What was the Enlightenment and what impact did it have upon the arts?
What was the Enlightenment and what impact did it have upon the arts? Refer to specific works in your answer.
The Enlightenment was an eighteenth century philosophical movement that saw an explosion not only in scientific revolution, but also in individual thought. People were no longer forced to accept what they were being told, but were now able to observe the world empirically and see things with their own eyes. The movement stressed a shift towards human reasoning as opposed to blind faith and unquestioning obedience. As a result of this movement known as "the Enlightenment", the rules of visual art, music and literature radically changed.
In terms of visual art, the Enlightenment saw artists revert back to a neo-classical style. Rationalism and realism took over, as artists strived to make their work look as realistic as possible. The reason why the style of art changed so much was to do with a change in the way art was taught to aspiring artists. Academies of fine art such as The Royal Academy London (1768) and The Ecole des Beaux-Arts Paris (1790) began to form in which the modus operandi of teaching was to get pupils to draw statues and sculptures exactly as they saw them making them look as lifelike as possible. Theses Academies were highly exclusive and controlled every aspect of the way visual art was taught. Before being allowed to advance to the next level, the pupil would have to have drawn many of the sculptures to a very high standard of realism. After learning how to produce near perfect images of the human body, the artist would then move on to painting. Further progression would mean learning about Anatomy, Classical aesthetics and Mathematics. The effect of such a method of teaching meant that artists were conditioned to restrain emotion and expression. They drew only what they saw for themselves and painted with extraordinary accuracy.
Jacques-Louis David's "The Oath of the Horatii" (1784) is a fine example of Enlightenment art. And was considered to be one of the defining images of the French Revolution. The painting depicts the Horatii (male triplets, destined to settle disputes between Rome and the city of Alba). The triplets are shown pledging an oath to their state to fulfil their duties - an important value in terms of the Enlightenment and as revolution loomed in France, a message of propaganda that the French people should be brave, loyal and stand up and fight for their country. Because Enlightenment ...
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Jacques-Louis David's "The Oath of the Horatii" (1784) is a fine example of Enlightenment art. And was considered to be one of the defining images of the French Revolution. The painting depicts the Horatii (male triplets, destined to settle disputes between Rome and the city of Alba). The triplets are shown pledging an oath to their state to fulfil their duties - an important value in terms of the Enlightenment and as revolution loomed in France, a message of propaganda that the French people should be brave, loyal and stand up and fight for their country. Because Enlightenment artists had been taught to paint in a style that was as realistic as possible, the best way to relay messages was through use of subtle symbols. Despite David's ability to paint minute details, the emotion in this painting seems to be very restrained. The brothers' and the fathers' faces seem almost expressionless whilst the women seem to be the only people even remotely sombre about the prospect of the triplets dying in battle. Perhaps this is a reflection of Enlightenment ideals, in that every man has his duty to fulfil and if death is the result, then so be it. The brothers' virtues of courage, patriotism and unquestioning loyalty seem to overpower the feminine emotions such as love, sorrow and despair as represented by the women.
Another important thing to note is how detailed the painting is. There is huge attention to detail in terms of facial features and the body proportions are in keeping with the golden ratio. The backdrop to the painting is dull and so to are the women in comparison to the male figures in the foreground, this certainly emphasises their importance to the picture and once again reinforces the idea of a patriarchal society
Another work of art that clearly reflects Enlightenment values is Joseph Wright of Derby's "Experiment with an Air Pump" (1768). The painting portrays a scientist demonstrating to a group of people how deprivation of oxygen can lead to death. He does this by using an air pump to create a vacuum and puts a bird (a Cockatoo) inside this vacuum.
Like "Oath of the Horatii", this piece has been painted with extraordinary accuracy, to the extent that it is almost like looking at a photograph. Wright successfully captures the facial expressions of all of the figures. The young lovers seem indifferent to what is happening around them, one young girl watches on eagerly, while another covers her face in distress. The scientist in the centre of the group shows an expression of fascination and is clearly engrossed in the experiment that he is performing. By portraying such a diverse group of people communally gathering round the scientist, Wright shows us the extent of the Scientific Revolution and how a newfound thirst for knowledge has impacted on all areas of society. The fact that the two young girls and another woman appear in this painting may also suggest that as science has advanced, so too has society and women have equal rights to learn.
The candle in the middle of the table is the main source of light in the painting everything else is in blackness. The light is emanating from the same area as the experiment is taking place and as a result, the message is that science is the key to enlightenment and without scientific experimentation people are blind and oblivious to what is happening around them.
Another key symbol in this painting is the moon in the background that can be seen out of the window. Many critics have suggested that this is a representation of "the Lunar Society" which Joseph Wright of Derby was allegedly a member of. The 18th-century Lunar Society saw the congregation of many of Britain's foremost scientists and innovators (which included Erasmus Darwin, Josiah Wedgewood and James Watt). Centred on Birmingham, it started ideas which had (and still have) a significant effect on the development of both the city and the country as a whole. Its members met to exchange information about experiments in the work place, scientific discoveries and commercial opportunities, influenced by Science, Industry, Medicine and Transport.
In terms of Enlightenment literature, books were written which sought to define and compartmentalise. Diderot's "Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des metiers" (1751) is a good example of this and is considered to be one of the first encyclopaedias ever. The fact that it compiled human knowledge in both arts and sciences meant that it discredited theology as the basis for human existence. As a result, people began to be sceptic about religion and consider other possibilities for the Earth's creation. The fact that such a vast amount of knowledge was condensed into a single book and furthermore made widely available meant that people now had the relevant information to think for themselves and not trust what they had been previously taught. The Encyclopédie played a vital role in the rise in intellectualism, which lead to the French Revolution. "No encyclopaedia perhaps has been of such political importance, or has occupied so conspicuous a place in the civil and literary history of its century. It sought not only to give information, but to guide opinion," wrote the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica.
In conclusion, the Enlightenment had an enormous impact on all aspects of art. In terms of visual art, the Enlightenment saw the formation of Academies, which revolutionised the way art was taught. According to their teaching, art had to be rational and realistic. It had to emulate life as perfectly as possible regardless of emotion and expression these conventions are clearly reflected in works of art from the era.
The Enlightenment also largely affected literature. The creation of the first encyclopaedias saw knowledge collected and categorically compiled into one book making it easier than ever before for all people to access factual information.
Bibliography:
http://www.groveart.com
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/ENLIGHT
The Social Contract or the Principles of Political Right: Book 1
Unpublished Studies for "The Oath of the Horatii" by Jacques-Louis David
- Arlette Calvet
DUO lecture notes
