Back to the Classics, a Study on 18th Century Art

The Declaration of Love, Jean-François de Troy (1731)

18th Century Rococo Artwork

The art of the 18th century was almost entirely different from earlier eras. In fact, during the “Long Century,” there was a nearly overnight shift in art. Rococo art dominated the scene for about the first half of the 1700s. Artists of the era imbued lustful ideals of aristocratic life, freedom to enjoy pastimes, and luxurious wardrobes and fashions into their art. Take, for instance, Jean-François de Troy’s The Declaration of Love. This piece is just one example of the intricacies of Rococo art. The pastel pink, flower print dresses and soft backgrounds are just some of the defining features of the Rococo era. Look at how ornate and flowing the women’s dresses are and how elaborate the men’s clothing is. This beautiful piece is precisely what the title describes it as: a declaration of love. The soft colors and gentle shadows illuminate and idealize the simple pleasures of everyday life. This piece is also a prime example of a Fête Galante, a type of painting invented and popularized by Antoine Watteau that depicts elegantly dressed patrons in playful settings. It was one of the leading genres of painting during the Rococo era, and it is easily recognizable as a Rococo-style piece.

Birth of Venus, Nicolas Poussin (1635)

Triumph of Venus, François Boucher (1740)

A more easily recognizable piece from the Rococo era would be François Boucher’s Triumph of Venus. In an almost entirely different tone, Boucher’s piece depicts a different side of Rococo painting. Instead of a typical Fête Galante style painting, it takes on more mythological tones while still retaining the usual traits of Rococo pieces, like soft curves and pastel colors. The soft pastels, mythos, and subconscious eroticism of the piece are the defining characteristics that make it a Rococo painting. The pastel pink and white sash in the air above Venus and the cherubs and nymphs are almost obviously inspired by the French baroque painter Nicolas Poussin’s Birth of Venus from 1635. While Boucher’s depiction of the myth was created nearly 100 years after Poussin’s, his interest in Baroque paintings and his renewed focus on mythological stories created an almost clear line to this creation.

The Switch to Neoclassicism

The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker's Hill, John Trumbull

The second half of the 18th century saw an almost immediate switch to a darker, Greco-Roman stylized art world. While some paintings in this era focused on Greek and Roman mythology, others focused on current events. One of these is The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill by American painter John Trumbull. This painting is inspired by Greek and Roman paintings, as seen in how the figures are posed. Still, the darker, almost chiaroscuro tones set this drastically apart from the earlier Rococo-style paintings. The soft backgrounds and the intricacies of the subjects’ clothing show that Neoclassicism wasn’t so much of a complete change to Rococo but a subtle shift in ideals.

Cephalus and Aurora, John Flaxman (1789)

Neoclassicism was a shift in painting elements and sculpture techniques. Sculptures from this era took on more characteristics commonly seen in antiquity. John Flaxman's Cephalus and Aurora is a prime example. It's not as realistic as works from the Renaissance and Baroque eras; it's soft and idyllic, similar to ancient Greek and Roman statues. For recent comparison, neoclassical statues resembled statues carved during the Renaissance era. They were more serene rather than the intensity seen in Baroque sculptures. They were more calm and linear rather than energetic and horizontal.

Works Cited

“Cephalus and Aurora.” National Museums Liverpool, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/cephalus-and-aurora. Accessed 7 July 2024.

Seiferle, Rebecca. “Neoclassicism Movement Overview.” Edited by Kimberly Nichols, The Art Story, 9 Nov. 2018, www.theartstory.org/movement/neoclassicism/.

Seiferle, Rebecca. “Rococo Movement Overview.” Edited by Kimberly Nichols, The Art Story, 25 Oct. 2018, www.theartstory.org/movement/rococo/.

“Understanding Rococo Art.” Artsper Magazine, 22 Nov. 2021, https://blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/understanding-rococo-art/. Accessed 7 July 2024.