Art Styles: Classicism
Classicism (from Lat. Classicus – a model) – the artistic style of European art XVII-XIX centuries. One of the most important features of which was to appeal to the ancient art as the supreme model and reliance on the traditions of the High Renaissance. Art reflected the ideas of classical harmonic structure of society, but in many respects they lost the comparison with the culture of the Renaissance. Conflicts of personality and society, the ideal and reality, sense and reason demonstrate the complexity of classical art. Classical forms of artistic expression characteristic of strict organization, poise, clarity and harmonious manner.
Outstanding masterpieces of architecture, combining classical and baroque into a single grand style, was a palace and park ensemble in Versailles – the residence of French kings (the second half of XVII.).
In painting, the principal value of the acquired logical deployment of a plot, clear balanced composition, the exact amount of the transfer, with the subordinate role of light and shade of color, use of local color (N. Poussin, K. Lorraine). A clear delineation of the plans in a landscape also identified by color: the foreground necessarily had to be brown, medium – green, and distant – blue.
In the second half of XVIII century. Art appeals to the republican ideas of antiquity, to images of courageous fighters against tyranny (JL David). Sculpture Classical period differs smoothed, easy postures, even the movement does not violate the closed form (E Falcone, M Houdon). Late Classicism, also called Empire acquires the features of pomp and splendor, as expressed in architecture and applied arts of the first third of the XIX century (see the Empire). Russian classicism in the second half of XVIII – early XIX centuries. embodies a new, unprecedented in scope, national pathos and ideological fullness of the flourishing of culture and architectural ensembles of buildings V. Bazhenov, M. Casanova, J. Quarenghi, A. Zakharov, Rossi, A. Voronikhin sculptures M. Kozlovsky, Shchedrin , I. Martos, Pictures And Losenko, A Ivanov, and others since the end of XIX century for Russian art has become increasingly characteristic of soulless, contrived academic schematic, which are fighting the representatives of romanticism and realism, replacing classicism.
The style in European art, the essential feature of which was an appeal to the ancient art as a reference and reliance on the traditions of the High Renaissance. In art and architecture manifested the general aesthetic principles – the use of forms and designs of ancient art for the expression of modern social and aesthetic attitudes, attraction to the sublime themes and genres, for consistency and clarity of images, the proclamation of the ideal of harmonious human personality. Background of classicism evident in the second half of the 16 century, in the era of the late Renaissance in Italy in the works of the architect and theorist of A. Palladio, as a theoretical writings of the architect Vignola, S. Serlio, etc. All of these authors have attempted to bring the artistic heritage of antiquity and the High Renaissance in a single strict system. And approve the art set of norms and rules of ancient aesthetics.
As a coherent system composed of Classicism in the first half of the 17 th century in France. It is characterized by the proclamation of the ideas of civic duty, the subordination of personal interest to the public interest, the triumph of sound patterns. At this time, is widely used themes, images and motifs of ancient and Renaissance art. Classicists sought a sculptural clarity of form, perfection plastic figure, for clarity and balanced composition. This classicism tends to paint an abstract idealization, separation from the concrete images of modernity, to establish norms and canons governing the arts. The biggest piece of classicism was an artist and theorist N. Poussin. The architecture of French classicism the 17 th century was characterized by consistency and balance, precise lines, geometric accuracy of the plans and the severity of proportions.
Classicism was formed as an antagonistic direction relative to a lush and baroque virtuoso art. But when the second half of the 17 th century classicism became the official art of the absolutist monarchy, he absorbed the baroque elements. This is evident in the architecture of Versailles, in works of the painter Charles Lebrun, sculptors F. Girardon, and A. Kuazevoksa.
At the head of the direction of becoming the Paris Academy of Arts, which owns the establishment of a set of dogmatic rules and artificial supposedly unshakable laws of composition. This academy has also established principles of rationalistic images of emotions (“passions”) and the division of genres at “high” and “low”. By “high” genres: historical, religious and mythological genres, to “lower” – a portrait, landscape, genre, still life. Over time, this trend has degenerated into a cold formal academic manner.
In the mid-18 th century on the background of an educational movement, on the eve of the French Revolution, a new direction opposing the classical Rococo art and creativity of imitators – academics. A special feature of this trend was the manifestation of traits of realism, the desire for clarity and simplicity, the reflection of an educational ideal of “natural humanity”.
> Sculpture of the Classical period is different severity and restraint, coherence forms, easy postures, even when the movement does not violate the formal closure of (E. Falcone, G. Houdon).
The period of late Classicism – Empire – is on the first third of the 19 th century. Differs ostentation and pomp, reflected in architecture and applied art. This period is distinguished as an independent.
In the second half of the century France – the most powerful absolutist power in Western Europe. This time, the addition of the French National School of Fine Arts, the formation of the classic lines, whose homeland is considered to be France.
French art in XVP. is based on the traditions of the French Renaissance. Paintings and Drawings Fouquet and Clouet, sculpture Goujon and Pilon, locks time of Francis 1, Fonteblo Palace and the Louvre, the poetry of Ronsard and the prose of Rabelais, Montaigne’s philosophical experience, on all this bears the stamp of the classic understanding of the forms of strict logic, rationality, developed a sense of elegant, – ie which is destined to fully materialize in XVP. in the philosophy of Descartes, in the drama of Corneille and Racine, in the painting by Poussin and Lorrain. In the literature, the formation of the classic lines associated with the name of Pierre Corneille, the great poet and creator of the French theater. In 1635 in Paris, organized by the Academy of Literature, and Classicism becomes the official direction of the dominant literary trend, recognized at the court. In the field of fine art process of formation of classicism was not as unified. In architecture the first outlines the features of the new style, although they do not fold completely. In the Luxembourg Palace, built for the widow of Henry IV, regent Marie de Medicis, Salomon de Brothe much taken from the Gothic and Renaissance architecture, but the facade already a member of a warrant that would be characteristic of classicism. “Maisons-Laffitte, Francois Mansart at the complexity of the volume is a single entity, Yas-
tion, are attracted to the classic rules of design. In painting, the situation was more complicated, because here intertwined influ-
yaniya mannerism, Flemish and Italian Baroque. At the French painting of the first half-century were influential and karavadzhizm, and realistic art of Holland. In any case, in the works of brothers Le Nain these influences can be traced clearly. In the pictures of Louis Lenena no narrative, illustrative, and the composition is strictly designed and static, parts scrutinized and selected for the expression of primarily ethical, moral foundation, the product-
tion. Of great importance in the pictures Lenena peyzazh.V has recently become more common in the literature of art criticism
the name of the direction to which it belongs, Louis Le Nain, defined the term “painting the real world.” The same applies to the direction of creativity of the artist Georges de Latour. In his first papers on the genre themes Latour acts as an artist close to Caravaggio. Already in early works Latour shows one of the most important qualities: an inexhaustible variety of its image, the splendor of color, the ability to genre painting to create images of monumental and significant.
The second half of the 30′s – 40-ies – the time of creative maturity Latour. He was less drawn to this period to genre subjects, wrote mostly religious paintings. The artistic language of Latour-a harbinger of the classic style: rigor, constructive clarity, clarity of composition, plastic equilibrium of generalized forms, impeccable integrity silhouette, statics. An example is one of his later works “Sv.Sebastyan the holy women” with a perfectly beautiful, reminiscent of ancient sculpture figure of Sebastian in the foreground, a body which – as a symbol of martyr-
eration – the artist depicts only one arrow.Classicism appeared on the crest of the French social upheaval
nation and the French state. The basis of the theory of classical rationalism was, based on the philosophical system of Descartes, the subject of classical art was proclaimed only beautiful and sublime, ethical and aesthetic ideal served antiquity. Creator of the classic movement in painting in France XVP. was Nicolas Poussin. Topics in paintings are diverse: Mythology, History, New and Old Testament. Heroes Poussin – people of strong character and majestic deeds, high sense of duty towards society and the state. Public purpose of art
It was very important for Poussin. All these features are included in the emerging program of classicism. The Art of considerable thought and a clear mind and develops a specific language. Measure and order, compositional balance becomes the basis of the beautiful works of classicism. Smooth and precise linear rhythm, statuary plastic perfectly convey the severity and majesty of the ideas and characters. The coloring is based on harmony strong, deep tones. This harmonious world in itself does not extend beyond the pictorial space, as in the Baroque. The first period ends Poussin, when it breaks into the theme topic of death, impermanence and vanity of the earth. This new mood perfectly expressed in his “Arcadian shepherds.
In 40-50-ies the main emphasis Poussin makes the drawing, sculptural forms, plastic perfection. From the artist takes a lyrical immediacy, there is a certain coldness and abstraction. Best from late Poussin are his landscapes. The artist is in the nature of seeking harmony. Man is treated primarily as part of prirody.Vtoraya XVP half century – the long reign of Louis XIV, “Sun King”, the apex of French absolutism. No wonder this time became known in Western literature – the “great age”. Great – especially for the pomp and ceremonies of all kinds
art in different genres and different ways praise of person of the king. Since the beginning of independent rule of Louis XIV, ie with the 60-ies in XVP. in art is very important for its further development process of regulation, the full authority and control of the royal authority. Established back in 1648 the Academy of painting and sculpture is now in the official conduct of the first minister of the king. In 1671 the Academy is based architecture. Establish control over all forms of artistic life. The leading style of art officially became
classicism. Significantly, for the construction of the eastern facade of the Louvre at that time elected not to draft a well-known at that time throughout Europe Bernini, and the project by the French architect Perrault. Claude Perrault’s Colonnade, with its simple rational warrant mathematically verified equilibrium masses, static, creating a sense of calm and grandeur, more consistent with the established ideal of the era. Classicism is gradually penetrating the religious architecture in the entire
vitality of architectural traditions of the Italian Baroque. But most of all the architects took the problem of correlation of the palace and park ensemble. Louis Lebo and Andr茅 Le N么tre first attempt is promising to solve this problem in the palace and park of Vaux le Vicomte near Melena. In the Palace is rightly viewed as the prototype of the main establishment of the second half XVP. – Palace of Versailles and the park. It was built by Lebo, and in the latter stages of its construction took part Ardu Mansart. Exterior Building a classicist strict alternation of windows, pilasters, columns, creates a clear, calm rhythm. All this does not preclude a lush decorative finishes, especially in the interior. The interiors of the palace consists of a suite of rooms luxuriously designed rooms. Versailles Park is a software product, which all affect the will and mind of man. Its creator was Le N么tre,
sculpture performed Girardon and Kuazevoks. In the classicism of the second half of XVP. there is no sincerity and depth lorrenovskih paintings, high moral ideal Poussin. This is the official line, adapted to the requirements of the court and
especially the King, the art regimented, uniform, painted on a set of rules on how and what to portray, which devoted a special treatise Lebrun. In this framework developed and genre of the portrait. This, of course, a front portrait. In the first half-century portrait of monumental, majestic, but also easy to accessories, and in the second half of the century, expressing the general trends in art, the portrait becomes more lush. Since the second half XVP century France firmly and permanently occupies a leading place in the artistic life of Europe. But at the end of the reign of Louis XIV in the art there are new trends, novyecherty, and art in the XVIII. to evolve in a different direction.
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