legal
rights and
freedoms.

53. Enlightenment
• The salon of Madame Geoffrin in Paris gathered wise men, politicians,
soldiers, nobles, philosophers and aristhocrats.

54. Enlightenment
• The Encyclopaedia
o It summarised knowledge from
many areas of study, including
science, philosophy, art and grammar.

55. Enlightenment criticisms
and proposals.
Montesquieu
He argued for the
separation of
powers.
The three branches of
power should be
separated from one
another (not in the
same person or
institution).
Voltaire
He supported the
existence of
parliaments.
Rousseau
He introduced the
idea of popular
sovereignty.
Citizens establish a treaty with the
State in the Constitution:
- Citizens allow the State to govern
in their name.
- The power is not the monarch´s
but the citizens´.
- The king is just a representative
of the nation.

56. Enlightenment criticisms
and proposals.
• Phsiocracy versus Mercantilism
• Phisiocrats argued that agriculture was the
true source of wealth of a country.
o Industry just transformed the agricultural
products.
o Trade just exchanged them.
• They proposed to eliminate the lands of the
Church and the Nobility which weren´t
exploded.
The phisiocrat Quesnay
Some ministers such as Turgot in France and
Jovellanos in Spain tried to carry out this policies but
they didn´t succed because of the oposition of the
privileged people.
A nation should reach the
full agricultural production
to be rich.

57. Enlightenment criticisms
and proposals.
• Enlightenment thinkers criticised the social inequalities of the estates
system:
o No group should have special privileges under the law.

58. The Enlightenment
in Spain
• Spanish Enlightenment thinkers
We wanted to use Enlightenment
ideas to improve economic, social
and cultural conditions in Spain.
Spain had
declined during
the reigns of the
Lesser
Hapsburgs.
Jovellanos The count of Floridablanca

59. The Enlightenment
in Spain
• To communicate Enlightenment ideas:
Jovellanos
The Count of Floridablanca
We established schools, academies
and special associations known as
sociedades económicas de
amigos del país in Madrid.
We published
scientific and
literary papers.
Ruta por el
Madrid de los
Borbones
Imágenes del
Madrid de los
Borbones.

60. Enlightenment politics in
Europe, America and Spain

61. ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM
•Who is a despot?

62. ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM
Definition
It was a new form of government that developed
in some European countries in the 18th century.
Objective
To modernise the country To improve quality of life
by combining:
Absolute monarchy Enlightened ideas
Charles III of Spain
They are despots (absolute monarchs) who use the
enlightened ideas to improve society but imposing
their laws to the people without asking.

63. ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM
Characteristics
How did absolute monarchs introduced the Enlightenment
to their politics?
Centralised governements
To consolidate their power
Enlightened thinkers as ministers
To promote reform
Making changes pacefully, through
education and law
To avoid challegnes to their power
This system didn´t succeed as a form of government because it
maintained the privileges of the estates system.

64. Which monarchs in Europe
were Enlightened despots?
Carlos III Catherine the Great of
Russia
Joseph II of Austria Frederick II of Prusia
These monarchs implemented
various enlightened reforms,
such as:
Unification of the legal system.
Modernisation of the army.
Promotion of agriculture, industry,
education and culture.

65. Enlightened despotism
• Famous sentences that summarize the Enlightened despotism:
Everything for
the people,
nothing by the
people.
Argue as much as you
will and about
whatever you will,
but obey!
Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Frederick II of Prusia

66. Europe in the 18th century

68. 18th-century society
• What changes did the Enlightment
introduce in the estates of the realm?
oNobility and clergy?
oWealthy middle class, or bourgeoisie?
oPeasants?

69. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

70. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• What is the importance of the American Revolution?
o It was the first revolution inspired in Enlightenment ideology of
equality and liberty.
o It was a model for the French Revolution and the independent
movements of the rest of America.
o It established the first liberal political system.
o The first Constitution of the world was written in 1787.

71. THE THIRTEEN COLONIES
OF AMERICA
1.When did the first settlers
arrive to the colonies in
North America?
2.What was the name of the
first British colony?
3.When and when was
Jamestown established?
4.Why did Virginia became
rich?
5.How many colonies were
there? Name them.
6.Where did «Pilgrims» come
from?
7.Were these colonies free?
Why?
8.Wat were their most
important products?

72. THE THIRTEEN COLONIES
OF AMERICA
Problems between
the colonists and the British government
Political cause
The colonists paid taxes to
Great Britain, but they had
no representation in the
British government.
Socio-economic cause
The colonists could not do
business with other
countries, and therefore
could not make a good
profit.
• CAUSES OF THE CONFLICT

73. THE THIRTEEN COLONIES
OF AMERICA
• The slogan of the colonists
• They wanted to become independent with their own
government.

74. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• A conflict with taxes
Explain why the colonists were very angry

75. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• The Boston Tea Party
Explain what happened in Boston on 16 December 1773

76. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• What happened in April 1775?
Explain who the patriots were
You can
watch this
film.

77. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Thomas Jefferson
wrote the Bill of Rights
of Virginia in 1776.
What happened in this picture?
When did it happen?

78. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• What happened in the battle of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781?
Who is the man riding a horse?

79. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Who is this man?
1.-
2.-
3.-

80. THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION
THE USA
CONSTITUTION
1787
A Federal
republic
Popular
sovereignty
Separation
of powers
Legal
equality of
ALL citizens
Limited
suffrage to
men

81. THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION

82. CHANGES IN SPAIN

83. A CHANGE OF DINASTY
The
Catholic
Monarchs
Charles I Philip II
Philip III Philip IV Charles II
Who will
inherit the
Spanish
throne?

84. A CHANGE OF DINASTY
CHARLES II
• He was the last Spanish king of the Hapsburg line.
• He had no children, so he designated the Bourbon Philip of Anjou as
his heir.
Charles II (Hapsburg) Philip of Anjou (Bourbon)

85. A CHANGE OF DINASTY
• When Charles II died in 1700, there was a dispute for the throne in Europe.
• The archduke Charles of Austria didn´t accept a Bourbon in the throne of
Spain, and he demanded his rights to the throne.
Archduke Charles of
Austria (Hapsburg)

86. THE WAR OF THE SPANISH
SUCCESSION (1701-1714)

87. THE WAR OF THE SPANISH
SUCCESSION (1701-1714)
• END OF THE WAR => THE TREATY OF UTRECHT (1714)
TREATY
OF
UTRECHT
Philip of Anjou became King
of Spain as Philip V
Spain lost some of its
territories and it was not a
great european power any
more.

88. THE WAR OF THE SPANISH
SUCCESSION (1701-1714)
• END OF THE WAR => THE TREATY OF UTRECHT (1714)
Philiip of Anjou of the Bourbon
dinasty became the king of Spain
as Philip V, the first monarch of the
Bourbon dynasty.

89. THE WAR OF THE SPANISH
SUCCESSION (1701-1714)
• END OF THE WAR => THE TREATY OF UTRECHT (1714)
The end of
the European
imperial
policy for
Spain.

90. CENTRALISATION
UNDER THE BOURBONS
• Philip V reformed the political structure of Spain.
• He was inspired by French centralised government.
• He took mesures to establish administrative uniformity
in their territories:
Central
government
Regional
government
Local government

91. CENTRALISATION
UNDER THE BOURBONS
• DECRETOS DE NUEVA PLANTA
o Castilla´s laws were imposed.
o The various cortes were consolidated into one for the whole kingdom.
Spain was divided
into provinces
governed by an
intendant.

92. ECONOMIC REFORMS
IN SPAIN
• The Spanish economy experienced enormous growth in the 18th century
as a result of reforms introduced by Felipe V and Carlos III.
Reforms
Agriculture Industry Trade Society

93. ECONOMIC REFORMS
IN SPAIN
REFORMS IN AGRICULTURE
• Canals were built to facilitate irrigation and to improve transports
through navigation.
Canal of Castilla (Vídeo)

94. ECONOMIC REFORMS
IN SPAIN
REFORMS IN AGRICULTURE
• Uninhabited areas were colonised, like the Sierra Morena. (link)

95. ECONOMIC REFORMS
IN SPAIN
REFORMS IN INDUSTRY
Royal manufactures
produced various
luxury goods.
These products
adorned royal palaces
and were also bought
by the nobility and the
bourgeoise.
Royal manufacture of crystal
objects. La Granja. Segovia.

96. SOCIAL REFORMS
IN SPAIN
• Carlos III eliminated the legal dishonour of labour.
 Members of nobility could now work for a living.
• The Esquilache Riots (El motín de Esquilache)

97. SOCIAL REFORMS
IN SPAIN
• Carlos III expelled the Jesuists from Spain in 1767.
The Jesuists were a Catholic Order which had a lot of power over
education in Spain.

98. ART DURING THE
ENLIGHTENMENT

99. NEW STYLES
TWO NEW
ARTISTIC STYLES
DURING THE
18th CENTURY
ROCOCO
NEOCLASSICISM

100. ROCOCO
• What is Rococo style?
The Rococo was a popular
artistic style between the
1730s and 1760s. It reflected
the aesthetic tastes of
nobility, who wanted homes
and decorations that
represented the joy of life.
The swing, by Fragonard

101. ROCOCO
ARQUITECTURE
• Rococo interiors (inside the
building)
• Irregular forms
• Curves
• A lot of decoration in ceilings
and walls inside the palaces.
• A lot of furniture, courtains
and other luxury objects.
• Seashells and floral elements.
• What is it? It is a room of the Hôtel de Soubise
in Paris.
• Who did it? Germain Boffrand
• Which is its approximate date? 1735-1740
• How is it? There is a lot of decoration in
ceilings and walls. Arquitecture and furniture
show irregular forms and a lot of curves. There
are some luxury objects on some furniture.
• What information from the past does it give us?
It reflects the aesthetic tastes of the nobility,
who wanted homes and decorations that
represented the joys of life. The nobility tried to
resist changes that would reduce their
dominance due to the ideas of Enlightenment.
• What was it used for? (function) The Hôtel de
Soubise was a palace built for the Prince and
Princess de Soubise in Paris.

102. ROCOCO IN SPAIN
• What is it? It is the Gasparini Salon in the
Royal Palace in Madrid.
• Who did it? Gasparini
• Which is its approximate date? 1735-1740
• How is it? There is a lot of decoration in
ceilings and walls. Arquitecture and
furniture show irregular forms and a lot of
curves. There are a lot of luxury objects on
some furniture.
• What information from the past does it
give us? It reflects the aesthetic tastes of
the nobility, who wanted homes and
decorations that represented the joys of
life. The nobility tried to resist changes
that would reduce their dominance due to
the ideas of Enlightenment.
• What was it used for? (function) Charles III
used this room for both receiving guests
and as a dressing room.

103. ROCOCO
SCULPTURE
• They were often small and
represented joyful and
mythological themes.
• What is it? It is Bouchardon´s Cupid.
• Who did it? Bouchardon
• Which is its approximately date? 1750
• How is it? It is sculpted in marble and depicts a
mythological theme: Cupid, the Roman god of love.
• What information from the past does it give us? It
reflects the aesthetic tastes of the nobility, who
wanted decorations that represented the joys of life.
The nobility tried to resist changes that would
reduce their dominance due to the ideas of
Enlightenment.
• What was it used for? (function) To decorate the
nobility´s palaces with the representation of the joys
of life.

104. ROCOCO
PAINTING
• They used pastel colours.
• They represented mythological
themes, rural festivals and domestic
scenes.
• What is it? It is «Rinaldo and Armida»
• Who did it? François Boucher
• Which is its approximate date? 1734
• How is it? It uses pastel colours and
represents a scene of a poem by an Italian
poet, about the Christian Rinaldo being
bewitched by the magician Armida.
• What information from the past does it give us?
It reflects the aesthetic tastes of the nobility,
who wanted decorations that represented the
joys of life. The nobility tried to resist changes
that would reduce their dominance due to the
ideas of Enlightenment.
• What was it used for? (function) To decorate the
nobility´s palaces with the representation of the
joys of life.

105. NEOCLASSICISM
• What is Neoclassicism?
• It was an artistic style that
was popular in Europe
between the 1760s abd
1830s.
• It imitated classical art and
reflected the aesthetic tastes
of Enlightenment thinkers and
the middle class.
• They rejected the leisurely
lifestyle of the nobility and
Rococo´s excessive
decoration.
• It reflected ideas of order and
moral correctness.
Puerta de Alcalá, by Sabatini

106. NEOCLASSICISM
ARQUITECTURE
• Buildings were well-proportioned
• They used classical elements:
o Rounded arches
o Columns
o Domes
• Straight lines were used.
• They built balanced, simetrical and
solid buildings.
• What is it? It is the Pantheon in Paris.
• Who did it? Soufflot.
• Which is its approximately date?
• How is it? It is a building made of stone. It
uses classical features, such as classical
columns, corinthian capitals, pediments
decorated with scuptures and a dome. Lines
are straight and show a well-proportioned
building.
• What information from the past does it give us?
It reflects the aesthetic tastes of the
Enlighenment thinkers and the middle class. It
reflects the ideas of order and moral
correctness.
• What was it used for? (function) First, it was
thought to be a church. During the French
Revolution, it became the mausoleum of great
Frenchmen.

107. NEOCLASSICISM
IN SPAIN
• What is it? The former Gabinete
de Ciencias Naturales, which is
now the Prado Museum in Madrid.
• Who did it? Villanueva.
• Which is its approximately date?
1786
• How is it? It is a building made of
stone. It uses classical features,
such as classical columns, doric
capitals, pediments decorated
with scuptures and a dome. Lines
are straight and show a well-proportioned
building.
• What information from the past
does it give us? It reflects the
aesthetic tastes of the
Enlighenment thinkers. It reflects
the ideas of order and moral
correctness.
• What was it used for? (function) It was built for
the Gabinete de Ciencias Naturales in Spain.

108. NEOCLASSICISM
SCULPTURE
• They were made of marble
• They represented mythological
themes or famous people.
• What is it? It is «Eros and Psique»
• Who did it? Canovas
• Which is its approximately date? 1793
• How is it? It is made of marble. It represents
the mythological scene of Eros and Psique.
• What information from the past does it give
us? It reflects the aesthetic tastes of the
Enlighenment thinkers and the middle class. It
reflects the ideas of order and moral
correctness.
• What was it used for? (function) It was a new
interpretation of the classical sculpture.

109. NEOCLASSICISM
IN SPAIN
• What is it? The Cibeles Fountain,
in the Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid.
• Who did it? Ventura Rodríguez.
• Which is its approximately date?
1782
• How is it? It is sculpted in marble
and depicts a mythological theme:
a chariot pulled by lions driven by
Ceres, the Roman goddess of
fertility.
• What information from the past
does it give us? It reflects the
aesthetic tastes of the
Enlighenment thinkers. It reflects
the ideas of order and moral
correctness. • What was it used for? (function) It was a new
interpretation of the classical sculpture. It was
used to beautify that square of Madrid, following
the orders of Carlos III, who wanted to remodel
the city.

110. NEOCLASSICISM
PAINTING
• People are painted like statues.
• The themes were frequently
mythological or historical, with
idealised images of famous people.
• What is it? It is «El juramento de los
Horacios»
• Who did it? Jacques-Louis David
• Which is its approximately date? 1784
• How is it? Figures are painted as if they were
statues. It represents the Roman greeting.
• What information from the past does it give us?
It reflects the aesthetic tastes of the
Enlighenment thinkers and the middle class. It
reflects the ideas of order and moral
correctness.
• What was it used for? (function) It was a new
interpretation of the classical themes.

111. • Elaborated by Prof. Mª Isabel Aguña Aguerri
Social Science bilingual teacher