Neoclassical art and theory in relation to antiquity


Neoclassicism arosed with the new and more scientific interest in classical antiquity in the 18th century. It was given great impetus by new archaeological discoveries; particularly the exploration and excavation of the buried Roman cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii began in 1738 and 1748 respectively. Theorists, like Winckelmann, Mengs and Reynolds, produced writings that were influential in encouraging an interest in Greek antiquities. The art from this period reflected the ideas as expressed by these theorists.

Winckelmann saw in Greek sculpture "a noble simplicity and calm grandeur" and called for artists to imitate Greek art. He claimed that in doing so such artists would obtain idealized depictions of natural forms and their images would then attain a universal significance. "For us," he declared, "the only way to become great is by imitation of the ancients".

An early important Neoclassical work, "Parnassus" (1761) by Mengs owes much of its inspiration to classical sculpture and to Raphael for both poses of its figures and its general composition. Meng's close association with Winckelmann led to his being influenced by the ideal beauty, that the latter so ardently expounded.

Winckelmann thought that good art could only be produce by a free society: the democratic models of Athens and Republican Rome were cited as example for the first yeasrs of French Revolution. The principal Neoclassical painter, David, drawing subject matter from ancient sources and basing form and gesture on Roman sculpture. In his famous "Oath of the Horatii" (1784), David pressed all of the figures into the same foreground plane, and offered no release into deep space beyond the starkly symmetrical colonnade. The painting is portrayed with pictorial treatment such as firm contours, bare cubic space, sober colours, frieze-like composition and clear lighting. It adopted the stirring moral subject matter from Roman history and celebrated the values of simplicity, austerity, heroism, and stoic virtue. This theme is carried on to "Lictor Bringing to Brutus the Bodies of his Sons" (1789), which displayed a stoic patriotism. The rhetorical quality of gesture and patterns of drapery are influenced by ancient sculpture. In David's work, the dramatic figures are starker and in clearer profile on the same plane, and the setting are more monumental; these are referenced to the wall painting, "House of the Vettii" (75AD) from Pompeii.

Classical work provided subject matter, stylistic features, and compositional elements for other areas of 18th and 19th century art such as portraiture, landscape, sculpture and architecture. David's "Madame Recamier" (1800) is remarkable for her psychological individuality and her look of solid flesh; it is modeled on "Sleeping Ariadne", to add universality quality of the ancient statue.

Other portraiture and landscape works also showed trace of the influence of antiquity. Portraiture from the Grand Tour painted by Batoni, such as "Lord Dundas" (1764) and "Thomas Coke" (1774), both works included in the background antique sculpture such as "Apollo Belvedere", "Laocoon", "Sleeping Ariadne" or the "River God". The patron in the portrait would pose in the "Apollo" manner, with one leg backward and on arm up, gesturing to the statues or ruins of ancient civilization. Landscape paintings, both topographical and imaginary, used subject matter from the antique. Panini's "The Colosseum, Rome" (1747) painted the massive monument of "Colosseum" (75-82AD), its placement of small people in the foreground is a device used to outstand the greatness of Colosseum's.

Sculpture in the 19th century constantly reference to the antiquity. The ideals of Neoclassical sculpture - its emphasis on clarity of contour, on the plain ground, on not rivaling painting either in the imitation of aerial or linear perspective in relief or of flying hair and flutter drapery in freestanding figures - were chiefly inspired by theory.

"An ideal," wrote Mengs, "depends upon selection of the most beautiful things in nature purified of every imperfection." Such theory is reflected in works, such as Canova's "Hercules and Lichas" (marble, 1795-1815) derived from a classical subject matter. It is characterized by Neoclassical features, with the clear profile view, flow of clear and strong lines and a smooth finish. The work depicted the moment before the violent drama takes place, as the rational state of mind is believed to be the ideal state, emotion is suppressed to the minimum. The "Venus" (marbel, 1812) by Canova, showed the nude figure with smooth and clear lines. It is dressed with classicizing drapery, rather that contemporary costume, to convey a sense of timeless quality. The whiteness of the sculpture symbolized for purity, as suggested by Winckelmann, this is a false belief in antiquity, as ancient sculpture is stained.

The concept of the modern hero in antique dress belongs to the tradition of academic theory, exemplified by Reynolds in his "Discourses": "The desire for transmitting to posterity the shape of modern dress must be acknowledged to be purchased at a prodigious price, even the price of everything that is valuable in art." Even the living hero could be idealized completely naked, as in "Napoleon as Marte Pacificatore" (bronze, 1806-09) by Canova. Also, in "Pauline Borghese as Venus Vincitrice" (margle, 1805-08), she is shown semi-naked and reclining sensuously in the pose of "Sleeping Ariadne": both a charming contemporary portrait and an idealized antique Venus.

John Flaxman, who was gripped by a passion for classicism, gained far more success when carving images of delicacy, bordering on charm, like "Monument to Agnes Cromwell" (1800). This again, expressed Winckelmann's "noble simplicity and calm grandeur".

Neoclassical artist draw sharp distinction between the 'copy' and the 'imitation' followed their idealistic conception of classical art. To Reynolds, the practice of imitation was, "a perpetual exercise of the mind, a continual invention". For example, "The State Capitol at Richmond", Virgina, By Thomas Jefferson, was inspired by the little Maison Carre at Nimes; but it was far from being a copy - even the order was changed from Corinthian to the more Chaste Ionic.





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