Neoclassicism: The Return to Antiquity

While the themes and styles of Neoclassicism can be traced back to the works of Nicolas Poussin or Claude Lorrain, what became the most influential to the era was the finding and excavation of Herculaneum and Pompeii in 1738 and 1748 respectively. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 buried both cities, but it preserved their frescoes, villas, and many of their valuable statues. The rise of Neoclassicism was built on the travel of many influential Europeans to Rome on the Grand Tour to get a first-hand view of the antiques along with the rise of the enlightenment period. The writings of Johann Wickelmann were very influential as well on the movement. Winckelmann was one of the first to start writing about the Greco Roman ideals of beauty and idealized that view of beauty which opened more people to be inspired by antiquity. The ideals of classical art such as its realism, restraint, harmony, and order made the neoclassical movement tie in well with the enlightenment period. Also, the study of the history of man grants significant importance to ideas that arose during the neoclassical and enlightenment movements. Lastly the neoclassical movement tied in with the growing unrest that citizens had toward the monarchy. There was a desire to portray themes of harmony, community and loving ones state more than your family which are themes that find their way into the art and were strong influencers in the ideals of the French Revolution. These themes directly contrasted the themes of the Rococo movement which early neoclassicists were trying to supplant. They saw the Rococo movement as superficial and frivolous and wanted to make more “serious” art.

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Additional Readings 

“Painting Pompeii: From Neoclassicism to the Néo-Grecs.” Dahesh Museum of Art. Accessed November 19, 2019. http://www.daheshmuseum.org/spotlight-on-september-october-2017/.

Dahesh Museum of Art, “Painting Pompeii: From Neoclassicism to the Néo-Grecs.”

Mario Praz and August Davidson, On Neo-Classicism (London: Thames and Hudson, 1972), 51.

Mainz, Valerie. "Enlightenment, the."    . 2003; Accessed 19 Nov. 2019. https://www.oxfordartonline.com/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000026341.