Classical Exhibit.

 During 18th and early 19th century, two styles of art became greatly popular in Europe and the United States. These styles became known as Rococo and Neo-Classical, rococo tended to focus on people at play or relaxing using soft, pastel colors and people depicted typically in elegant clothing. Rococo tended to reflect the tastes and interests of the nobility of the era, often with an emphasis on pleasure and the joys of life. Contrasted by Neo-Classical, which tended to reflect more mature and somber subject matters with topics such as morals, virtue, idealism, with great inspiration from classical things such as the Romans or Greeks of the ancient world. 

Napoleon Crossing the Alps - Jacques Louis David

     Napoleon on his horse standing on top of the Alps has been an image ingrained in my head for the longest time, definitely one of the most famous paintings of its time at the height of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, something that is intrinsic to what people assume as Napoleon. Louis David had become enamored by the French revolution, his works becoming greatly associated with the time period.

 During this time David would come to idolize Napoleon Bonaparte as a hero, the image as a whole embodies the idealization of heroism the era held, strongly implying the strength that he held and his seemingly inability to be stopped, using strong line work and stark colors to emphasize the scene. It also brings in the influences of classical figures, in the foreground are a series of tablets with names engraved upon them such as "Hannibal" of the Punic wars who had also crossed the alps in a daring move to invade Italy during Carthage's wars with Rome, the pose that Napoleon himself is holding on his horse is also reminiscent of artwork of Alexander the Great on his horse, Bucephalus. This strongly compares Napoleon to Alexander, indeed Napoleon considered Alexander to be a personal hero. 

The Love Letter - Francois Boucher

The Love Letter has all the hallmarks associated with Rococo artworks; the use of soft, pastel colors, people taking in the joys of life, the idea of 'fetes galantes' of people in elegant attire in a park or a nature setting in a state of play or relaxation, shepherds and shepherdesses with their animals, and the 'rose petals floating in milk' aesthetic that came to define Boucher's work. A strong use of a fleshy, lifelike appearance became a main feature of the rococo era, something that the neo-classical would shy away from in favor of the stronger line work and starker colors. Francois would become one of the defining artists of the rococo style of artwork through out Europe, even becoming the go-to artist for the Madame De Pompadour (Louis XV's mistress). The Love Letter reflects the ideals and tastes of the nobility, the draw to the elegance and beauty that they claimed to have which put them above your average person of the era, how they could see what made things beautiful before anyone else.

Benjamin Franklin drawing Electricity from the Sky - Benjamin West

Benjamin West was among the first American artists to rise to popularity internationally and be recognized for is work by his European peers, gaining his distinction from painting less works influence by old Roman or Greek works instead taking inspiration from more recent historical events and religious works becoming among the first historical artists. Here he depicts Benjamin Franklin during his famous experiment in harnessing lightning using a kite with a key attached to act as a lightning rod, an image engraved firmly in American culture and among some of Franklin's most widely known accomplishments. 

It hits the many hallmarks of Neo-classical artwork with the heavy use of darker colors with less use of lighter colors but those being used to give the idea of illumination, with strong line work. Franklin is depicted in a very heroic way common of many paintings of this type, he is shown in a way of the idea of Prometheus taking fire for the use of humans. Behind and beside him are what I assume to be cherubim, lesser angels typically depicted like children, who advise and work on earth on behalf of God which ties in the common feature of West's work of having religious imagery alongside the aspects of Prometheus that West is trying to portray Franklin as. This is similar to many paintings of the Founding Fathers of America were depicted as, Washington in particular was venerated with much work showing him to be an almost deity-like. 

 

 

Bibliography;

“Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky’ by Benjamin West, circa 1816.” benjamin franklin drawing electricity from the Sky" by Benjamin West, circa 1816. Accessed October 21, 2021. http://oldemc.english.ucsb.edu/imprint/warner/protocols/protocols_of_liberty_chapter_3_franklin_electricity.html.

Irwin, David. “Neoclassical Art.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed October 21, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/art/Neoclassicism.

The National Gallery, London. “Glossary.” The National Gallery. Accessed October 21, 2021. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/glossary/f%c3%aates-galantes.

Pioch, Nicolas. “West, Benjamin.” WebMuseum: West, Benjamin, October 14, 2002. https://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/west/.

Pollitt, Ben, and Ben Pollitt. “Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the Alps.” Smarthistory, January 7, 2016. https://smarthistory.org/jacques-louis-david-napoleon-crossing-the-alps/.

Rand, Richard. “The Love Letter.” Art Object Page, January 1, 2009. https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.46027.html.

Stein, Perrin. “François Boucher (1703–1770).” Metmuseum.org, October 2003. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bouc/hd_bouc.htm.

“‘Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky’ by Benjamin West.” Joy of Museums Virtual Tours, October 4, 2020. https://joyofmuseums.com/museums/united-states-of-america/philadelphia-museums/benjamin-franklin-drawing-electricity-from-the-sky-by-benjamin-west/.