The Classical Era - A Shift in Moral Beliefs

The Classical Era was a time of intense movements that would transform the outcome of the future and the moral beliefs of those living through it. A handful of revolutions, a growing focus on politics, and a newfound sovereign nation were on everyone's minds in the 18th century. These events were altering the historical timeline, at the same time, the art birthed from this period experienced dramatic changes in meaning as these events led to aspirations of morality in the 18th century. 

We start early in the 18th century in 1715-1718 in France. Artists hoped to depict a certain theme in their work: love. The rococo-style painting was highly produced in the early 1700s and as late as 1775, the work heavily romanticized the French aristocracy and had no intention of reflecting the conflicts occurring throughout Europe. In Jean-Antoine Watteau's, The Scale of Love, the elements of color, in which he uses hues of pinks, browns, and reds, offer a sense of ease and a focal point on the relationship of the subjects in the piece. Utilizing fête galante, Watteau dresses the subjects in elegant clothing, as they appear to be surrounded by nature, focused solely on each other. The subtle brushstrokes further allow the audience to peer at the relationship with a sense of ease, knowing that it offers an escape from the real-life conflicts occurring around them. 

The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) had just come to an end and Louis XlV, the King of France from 1643-1715, had just passed away, leaving the entire country deep in debt. Many smaller conflicts were occurring during the production of this artwork; however, there is no symbolism within the piece highlighting these events. Rather, Watteau strived to focus on a theme many dreamed to experience during a period of excruciating quarrels. 

The Scale of Love, (1715-1718).

It is as if Watteau offers a Utopian world for the audience to just be carried away from their current living situations into a world focused on peace and romanticizing the ideas of reverie. The Rococo style of painting was just that: an outlet for real life. 

Rococo Style paintings continued to be the primary form of art for many decades and throughout many more conflicts. Countries in Europe continued to fight for their beliefs with Poland and Austria both being wrapped into wars of succession. Regardless, painters continue to conceal these historical events and proceed with accentuating a lack of political concepts.

In 1738, the ruins of Herculaneum were discovered as a slow, gradual process of unburying these ruins occurred. Not long after, in 1748, the ruins of Pompeii were rediscovered as well. The people of the Era were unaware of the influence this would have not only on art, but their own ethical beliefs.

Jumping to the year 1767, Jean-Honoré Fragonard of France continued to execute the Rococo, as such in his work, The Swing. The piece is over-the-top in romance: a statue of Cupid (the ancient roman God of Love) looks over the playful scene of a high-status woman perched on a swing gliding through the air. The tones of her dress are vivid in pastel pinks and touches of light blue. Her dress flows asymmetrically as her shoe soars through the sky, inevitably getting lost in the flourishing nature below. She is simply enjoying herself, not a care in the world of what may be occurring around her. Just underneath her lies a man reaching towards her, hoping for more. He peers into the opening of her dress, a mischievous look sprawled across his face. Amongst the shadows of the background, a man seems to desperately be pulling her away from the paramour with love in his eyes, but she does not care. She continues her swinging,

The commissioner of the piece, Baron Louis-Guillaume Baillet de Saint-Julien, was simple in his desires for the painting: he wanted his mistress to be portrayed as the focal point, as he is painted below looking up her skirt. There is no moral attachment, no politics, rather, just a sensual display of his love for his mistress. 

The Swing, 1767.

Going into the 1770s, many began to patronize the Rococo style of painting. It seemed to illustrate a naive way of life amongst the real-life events of the 18th century. The art was merely used for pleasure and enjoyment and took importance over the morals it represented. It was put on many's radars that there was a lack of historical, grand paintings. This artistic style led many that would view the art to focus on an unrealistic lifestyle, and suddenly, the rediscovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii in 1738 and 1748 respectively lead to an influential shift in the goal of art, removing the Rococo Style as the prime, allowing for a newfound sense of morality. 

The Neoclassical Style came in full swing in 1776, essentially opposing the Rococo style in every way. The brushstrokes were sharp, the characteristics somber, as heroism became a prominent theme. There was an inspiration of creating a rational world within the work as society desired to make decisions using intelligence and cold, hard facts, instead of emotions. As the unburial of Pompeii continued, a culture of responsibility and duty over selfish desires came to light for the first time since it was hidden away by volcanic ash in 79 AD. Artists quickly realized that this was to be their new subject matter if they wanted to be successful, as Rococo work was continuously denied. Neoclassical artists desired to return to the times when art served the nation just as it had for the ancient Greeks and Romans.

There was a new sense of symbolism in Neoclassicism: Patriotic self-sacrifice and moral virtue outlining the meaning behind art. The work of this style was blunt in composition, utilizing sharp horizontal and vertical lines to create a timeless subject matter, rather than temporal. The work was direct and to the point. Jacques-Louis David and his work, The Oath of the Horatii, painted in 1784 in France, displays a scene deeply contrasting the Rococo work above. When looking at the piece, there is a sense of meaning and strength embodied within it. 

The Oath of the Horatii, 1784.

The scene of the work is that of the rival cities of Rome and Alba Longa in 669 BCE bound to go to war. Rather than have their respective armies in battle, the rulers of the cities would choose three representatives from each to combat. The picture depicts the three brothers from the Horatii family of Rome, saluting their father, moments before they take off the defend their republic. The attire is simplistic to that of the Rococo, reflecting pieces of cloth effortlessly cascading their figures. The values of the painting are bold: the subjects are heavily highlighted against the darkened columns in the background. 

The picture directly promotes the moral values of patriotism and masculine self-sacrifice for one's country that were chased during this era. There is action and realism, making this piece highly valuable during the shift of morality. No longer was it about the what-ifs of a Utopian dreamland. It was about the realistic endeavors and the events of the moment, making heroic choices, and doing what is right for the people of the nation. Ultimately, this shift leads to a morally involved mindset for the people of the Classical Era and generations to come.

Works Cited

Jones, Muffet. “The Rococo and Neoclassicism.” Introduction To Art, Boise State University, https://boisestate.pressbooks.pub/arthistory/chapter/rococo-and-neoclassicism/#:~:text=Rococo%20style%20is%20characterized%20by,myths%2C%20youth%2C%20and%20playfulness.

“Watteau Paintings, Bio, Ideas.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/watteau-jean-antoine/.

Cohen, Alina. “Why Fragonard's ‘The Swing’ Is a Masterpiece of Rococo Art.” Artsy, 9 Sept. 2019, https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-undressing-erotic-symbolism-the-swing-fragonards-decadent-masterpiece.

Rand, Richard. “The Swing.” Art Object Page, 1 Jan. 2009, https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.46116.html.

Gersh-Nesic, Beth. “Neoclassicism, an Introduction (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/rococo-neoclassicism/neo-classicism/a/neoclassicism-an-introduction.