Enlightenment Ideas Influence Art Art takes on many different forms such as visual, decorative, performing, and interactive. Art is strongly influenced by the cultures and ideas surrounding it. Although strongly influenced, art has been a staple throughout history used to show appreciation, as a means to communicate, and as an expression of imagination. One of the most influential times of art was during the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries that focused on reasoning and individualism rather than traditional lines of authority. Philosophers helped promote Enlightenment ideas. Of the many philosophers, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau were the most influential for this painting. A Soldier on the Field of Battle by Horace Vernet relates to the Enlightenment because it is influenced by the three philosophe’s beliefs about individualism, freedom, and war. Under this influence, art helped promote Enlightenment ideas. In 1818, French painter Horace Vernet painted A Soldier on the Field of Battle on canvas using oil paint. The painting depicts a wounded soldier of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard after he had just buried his comrade after their defeat at the Battle of …show more content…
While Hobbes’ held a negative view of human nature, Locke had a different and more positive view. Locke’s most sought after belief was that every human being had a right to life, liberty, and property, also known as natural rights. John said that if the government did not do its job to protect those rights, the people had the right to overthrow the unjust government and achieve freedom and equality. The soldier depicted in this piece of art, is shown after fighting for freedom in the war. Although Napoleon’s team had lost, they still fought the best they could and in the end fought for their rights and
Locke’s thought on having a king, laws, and a civil society under a social contract was so all men can enjoy and protect their rights. Where all men obtain the right to life, all humans have the right to live and life shouldn't be taken away from another human being. The right to liberty, protecting an individual's freedom and unreasonable detention. The right to property, a citizen in which Locke thought a human's labour was his own, anything created or made should remain that individuals as well and the right to rebel against unjust rulers and laws.
Locke is best known for his philosophical ideals regarding the rights of humankind- all individuals have the right to life, liberty, and property.
An artist's job is to interpret, and express the aspects of life in a creative fashion. War has played a big part in shaping our human history, and many artists have portrayed their feelings about art through paintings, and even monuments. Whether it be to show; the joy of victory, the sorrow of defeat, or to educate the public on the gory realities of war. Art about war can also show us a great amount of history of the kinds of weapons that were used at the time. It is necessary for artists to interpret, and criticize all aspects of life; even ones as tragic as war, It can make the public more aware of what goes on in times of war.
These intellectuals attempted to generate an explanation for the purpose of government and expressed their ideal political structure to find a solution to the inequalities in the distribution of power. The changing intellectual and social perceptions of the human condition led to new insights and questions of the way in which humans were ruled: “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” (Rousseau 2). This conveys The Philosophe belief that liberty is lost when political rule is too strict, to the point where one is unable to truly live. John Locke deduced in his two Treatises on Government that humans have natural born rights to life, liberty and property (“Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau on Government”). His ideal government protected these natural rights and permitted the freedom of its people to conduct their lives in a way that they see as best fit. He believed that the government existed to serve the people’s will, thus the power laid in the majority (“Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau on Government”). Thomas Hobbes had an opposing view to that of Locke’s government. Hobbes advocated for the monarchy and absolutism, as this form provides strong political stability (Elahi 2). He believed that the people were indebted to the government and protected by the ruler, only if they surrendered their rights and freedoms under a social contract (Elahi 3). Jean
enouncing their right to life and making their persons available to the aggressor who has the right to respond to the aggression, even by taking the life of the attacker. "The state of war for Locke is a state of premeditated enmity and destruction against the life of another man who in turn puts him in a state of war against those who declare such intentions." (p. 689), thus exposing his life to the risk of it being taken by him or by anyone who is united in his defense and make with him common cause in the combat. Well, says Locke, “it is reasonable and just that I should have the right to destroy whoever threatens to destroy me.” (Ibid) Conclusion Both authors made a contribution to humanity by enriching the concept of "state of nature" in
The Enlightenment thinkers helped impact on US government and the people today by creating the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. The Declaration gave the right to all men to life ,liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also stating that all men are born equal. The Bill of rights is made up of the first 10 amendments, and was designed to give people the right to individual freedoms. Both of these historic files have made a large impact on our lives as americans today.
John Locke believed that every man had natural rights, which meant everyone is born with certain rights that couldn’t be taken away from one and others. For example John Locke said, which meant that everyone is equal, and no one can put another down due to his/her feeling of themselves. He believed that these rights were life, liberty, and property. Locke believed if the people gave some of their freedoms to their ruler, then the ruler could not take away the people’s Natural Rights. This was called the Social Contract.
Throughout history, the world has evolved and adapted to the changes that have been made for the past centuries since the Enlightenment. For many years, both American and European philosophers have impacted the world with their influential ways. The Enlightenment was launched by European thinkers who did more to change the world. European philosophers did more to change the world because their ideas and beliefs had given countries the inspiration to create new forms of government, made it possible for all people to have their freedom and rights, and improved the balance and equality of the world. The evolution of everyday objects that are used till this century would not have been created or even made by accident without the
The Enlightenment was a time of mathematical, scientific, and philosophical advancement. The thoughts of philosophers like Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Locke inspired many, such as the Americans. Their ideas about freedom of religion, civil liberties, free trade, and social reforms became the basis that the Americans built their new country upon and impacted politics and culture.
According to Locke, the state of war occurs because of destruction and enmity, which results from the perfect freedom and liberty found in the state of nature. This idea is similar to Hobbes’ reasons for the state of war, yet, Locke believes that it also occurs because of the “presence of a common authority that fails to act justly, the only possible state is a state of war, because the arbitrating power in place to stop war is itself in violation of the laws of nature and justice.” However, Locke’s law of nature that governs this state goes against Hobbes’ idea of self-preservation, because it does not allow for man to harm another’s life, liberty, health or possessions. This natural law is based on the idea that every man may be free in the state of nature, but everything belongs to one omnipotent power, “the Maker”. This natural law aids in the peace and preservation of all mankind, and is a responsibility that is given to every man and along with that the authority to punish transgressors of this law. This is another natural right of man, but it is one that could never be truly enforced in the state of nature. Since Locke established that all men are created equal by the same omnipotent power, he is also saying that no one man has the power to
John Locke believed that “If a government fails in its obligation to protect natural rights, the people have the right to overthrow that government”. He believed that every person has a right to life, property, and liberty. According to Locke, it is the government's responsibility to protect the natural rights of their people. One of his famous quotes was “All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty
In nature, unlike other philosophers of his time, Locke thought that all men are born equal and as such we are all free to do as we please as long as it does not encroach on the life, property (including one’s person and labor) and liberty of another. Unlike Hobbes, who thought that the strongest has the right to rule over the weaker, Locke asserted that we are all equal though the use of reason, which allows us to understand the laws of nature. Our individual reason helps us understand that it is our collective responsibility to punish those that chose to break the laws of nature by harming anyone else’s private property such as their person or labor, the property of the Creator by murdering someone else, or their liberty, which by extension includes their access to the common-owned natural
Locke’s viewpoint was that humans were naturally peaceful. He said that we all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He believed that we were naturally honest and good, that if there was no authority or government humans would still know right from wrong, and get along with each other. Locke thought that if our leaders do not lead us properly then we have the right to overthrow them.
John Locke’s views were essential to the creation of equal rights and to the inclusive perception of the social contract. During the time when he published these theories; there was a great debate over what rights should be humanly inherited. The controversy ranged from whether humans deserve inalienable rights due to their judgment of good and evil, to who should own land due to their social status. I believe that John Locke is correct in his idea that every human deserves the rights to life, liberty, and property as well as his view on the motivations of a rational creature. These points can easily be seen in Frankenstein and Macbeth. In Frankenstein, this can be observed in the interpersonal struggle of Victor Frankenstein; how he struggles
Locke’s have developed different views on human nature. He states, that all the men should have natural right to get private property and protection should a top priority of the government. Locke’s powerful quotes states that the men should have the right to life, liberty and property. He depends on human reason to give citizens their freedom and their right to protect it. This freedom is the foundation of the individual’s way of life and their human rights. A threat to an individual’s freedom can be extended to be a threat to many other aspects of the individual to take away their freedom. One of the Locke’s quote states, “Master and servant are names as old as history, but