The French Neo Classical era of theatre has influenced today’s society in a number of ways including woman’s fashion, dance, architecture and theatre performance. We have seen this throughout history and it still has continued into today’s society. The term Burlesque is usually thought of as slightly naughty theatre produced and performed between the 1700s and World War II. Webster defines it as a literary or dramatic work that seeks to mock by means of bizarre embellishment or comic imitation, mockery usually by caricature or theatrical entertainment of a broadly humorous often earthy character consisting of short turns, comic skits, and sometimes striptease acts. The word derives from the Italian burlesco, which itself derives …show more content…
The French Revolution (1789–1799) was bordered by two artistic styles, Rococo and Neo-classicism. Before and after the French Revolution, Neo-classicism was the main artistic style in France, Europe and the USA from about 1750 to 1830. This classical revitalization of the later 18th century was characteristic for its emphasis on archaeological accuracy, the result of the period's unprecedented level of knowledge of the art and architecture of the ancient world. The heroic phase of Neo-classical painting resulted in Jacques-Louis David’s most pivotal works, Death of Marat and Oath of the Horatii. These works personified the Enlightenment thought of Diderot, Voltaire, and Rousseau, namely the ideas of basic human rights, modern scientific investigation, rationalism and moral rectitude. In its purest form it is a style principally derived from the architecture of Classical Greece and the architecture of Italian Andrea Palladio. In form, neoclassical architecture emphasizes the wall rather than separate identities to each of its parts. In the sixteenth century, France was in turmoil. The Renaissance in France began in a different way than in countries at peace. In France there was a civil war between Catholics and Protestants. This civil anxiety lasted until 1594 when Henri IV converted
The French Revolution was a chaotic time of blood, death, and fear. Though there were many negative outcomes and events of the Revolution, it big change to sweep across France. The Revolution began in the middle of 1789 with the swearing of the Tennis Court Oath, in which members of the third estate, as well as some from the first and second estates, swore that they would not go anywhere until they had written a constitution for France. Then, the Revolution really took off, and continued on for years. Many people influenced the Revolution, such as Marat and Robespierre. The death of Marat was another event that had a large influence on the Revolution, as though he had caused lots of deaths, he was stilled viewed as a hero by most. Looking at the two paintings “The Tennis Court Oath,” and “The Death of Marat,” “The Tennis Court Oath” depicts a more significant and relevant event, as this was the event to really cause the French Revolution to take off.
The French Revolution was a period of far-reaching social and political change in France that lasted from 1789 to 1799. Before the revolution there was a period of time called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement in which followers considered that human reason brought a move from theory to practice and criticism to reforming education, household administration, social reactions and politics. Voltaire, a French philosopher and contributor to the Age of Enlightenment, expressed these ideas utilizing his intelligence, wit and style to mark his name as one of France’s greatest writers. The Enlightenment influenced the French Revolution to a great extent by introducing new ideas that encouraged questioning of authority and religion, advancing people’s outlook on commodities, and forcing citizens to compare their need with the Republic’s needs. This further brought an uprising of people wanting more such as equality and civil rights. In the process to do so there were 250,000 casualties in the Reign of Terror followed the Thermidorian Reaction which implemented an oligarchy government called the Directory. Royalist riots prompted the Coup d’etat of Fructidor which brought Napoleon into Directory which he later overthrows and creates an Authoritarian Republic.
In 1959- early 1960 five directors released debut feature length films that are widely regarded as heralding the start of the French nouvelle vague or French New Wave. Claude Chabrols Le Beau Serge (The Good Serge, 1959) and Les Cousins (The Cousins, 1959) were released, along with Francois Truffauts Les Quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows, 1959), Jean-Luc Godards A bout de souffle (Breathless, 1960) and Alain Resnais Hiroshima mon amour (Hiroshima my love, 1959). These films were the beginning of a revolution in French cinema. In the following years these directors were to follow up their debuts, while other young directors made their first features, in fact between 1959-63 over 170 French directors made their debut
In the sixteenth century, France’s efforts to colonize North America was jeopardized by religious conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants. The French were interested in fur trade; this became the focal point of the economy and lead to the establishment of New France. The Company of New France would be in authority of this settlement. Quebec would become the first French settlement in Canada because of Samuel de Champlain’s efforts. Ultimately, New France would have about 15,000 residents by the 1700s.
Visual arts took on the rococo style during the Enlightenment period. Gardens of the rococo type (which were popular amongst the leisured elite) imitated those of Chinese gardens of the far east. Rose and pastel colors were popular throughout the era in paintings and decorations. Jean-Honore Fragonard was considered to be the highlight of all rococo artists, he created flirtatious and highly sexual paintings for the era. Neoclassical architecture was revived during this era, bringing about amazing pieces of work such as the Arch of Triumph in Paris (at the end of the period). Leonardo’s contribution reflects an excellent example of art and how it was affected by the scientific revolution in early modern science. The superior quality and complexity of his Oeuvre, Leonardo was recognized as an extraordinary artist already from the Renaissance. When scholars turned to his scientific research in modern times, they privileged his anatomical and botanical drawings, and invested heavily in the notion of ‘scientific naturalism’, which was partially supported by the artist’s professed emphasis on direct observation. Such a focus relegated to the background
French Romanticism developed relatively late because of Neoclassicism being rooted in French art and especially in the society’s structure. Eugène Delacroix’s painting Liberty Leading the People depicts the July Revolution of 1830. Parisian coup d'état resulted in Charles X dethroning and replacement with Louis-Phillipe, the “citizen-king.” Although the painting is historical, it is full of contrasting human emotion, a fundamental characteristic of French Romanticism. In the foreground despair is represented by human death of both sides of the battle. In the central figure, Liberty, an allegorical symbol of freedom, shows grand heroism. Delacroix’s use of brilliant and shocking primary colors opposes classicism’s use of color as subordinate and of subtle modulation. The Death of Sardanapalus by Eugène
In the words of Gay McAuley, “for an activity to be regarded as a performance, it must involve the live presence of the performers and those witnessing it…” (McAuley, 2009, cited in Schechner, 2013, pp.38). This statement recognises the importance of both the actor and the audience for something to truly function as a performance. In addition, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones highlights the significance of the theatrical space and how it can influence an audience stating that “on entering a theatre of any kind, a spectator walks into a specific space, one that is designed to produce a certain reaction or series of responses” (Llewellyn-Jones, 2002, pp.3). The relationship between actor, audience and theatrical space is no less important today than it was at the time of theatre during the Spanish Golden Age and the creation of Commedia dell’arte in Italy. Despite being very close geographically with theatre thriving for both in the same era, sources that explore the social, cultural and historical context of these countries and the theatre styles will bring to light the similarities and differences. This essay will analyse the staging, the behaviour of the audience as well as the challenges the actors faced, and how this directly influenced the relationship between actor, audience and theatrical space.
Europe. As a part of any young man's education, he now had to make the
The renaissance or “rebirth” was a cultural awakening which spanned from the fourteenth to sixteenth century. A growing interest in humanist traits and classical ideas heavily influenced the art during the renaissance. A growing community of artists provided much needed competition for their profession. The renaissance introduced many different and modern ideas but also remained obedient to classical belief. The unique art of the renaissance spread throughout Europe. Northern European art differed tremendously from Italian art.
At the turn of the century Paris was one of the capitals of culture and art to the outside world. However, the truth of the matter was that this taboo-ridden society was being run by an aristocracy that was repressing the arts. Naturally, when World War 1 broke out, the suppressed French society finally had a release and a rebellion against order arose. WWI specifically affected the theatre of French and it’s aftermath. From the ashes of war the avant-garde theatre grew and styles such as Dadaism and Surrealism were born. It was both the climate of culture before the war and the devastation of the war that lead to the outbreak of avant-garde theatre in France.
The French are all about preserving their culture and being individualized. They often take great pride in the French products and the French style, and believe in keeping the French culture “pure” so they also limit the amount of foreign goods that are being imported. But during the World Wars the French began to allow foreigners to immigrate into France to take jobs due to an increase in job shortages. The immigration from the World Wars added to the diversity of the French culture. Ever since the 1850’s there has been a steady flow of immigration into France, and now nine percent of the French population is made up of immigrants (Gofen 62). The break down of the cultures in France is eighty-five percent of the French population is Roman
The classical music period extends from 1740 to 1810, which includes the music of Haydn, Mozart, and the first period of Beethoven. The classical period of music combined harmony, melody, rhythm, and orchestration more effectively than earlier periods of music. With the natural evolution of music slowly changing with the culture, the baroque era had ended. That era had left a structure, articulation and periodic phrasing of music which would shape classical music.
The history of theatre in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries is one of the increasing commercialization of the art, accompanied by technological innovations, the introduction of serious critical review, expansion of the subject matters portrayed to include ordinary people, and an emphasis on more natural forms of acting. Theatre, which had been dominated by the church for centuries, and then by the tastes of monarchs for more than 200 years, became accessible to merchants, industrialists, and the less privileged and then the masses.
The French Revolution one of the most important significant events in European history, which lead to the end of European monarchy. The French Revolution effected the way Europeans used to think giving of the sense of hope and liberty from monarch’s or nobles. Thanks to the theories of radical journalists and politicians whom started to publish their thoughts about the French monarchy government, and the leaders of the corrupted government people started to speak more freely about the aristocrat class. One Jean-Paul Marat had been one of those journalists who would speak and write his thoughts about the French monarchy he played a very important role in the making of the French Revolution. However, the amount trouble one gets to speak freely two hundred years ago differs from the modern-day freedom of speech one gets; and Marat’s radicalism against the French monarchy head resulted in his death. As a result, Marta’s death grams the attention of two artists that try to capture the moment of Marat’s death by drawing a portrait of his death. The first artist to draw a portrait of Marat’s death was a French artist Jacques-Louis David in 1793 who named the painting The Death of Marat. Another artist that painted a painting capturing Marat’s death had been a Norwegian painter called Edvard Munch the painting was painted more than one hundred years after Jacques painting, and it was also called The Death of Marat. The similarities and
This idea is relevant because on the stage, the Restoration actress, is nothing but an ornament in the male gaze. This attitude is apparent as Thomas Shadwell links the new phenomenon of female performers with painted theatrical scenes, both innovative commodities for audience consumption: