arts of the neo-classical period

1.  The word neoclassic comes from the Greek
word neos meaning new and the Latin word
classicus which is similar in meaning to the
English phrase first class.
 Neo-classicism is the name given to the
western movements in the decorative and
visual arts. Also, it applies to literature,
theater, music, and architecture that draw
inspiration from the classical art and culture
of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

2.  It coincided with the 18th century
Age of Reason also known as Age
of Enlightenment. The art style
was brought about by the renewed
interest for Greek and Roman
Classics.
 Neo-Classical art pieces such as
paintings, sculpture, and
architecture generally portrayed
Roman history which elevated the
Roman heroes.

3.  Rebirth of Roman History
 Formal composition
 The use of diagonals show the apex of
emotion/moment (versus a regular
moment)
 Local color
 Overall lighting
 Classic geo-structure

4.  JACQUES-LOUIS
DAVID (1748-1825)
France
 Influential French
painter in the
Neoclassical style,
and considered to
be the pre-eminent
painter of the era.
 His subjects are
more on history.

5.  THE DEATH OF
MARAT
 David’s masterpiece
shows the portrayal of
a revolutionary martyr.
This is a painting of the
murdered French
revolutionary leader
Jean-Paul Marat.

6.  NAPOLEON
CROSSING THE
ALPS
 The painting that
showed a strongly
idealized view of the
real crossing that
Napoleon and his
army made across
the Alps through the
Great St. Bernard
Pass in May 1800.

7.  OATH OF HORATII
 It was a large painting
that depicts a scene
from the Roman
legend about the
dispute between
Rome and Alba
Longa. The three
brothers, all of whom
appear willing to
sacrifice their lives for
the good of Rome,
are shown saluting
their father who holds
their swords out for
them.

8.  JEAN-AUGUSTE-
DOMINIQUE INGRES
(1780-1867) France
 Ingres was a pupil of Jacques-
Louis David.
 He was influenced by Italian
Renaissance painters like
Raphael, Nicolas Pousin,
Botticelli, and his mentor,
Jacques-Louis David
 His paintings were usually
nudes, portraits, and
mythological themes.
 He was regarded as one of the
great exemplars of academic
art and one of the finest Old
Masters of his era.

9.  PORTRAIT OF
NAPOLEON ON THE
IMPERIAL THRONE
 The painting depicts
Napoleon in his decadent
coronation costume, seated
on his golden-encrusted
throne, hand resting upon
smooth ivory balls. During
his reign, the painting was
owned by the Corps
Legislatif which was a part
of the French Legislature.
The painting was believed
to be commissioned by
Napoleon as King of Italy.

10.  THE APOTHEOSIS
OF HOMER
 The painting was a
state-commission by
Charles X to have him
remembered in the
building works of the
Louvre. The painting
depicts an image of
Homer, receiving to
brilliant men of Rome,
Greece and
contemporary times.

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18.  ANTONIO CANOVA (1752-
1822) Italy
Canova was a prolific Italian
sculptor who became
famous for his marble
sculptures that delicately
rendered nude flesh. He
opened the idea for
portraying discrete sexual
pleasures by using pure
contours with his
mythological compositions.

19.  PSYCHE
AWAKENED BY
CUPID’S KISS
A marble sculpture
portraying the
relationship of
Psyche and
Cupid.

20.  WASHINGTON
This is a marble
sculpture of
George
Washington
currently
displayed at North
Carolina Museum
of History.

21.  BERTEL
THORVALDSEN
(1789-1838)
Denmark
Thorvaldsen was the
first
internationally
acclaimed Danish
artist. He executed
sculptures of
mythological
characters.

22.  CHRIST
A marble sculpture
image of
resurrected
Christ currently
located at the
Thorvaldsen
Museum.

23.  LION OF
LUCERNE
A sculpture of a
dying lion in
Lucerne,
Switzerland that
commemorates
the Swiss Guards
who were
massacred in 1792
during the French
Revolution.