How Did The French Revolution Influence Art

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 Industrial Revolution in 1760 is where advances in science and technology took place. This is the time period where Aristocratic Rococo people were not working. People started looking at the Rome and Greeks’ arts as well as the idea of democracy. During the American Revolution the French are inspired by Americans’ idea of democracy and then they have their revolution, and the French Revolution changes the artwork in 1789. The French revolted and threw over the Aristocrats and then threw over the Rococo time period while the Rococo art was going on during that time period. Then the birth of science and birth of looking at things began which is similar to the Renaissance. Sir Isaac Newton came up with the law of color that white light from

Many attribute the evolution of the French revolution as the catalyst for redirection of the style of artwork from Baroque and Rococo to Neoclassical and Romanticism. Two leading masterpieces that support this aspect are respectively: Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, (c. 1784) and Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, (c. 1830). As commented in Essential Humanities (2016), the French revolution “in all its heroic glory and grisly destruction” (par. 10) is masterfully portrayed in Delacroix 's personification of liberty. In addition, the summons for commitment to the cause of freedom is classically rendered in David 's vow of victory or death. Within this essay both of these paintings are examined in regards to their connection to the French revolution.

To understand most period and movements in modern art, one must first understand the context in which they occurred. When one looks at the various artistic styles, one will realize how artists react to historical and cultural changes and how artists perceive their relation to society.

This painting is 9 feet by 9 feet, oil on canvas and classified contemporary. It is based off of Jacques-Louis David’s Bonaparte Crossing the Alps at Grand-Saint-Bernard. It takes a twist on it though by replacing Napoleon Bonaparte, who is riding on a galloping horse, with an anonymous black man. The man is dressed in modern clothes: camouflage pants and jacket and Timberland boots. Jacques-Louis David’s painting made in the eighteenth century was a statement on wealth and status. It seems as if Wiley is still keeping these themes just by putting his own spin on things, showing a young African American’s experience. The painting is crafted similar to his other works, a patterned renaissance background and a realistically painted black man riding a white horse. It may be meant to show that African American’s can attain the same status as eighteenth century white men, such as Napoleon, even though they are rarely seen painted in the same way.

This aspect can be seen in the case of African American painter Kehinde Wiley’s Napoleon over the Alps. The work depicts a Black man dressed in a modern camouflage jumpsuit with a bandana tied on head while aboard a horse pointing upward (). The work is an is an exact imitation in composition and supporting subjects as the painting of the equestrian portrait under the same name done by French artist Jacques-Louis David between 1801 and 1805 (). By the work imitating the same composition as that of the portrait that depicts someone of the regality and power once achieved by Napoleon and switching the figure with a modern Black man implies that he has the same power. However, Napoleon is commonly known in Western society and the man in Wiley’s

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

Jacques-Louis David’s painting The Oath of the Horatii, though painted a few years before the actual French Revolution, sparked interests in the idea of giving your all. This included the lives of your family and reigning king, for the greater good of your nation. He expressed these ideas by choosing such a myth as the basis of this painting. The way the imagery screams loyalty, truth, and character; it also shows the dark traits he is revolting against, such as excess and dishonor.

The Era of Revolutions is thought to be associated with a time of war, but the arts, music, and science did not stop evolving during this period. It continued to be a part of this era along with every era. Many forget just how important art, music, and science were to us then and still today. “The Lictors Carrying Away the Bodies of the Sons of Brutus” this is a painting that was created to show Brutus had his sons executed for treason after discovering they had plotted to take over his government. Jacques-Louis David was the artist of this painting and when David portrayed this painting audiences connected the two between this ancient subject and current events of the unfolding French Revolution.

the fall of the Bastille becoming the greatest symbolic act of French Revolution. In the painting

In conclusion, tragedy, wars, revolutions, politics, and religion has helped many artists make some of their most prized artwork, they utilized real events to paint and sculpt how people got effective by these events, it helped give strength, empathy, and anger to stand up to Government and demand a better future, as seen in the paintings of Jacues-Louis David in his “Death of Socrates” or Eugène Delecoix’s “Liberty Leading the People”. Through the eyes of these artistic, we can see how the events unfolded, all by a stroke of the brush or

“Every great work of art has two faces, one toward its own time and one toward the future, toward eternity.” Art in and of itself is a reflection of the ideals and concepts promoted during the time it was conceived in, and serves as a historical litmus test as to which periods it draws inspiration from; however, as Daniel Barenboim states in his quote above, impactful art that resonates with the human spirit lasts beyond its time. Throughout history, art serves as the visual manifestation of the power and wealth of those who patronize the medium and by extension the period’s culture. More importantly, however, art can serve as a lasting mark and legacy for those who desire to leave a visual reminder of their strength while they were living.

Our goal is to study more specifically the Neoclassical era, because this period in France gave a newly and creative sense of style in both the arts and architecture that was very similar to those in ancient Rome and Greece (Craske, 1997). During this conflict it caused people to recognize social status and freedom of dress. This revolt caused civilians mainly middle class to rebel for equality and freedom among their society (Mezler, 1998). Furthermore, our group will analyze this decline of the pompous nobility as France is experiencing the onset of a revolution. Following this shift is the ultimate demise of formal aristocracy, the once cynosure of all eyes has met their fate at the guillotine. A guillotine, meant to symbolize the Reign of Terror nearing the end of the eighteenth century would perhaps be a fitting and symbolic final piece to the exhibition.

Is modern art affecting our American Economy, or any economy for that manner, in a terrible way? After all, these wealthy individuals are spending their hard earned bills, hundreds upon thousands upon millions of it in some piece of art that doesn’t make any sense to anyone but the maker. This could lead to a huge break, that these supposedly “grimey” buyers are making our economy go down the toilet, and it could be on them. Art in itself is a very inspiring investment, but the fact that these artists that spit out works that don’t put any effort or passion into it are making the green show more readily than more passionate artists. Modern art sales may be affecting our economy with their meaning leading to quick production, their odd “cult worship” making it understandable to those who purchase it, inflating their ego so to speak, and the types of sales types where the money goes and how it is made.

The revolutions of 1830 and 1848 sparked a steady stream of political artwork showing scenes of battle and rebellious uprising. Eugene Delacroix’s portrait of Liberty Leading the People, 29 July 1830 reflects the events of the French banded together from varying classes in battle following a bare breasted Liberty. Ernest Meissonier’s painting The Barricade in Rue Mortellerie, Paris, June 1848 is a sad image of a drab Parisian street with dead revolutionaries as a result of social class fighting.