Art Lecture III - Roccocco Period

Art is often about action and re-action against what is perceived as old school.

The Roccocco period was all about elitism; painting the aristocracy in a very opulent way.

There was no understanding expressed of what it was like to be poor. A filthy muddy life indeed.

Bouche painted the ‘Disney’ ideal of what it was like to be a poor shepherd.

Not least as he entitled it ‘Shepherds Idyll’.

It is chocolate box painting in its most derogative sense.

It was also an example of a boudoir painting, painted for wealthy patrons to display in their wealthy houses.

 

This is a particularly saucy offering by Fragonard called Parlour Games. Showing a man blowing up a condom. (And a rather large one at that).

These are more examples of his boudoir saucy style. However, I particularly like the one above as, as soon as I saw it, I knew that in the Slipper and the Rose (yep, my favourite film) they used this painting as the basis for this mise en scene:

 

Fragonard also demonstrated a bit more taste and restraint.

Especially with this beautiful painting called Woman Reading.

So it must have been a real relief to those of a more puritanical nature when, with in a pivotal moment, David introduced a whole new seriousness to art, now called Neo Classicism.

He looked back to Roman times and painted huge, important paintings about history. (Not about ladies lying on beds with their dogs, almost showing their frufrus.)

This was partly influenced by the discovery of Pompei (I’m presuming it was uncovered at this time) where they found so much miraculously preserved from that society.

David was sympathetic with the French Commune, shown in his painting of Marat, assassinated as he worked in the bath.

(And a pose/painting much copied still over the centuries).

David’s painting of Napoleon is an interesting contrast with that above. It contains much symbolism of power and ability.

Possibly to counteract the reality of the man, who didn’t ride over some famous mountains on a horse. He actually followed up the rear on a donkey!!

The clock is at 4.15am – showing how hard he works. The candles have burnt low. It’s the middle of the night. He’s still working hard for the people.

How important is art as a reflection of both history and the more subtle aspects of a culture?

Consider how paintings change. You can’t separate art from the society in which it’s produced.

So maybe see this painting in a rather different light when you imagine him, instead on his donkey!

Still, it was a great piece of propoganda and I’m sure Cameron would fancy one of the same.

Ingres was considered to be one of the best draughtsmen, with brilliant line and subtlety of tone.

The era gave

this neckline

the name

‘Empire. But

Boticelli was

also painting

them.