Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism

The neoclassic movement began in the mid 1700s and was a reaction to the decorative style known as the Rococo movement. Unlike Rococo, neoclassic paintings consisted of clean lines and showed heroic Acient Greek and Roman figures which were often subjects to their paintings.

Themes of the paintings emphasized stoicism and heroism.

The paintings of this era had a noble simplicity. They were characterized by symmetry, clean lines and emphasis on the subjects faces to help tell the story.
There is emotion in these paintings however it is used with more control than in the Rococo era.

The paintings feature sharper colours than those found in the Baroque or Rococo period. Art of this era made plenty use of the chiaroscuro technique, which plays with contrast between light and dark colours and tones. This provides a sense of drama to the paintings and also helps bring to life the multidimensionality of the objects.

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Apotheosis of Homer.

This painting depicts a pageant of artists and philosophers including; Shakespeare, Mozart, Plato, Socrates and Moliere.
Homer is at the center of these historical figures and is receiving a crown of laurel leaves from a Roman Goddess called Nike.

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