Neo-classicism, Romanticism, and the Impressionist movement are all topics that were covered
in this week’s videos. Of all these movements the one that interested me the most and is probably
most relevant to what I hope to do in the future is Neo-classicism. When I think of Neo-
classicism, I think of the Monticello by Thomas Jefferson. With so much revolution coming into
the world; French Revolution, The New World, and the discovery of new and minimalistic art
pieces, the world was ready to say goodbye to the robustness of Baroque and Rococo[Oti12].
Artist created a cleaner classic design that made a way to even the Americas called, Neo-
classicism. In the Americas, prominent architecture is found in this movement. The architecture
within Neo-classicism is what interest me. I hope to one day own my own business restoring old
homes to their former glory. Neo-classicism styled homes interest me especially; with the
Romanesque styling and simplistic columns the neo-classical movement embodies remembering
the past yet moving towards the future.
Romanticism, was a movement that sole purpose was to capture the moment and the emotions
artist felt about what they saw. Prior to the movement, artist captured stearyl images that would
often be emotionless[Phi14]. Creating an emotional scene was not for every artist; artist like,
Jacques-Louis David; however, was able to capture the movement with perfection. In The Oath
of the Horatii, painted in 1784, David’s perspective work within this piece could argue the start
of what would become abstract art. His process is an effect of figures composed along a narrow
stage behind a proscenium, figures that exist in space more by the illusion of sculptural modeling
than by their location within a pictorial space that has been constructed according to principles of
perspective. Romanticism’s artist gave us new techniques that will have an impact as long as art
is appreciated.
The Impressionist movement pushed the boundaries of art at the time. Artist like Édouard Manet,
created scenes where, for the first time, nude bodies were posing towards the audience[Har13].
One of Manet’s most famous art pieces was, Olympia, where Victorine Meurent poses for the
intend audience on a bed. This provocative art form was not accepted by everyone but for the
ones that did conform to it, the impact was great[Har13]. Impressionism brought a since of
simple human beauty, stripping away the excess and focusing in on the beauty of the anatomy of
humans, Gods creation.
Works Cited
Harvard, Arnason. History of modern art : painting, sculpture, architecture, photog-. Pearson,
2013.
Otis College. "Otis Art History 26 - Neo-Classicism." Youtube. 9 August 2012.
Philinthecircle. "Romanticism - Overview from Phil Hansen." You Tube . 16 March 2014.
