Analysis of Neoclassical Art and Its Historical Influence

This essay examines the Neoclassical art movement, which emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries as a reaction to the excesses of Baroque and Rococo. It focuses on the key characteristics of the movement, including its emphasis on elegance, symmetry, and a return to classical ideals inspired by Ancient Greece and Rome. The essay analyzes the contributions of two prominent artists: Jacques-Louis David, known for works like "Oath of the Horatii," and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, famous for portraits such as "Portrait of the Princesse de Broglie." It discusses the significance of these artists and their artworks within the context of art history, highlighting their influence on the development of Neoclassical style. The essay also explores the broader impact and legacy of the Neoclassical movement, its emphasis on restraint, simplicity, and its influence on subsequent artistic periods. The analysis considers the historical and cultural context that shaped Neoclassical art, including the French Revolution and the rise of interest in classical thought. The essay concludes by summarizing the lasting influence of Neoclassical principles on art and design.

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Introduction
Neoclassicism is the movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, which emerged in Europe
as a reaction to baroque and rococo excesses. The movement attempted to get back to the classic
elegance and glory of Ancient Greece as well as the Roman Empire. Neo-classical art remains
centred upon elegance and symmetry, which was influenced by German art historian Johann
Joachim Winckelmann who thought that art must be aimed at Greek art's ideal forms and
perfection (Strickland & Boswell, 2007). The Neoclassical Art is a serious, unemotional art that
brings the glory of ancient Greece and Rome back to its original form. Its rigidity was indeed a
response to the overwhelming Rococo and Baroque charges of emotion. In American and French
revolution, the emergence of Neoclassical Art was a general revival of an interest in classical
thought. The period of neoclassicism represented glory like Greece and grandness like Rome
from the time of 1780-1820 according to Edgar Allan Poe (Yan & Fei, 2018). This paper
analyses the movement for neoclassical art and its relevance and influence in the narratives of art
history.
Discussion
Neoclassical arts are extreme, courageous and devoid of emotion. The key characteristics
of neoclassicism art includes restraint and simplicity, realistic representations and near
congruence of simple form and noble meaning. In Western art, in particular in the sculptural arts,
decorative arts and other arts Neoclassical revolution was an important and widespread
movement. Neoclassical artists took an idealistic view of the drama. They represented the theme
of their painting with its harmony and elegance (Janson, Janson & Greenspun, 1991).
Neoclassicism art features provide a focus on Greek or Roman legend and on the history of
subjects, an emphasis on heroic man's nude, rather impressive lighting and a somewhat elegant

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style with rough edges and vibrant primary colours in painting and beautifully crafted in polished
sculpture marble.
Jacques-Louis David, one of the renowned artist of neo classicism era The later era of
Neoclassicism based on France emphasized the firm line and austere classical contexts
illuminated by artificial light, as well as simplified elements that conveyed moral power. Jacque-
Louis David's Oath of the Horatii (1784) shown in 1785 at the Paris Salon illustrates the new
course in painting of Neoclassical art and made him the movement leaders. The artist finished
the painting in Rome while he was in collaboration with Meng, and then visited the remains of
Herculaneum, another experience which he connected with the surgical removal of cataracts
(Boime, 1988). Towards understanding the contribution of the artists and his painting in the
chapters of art history, the research studies revealed that, while the painting was subsequently
associated with the French revolutionary movement later on, Oather of The Horatiis (1784)
appealed for the King Louis XVI whose government commissioned the painting, focusing
majorly over loyalty. “ Oath of the Harahi” by Jacques-Louis David illustrated and marked the
death of Rocco as well as the birth of the neoclassical art which contributed to the education and
the knowledge of the public. David highlighted the disparity between old and modern by
comparing the straight static outlines of men against women's fluid flexible forms (Johnson,
1993). The painting marked a new age of stoicism, just as the French revolution confronted
decadent royals.

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Picture - David, "Oath of the Horatii," 1784
After the death of Jacques-Louis David, Ingres became the representative of the French
Neoclassical art tradition. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, was cultural populism painter and
model in France in the 19th century. He was perhaps one of his century's best portraitists. Nice,
meticulous works from Ingres have been the antithesis in the Romantic school of contemporary
arts. His historic works display his lifelong fascination with lines and contour, while his
woman's nudities expose neoclassical sensuality (Ingres & Rosenblum, 1967). “Portrait of the
Princesse de Broglie” in the year 1851-1853, was one of his masterpiece towards the end of his
life. The neo-classical Franco artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres painted this masterpiece
near the end of his career while his prestige as a portrait painter was long established for
influential people and Orléans Aristocrats. Ingres catches the subject's modest vigilance, thus
highlighting the material consistency of her fine attributes through seamless brushwork. Rich
satin blue and lace ball gowns, gold stitched shawl, silk damask chair, including finely tooled
pearl, gold jewels and enamel are some of the attributes that has been illuminated in the painting
by the artists (Stein, 2017). Owing to constant brightness and concentration, the painting beams.
Everything was just as critical with details. There is no fixed identification in the colours. In
reality, colour used in the painting is energy emission and is like the epitome of the entire
painting: it constantly shakes, vibrates and shifts and yet stays one.

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Painting - Ingres, "Portrait of the Princesse de Broglie,"
1853
Conclusion
The Neoclassical style of paintings are defined by simple, precise forms, idealized beauty
and balanced composition. Neoclassic creations were extreme, un-emotional and courageous
(canvases and carvings). Neoclassical painters portrayed subjects through classical history and
literature, such as those of former Greek art and Roman Republican art, with dark colours and
often glamorous highlights to portray spiritual tales of self-denial and self-sacrifice in complete
accordance with the supposed ethical supremacy of antiquity. Neoclassical paintings are
characterized by the application of straight lines, a smooth colored surface covering the brush,
light, low colour use, and a clear and precise style definition. This essay analyses the movement
for neoclassical art and its relevance and influence in the narratives of art history in the light of

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the works and contribution of Jacques-Louis David and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres in the
history of neoclassicism arts.

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References
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art of caricature. Arts Magazine, 62(6), 72-81.
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Janson, H. W., Janson, A. F., & Greenspun, J. (1991). History of art.
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Princeton University Press.
Stein, P. (2017). Portrait of Mme Paul Meurice (née Palmyre Granger): A Newly Discovered
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Strickland, C., & Boswell, J. (2007). The annotated Mona Lisa: A crash course in art history
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