Classical Era – Neoclassicism Art and Scientific Discovery in the 1700’s

The term Neoclassicism refers to the revival of the classical art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. While classical revivals were not new to Europe, the study of old or rare historical objects during this era was viewed as a way to address modern social, economic, and political ideals (Palmer 1). There were several new archaeological discoveries during this period as well. There were excavations at the Herculaneum in 1738, Pompeii in 1748, and surveys of the Greek temples at Paestum in 1750 (Hollingsworth 371). The Enlightenment was also taking place during this era with an emphasis on reason and intellect. In addition, many patrons of the art and artists themselves were able to see firsthand many of these historical sites due to the increasing popularity of the Grand Tour; basically, a gap year where they traveled abroad for cultural enlightenment. All of which brought forth a wealth of new subject matter for the classical revival taking place across Europe. 

Three pieces in particular from this period reflect the art and scientific discoveries of the 1700s. These pieces reflect the traits typical of Neoclassicism such as Roman and Greek ideals, heroism, and tributes to self-sacrifice. 

Vigée Le Brun, Élisabeth. The Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante. 1792 c. Lady Lever Art Gallery. Liverpool, United Kingdom. 

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s The Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante is an oil painting on canvas. The piece currently resides in the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool, United Kingdom. It was painted in Naples and was commissioned by Sir William Hamilton in 1792 (National Museums Liverpool).

Here we see the young mistress and later wife of Sir William Hamilton, Emma, portraying a disciple of Bacchus. Emma herself was a slightly scandalous public figure. She was an actress turned noblewoman with rumored affairs and a flair for theatrics. She would often dress as mythological figures and make the audience guess who she was depicting. Bacchus was the Roman god of wine and historically the followers of Bacchus would drink and dance themselves into an orgasmic fury that would often turn violent. The dark foreboding background colors combined with the bright colors around Emma’s face draw your gaze to her slightly mischievous smile. A volcano appears to be close to an eruption in the background suggesting pending doom. The slight smile on Emma’s face is starkly whimsical in comparison. Interestingly, the showing of teeth was highly unusual for a portrait during this era, which may hint at the artist’s sense of chaotic mischief in her muse. To add to this, the artist’s use of shape almost makes it appear that Emma’s arms are embracing the plume of smoke and carnage the volcano is about to spew forth.

A few things relate this piece to Art and Scientific Discovery in the 1700’s. The first is the use of Roman mythology as a backdrop for a portrait. The artist seemed to take inspiration from the subject's own somewhat chaotic life and transfix it onto a classical Roman mythological figure. Also, of note here is the use of a volcano. The archaeological discovery of Pompeii surely influenced the addition of a volcano in this piece. 

Kauffmann, Angelica. Zeuxis Selecting Models for his Picture of Helen of Troy. 1780 - 1782 c. Annmary Brown Memorial Library. Brown University, Rhode Island.  

Angelica Kauffmann’s Zeuxis Selecting Models for his Picture of Helen of Troy is an oil painting on canvas. The piece currently resides in the Annmary Brown Memorial Library at Brown University in Rhode Island. It was believed to have been painted in London between 1780 and 1782 (The Art Story).  

Here we have a depiction of a Greek painter, Zeuxis, examining five women to gather the best features of each to paint his Helen of Troy painting. The dark background serves two purposes. The first is to contrast the tone of the models who are bright in comparison, almost angelic. The second is almost lost on us. It is to cloak the artist’s self-portrait on the right. You can see her losing interest in modeling and picking up a brush almost in defiance. You can also see the use of curvy lines on the models’ clothing to portray softness. The artist elegantly uses form to portray the features of the models present from almost every angle as well.

One major thing relates this piece to Art and Scientific Discovery in the 1700’s. The use of the Greek ideal of Helen of Troy. It can be a little shocking to modern viewers that an artist would mix and match features from 5 different women to make one ideal one. I believe that’s the artist’s intention here. Perhaps this was a revolution of feminism or a commentary on the time imprinted upon classic Greek imagery.  

David, Jacques-Louis. The Intervention of the Sabine Women. 1799 c. Louvre. Paris, France.   

Jacques-Louis’s The Intervention of the Sabine Women is an oil painting on canvas. The piece currently resides in the Louvre in Paris, France. It was believed to have been painted in Paris in 1799 (Musée Du Louvre).   

Here we have a retelling of the legendary Roman story of the intervention of the Sabine women. Early Roman leader, Romulus, was afraid his fledgling city might not survive with so few women. He ordered his men to take wives from the surrounding villages to further populate Rome for generations to come. The village of Sabine refused and Romulus devised a plan to abduct their women to take as wives. It worked and some time later Sabine stormed Rome. It was only by putting themselves between their husbands and fathers that the Sabine women were able to stop the bloodshed. In this piece, you can see the use of color and form. The bright white cloak of the central figure highlights the resoluteness of Hersilia as she holds her arms up to stop the violence. She was both Romulus’s wife and the Sabine leader Titus Tatius’s daughter. The background is dark with smoke from the battle. You can see another woman calmly holding a baby up towards a wall of shields and another cradling an infant in her arms underfoot of Titus while more children and women are strewn across the battlefront. You can almost feel the texture of the hair and clothing interwoven with soft flowing lines.  

This scene is both beautiful and chilling. During the painting of this piece, the French Revolution was winding down. The artist’s depiction of this legendary Roman event is clearly a call for peace. It is said that the artist was inspired while in prison by a visit from his wife.

While I do appreciate all of these works, the subject matter may not be appropriate on display in my home but rather in a museum for everyone to appreciate and wonder. I love the symbolism behind each one, especially as it is relevant to the artists’ unique experiences. Vigée Le Brun likely had mixed feelings about painting such a scandalous figure. She was used to painting portraits for the aristocracy and more affluent and well-mannered society. It is said that Emma did not exactly fit that bill. Kauffman was so obviously an early feminist. I particularly enjoy her subtle prods at the establishment. Finally, David’s earnest call for peace after spending much of his life in revolt is inspiring, to say the least.   

 

Works Cited:

“Angelica Kauffman.” The Art Story, 2019, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/kauffman-angelica/.

David, Jacques-Louis, and France. “Les Sabines.” Musée Du Louvre, 1799, https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010065426. Accessed 8 July 2024.

Hollingsworth, Mary, and Giulio Carlo Argan. Art in World History 2 Vols, Taylor & Francis Group, 2003. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaf/detail.action?docID=4538716.

Palmer, Allison Lee. Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture, Scarecrow Press, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uaf/detail.action?docID=653873.

The Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante (2024) National Museums Liverpool. Available at: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/lady-hamilton-bacchante (Accessed: 8 July 2024).