Classical Blog

The Classical era is preceded by the Baroque period. This period lasted from the 1750s up until the early 1800s. It was also known for many political changes that were made in the US and in Europe. For instance, the French Revolution was a significant event that occurred during the Classical period. The French Revolution was a period of political changes that were made in France which started in May 1789 up until November 1799 with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. Since the French Revolution has taken place during the Classical era, many artworks from this era have been influenced by the revolution. We will be looking at three different paintings from three different artists that had influences on the French Revolution. 

The first artwork that we will be looking at is the Oath of the Horatii. This painting was created by Jacques-Louis David in 1784. Although many studies on this painting were first conducted in Paris, it was actually painted in Rome. The painting depicts a scene from a Roman legend that takes place between two warring cities, Rome and Alba Longa, and stresses the importance of patriotism and masculine self-sacrifice. In the painting, you can see that three brothers are saluting toward the three swords that are held up by their father as the women behind him are grieving. This painting is one of the most well-known paintings that use the Neoclassical style. Neoclassicism is a style of art that drew inspiration from classical antiquity. 

This is a painting that has been influenced by Revolution. Coming to think about it, David's Oath of the Horatii was one of the most well-known artworks he has ever created. Although it was painted four years before the French Revolution started, it was widely interpreted as a patriotic call to arms, which is one of the reasons that explain why it has been exhibited once again after the Revolution started. 

I would most definitely like to have a copy of this painting. The aesthetics that were used in this painting really make the painting stand out a lot. The usage of light and dark colors makes the painting look like a real-life image. For example, David used darker colors for the shadows of the father and the three brothers. This is one of the reasons why I think this artwork looks so realistic. The painting would look really nice if it is on a bedroom wall or if it is displayed in a museum. Speaking of which, this painting is currently on display in the Louvre museum in Paris. 

Up next, here we have The Storming of the Bastille created by Jean-Pierre Houel in 1789. The painting was created in Paris. Surprisingly, this event has taken place in 1789 in Paris. This event took place during the French Revolution when revolutionaries invaded and took control of the Bastille, which was an armory, fortress, and political prison. At that time, the Bastille represented royal authority. However, the revolutionaries saw the royal authority as a symbol of the monarchy's abuse of power and decided to conduct an attack. The fall of the Bastille was the flashpoint of the French Revolution. Since the fall of the Bastille was the flashpoint of the French Revolution, it is safe to say that this painting had a huge influence on the revolution. 

It would be nice to own a copy of this painting. Although it does not look as realistic, I think that this painting looks nice in its own way. The use of light and colors that Houel has used really stands out. For example, the colors used for the smoke in the background really depict a storming invasion. I have to say that this painting would look nice if hung up on any wall. 

Finally, here we have the Reading of the Bulletin of the Grand Army which is painted by Louis-Leopold Boilly in 1807. This painting was created in France. The painting depicts a family's concern for a son absent on the German front during the Napoleonic Wars, as the boy's grandfather and father study a map. Boilly touched up on dark colors in the foreground of the painting, where there are children playing war games and pets squabbling, but the overriding impression is of the apprehensive concern of people caught up in the tide of events. The Napoleonic Wars have taken place starting around 1800 up until 1815. The wars were a continuation of the French Revolution (1789-1799). We can see that these conflicts represented over 20 years of uninterrupted war in Europe. Because of this, you can definitely say that this painting had a strong influence on the French Revolution. 

I have to say that it would be nice if I owned a copy of this painting. The light and dark colors that were used for the painting really stand out to make it stand out a lot. Boilly did a great job using the colors to his advantage to make the painting look realistic. Similar to the last painting, this painting would look great if it were to be hung up on any wall. 

All three of these paintings have shown us some great accomplishments that were made during the Classical era and during political conflicts. I believe that these paintings would be great subjects in history lessons about the French Revolution. 

Citations: 

“EMULATION AND REPETITION IN 19TH CENTURY ART.” UMCA. Accessed March 19, 2023. https://www.umass.edu/umca/online_exhibitions/2012_05_01_emulation/katelyn_todaro/todaro2.html#:~:text=UMCA&text=David's%20Oath%20of%20the%20Horatii,feuding%20cities%2C%20Rome%20and%20Alba.

“Storming of the Bastille.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed March 19, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/event/storming-of-the-Bastille.