Virtual Talk - Painting in France During the 19th Century: Neoclassicism to Impressionism

Art in France at the beginning of the 19th century runs along the axis of revolution. After the fall of Louis XVI in 1793, the Academy no longer had a firm grip on artistic production. Artists responded to the atmosphere of social upheaval and change with growing creative innovation. The French Enlightenment also helped to expand developments in art. Jacques-Louis David, who was the master of Neoclassicism, brought forth the first in a series of "isms" which helped to define the influence France had in cultivating artistic styles throughout Europe. After the power of Neoclassicism began to wane, artists such as Eugene Delacroix and Theodore Gericault pursued a style known as Romanticism.

Romanicism displayed rich colors often depicting powerful emotions and exotic themes. By the mid-19th century however, painters such as Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet began to focus their attention on the quotidian struggles of the working men and women of France (peasants were often featured tolling in the fields). By the late 19th century, the ever-popular movement of Impressionism took hold. Painters such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro employed a looser brushstroke and an experimental approach to color and light to create the masterpieces that are beloved today. These artists and many others will be reviewed in this docent-led talk.

2024:06:27