The art of classicism followed antique, that is, classical, patterns, which were considered the ideal aesthetic standard. Unlike the masters of the Baroque, the creators of classicism tried to follow the firmly established canons of beauty. The new era developed strict rules that determined how poetry and plays should be written, how to create paintings, how to dance, etc. The main principles of classicism are strict adherence to established norms and majesty.
Through the efforts of the French Academy, founded in 1634, in France, instead of numerous local dialects, a single literary language was gradually established, which became the most important means of not only developing culture, but also strengthening national unity. The Academy dictated linguistic norms and artistic tastes, contributing to the formation of the general canons of French culture. The formation of classicism was also facilitated by the activities of the Academy of Painting and Sculpture, the Academy of Architecture, the Academy of Music, which determined the norms of artistic creativity in the respective fields of art. The artistic canons of that era were formed under the influence of philosophical rationalism, the founder of which was the outstanding French thinker of the first half of the 17th century. R. Descartes.
Cartesianism, as the philosophy of Descartes is called, asserted faith in the omnipotence of the human mind and its ability to organize all human life on rational foundations.
The leading poet of classicism and its theorist in the field of poetry was N. Boileau, author of the poetic treatise "Poetic Art" (1674).
Dramaturgy
In dramaturgy, where classicism reached its greatest completeness, the principle of "three unities" was established, which meant that the whole plot unfolded in one place, at one time and in one action. Tragedy was recognized as the highest genre of theatrical art. In classical drama, the characters were clearly distinguished and opposed to each other: positive characters embodied only virtues, negative ones became the personification of vice. At the same time, good always had to win over evil.
The basis of the classical French tragedy was P. Kornel, who not only wrote plays that are still recognized as masterpieces of world drama, but also became a leading theorist of theatrical art.
Ballet
High perfection in the era of classicism was achieved by the ballet, to which the "king-sun" had a weakness, often going on stage himself. Ballet, which came from Renaissance Italy, under the auspices of the King of France, turned into a special kind of stage art. By the end of the XVII century. its canons were developed, turning ballet into the most classical of all types of classical arts.
Opera
Opera also came from Italy to France. The national operatic tradition, which originated at the court of Louis XIV, was also formed in line with classicism.
Classical canons in painting formed N. Poussin. French painting of the 17th century laid the foundations of a great national tradition, the further development of which brought France undeniable primacy in the field of fine arts.
Portrait
Louis XIV gave the royal palace of the Louvre at the disposal of the ministers of the Muses, which acquired its majestic eastern facade with him. Paris and its suburbs during the reign of the "sun king" were decorated with wonderful architectural monuments. "His Majesty's Buildings" turned into an entire industry, and everything built then is, in the words of the biographer Louis XIV, "a permanent world exhibition of masterpieces of French classical taste."
Since the time of Louis XIV, the primacy of France in many areas of culture has become universally recognized. French influence for a long time determined the main directions in the development of world art. Paris has become the center of the artistic life of Europe, a trendsetter and tastes that have become role models in other countries. material from the site
Palace and Park Ensemble Versailles
An outstanding achievement of that era is the grandiose palace and park ensemble Versailles. The best architects, sculptors and artists of that time participated in its construction. The parks of Versailles are a classic example of French park art. Unlike the English park, which is more natural, landscape in nature, embodying the desire for harmony with nature, the French park is characterized by a regular layout and a desire for symmetry. Alleys, flower beds, ponds - everything is arranged in accordance with the strict laws of geometry. Even trees and bushes are trimmed in the form of regular geometric shapes. The attractions of Versailles were also various fountains, rich sculpture, luxurious interiors of palaces. According to the French historian, no treaty "has given so much to the glory of our country as the ensemble of Versailles." “One of a kind in proportion, connecting the play of all the arts, reflecting the culture of a unique era,” Versailles still amazes the imagination of visitors.
Classicism - the direction of European culture of the late 17th - early 19th centuries. The name comes from the Latin word classicus, which means "exemplary". A distinctive feature of classicism is considered to be a strictly developed system of artistic norms that had to be observed, the manifestation of creative imagination was considered unacceptable. The ideas of classicism were present in all spheres of cultural life. Classicism in art, literature, painting, architecture, music was supposed to express universal harmony.
The basic principles of classicism were formulated in a treatise by Nicolas Boileau (France 1674). In it, he convincingly substantiated a number of artistic requirements that were made to literary creativity. Dramatic works had to be sustained in a strict way. The unity of place implies a fixed space where events take place, the unity of time - a certain, limited time period, the unity of action - one central storyline.
Also, according to F. Fenelon and M. V. Lomonosov, representatives of classicism in literature are required to observe a strict hierarchy of genres and styles. "High calm" - sublime vocabulary, genres: odes, heroic poems. "Middle Calm" - elegies, satirical works, dramas. "Low calm" - private and everyday life, genres: fables, comedies, letters. was prohibited. By the beginning of the 19th century, classicism began to be displaced from the pedestal by such styles as sentimentalism and romanticism. The pursuit of rigor and clarity has stopped.
In Russia, classicism appeared only at the beginning of the 18th century. The impetus for its development was the theory of "Three Calms" by Lomonosov, the reform of Trediakovsky. The most famous representatives of classicism in Russia: Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin (comedy), Antioch Dmitrievich Kantemir (satire), Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin and Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov (ode), Ivan Ivanovich Khemnitser and Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov (fable). The central problem of the society of that time was the problem of power, therefore Russian classicism has its own peculiar aspects, unlike Western classicism. Since after that no emperor came to power legally, the problem of intrigues, palace coups, and the monarch's inconsistency with the expectations of the courtiers and the people was relevant. It is these problems that are reflected in Russian classicism.
Representatives of classicism in music, for example, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, entered world history forever. Their works became a guideline for the development of further musical composition. Musical works began to have a clearer structure, all parts of one work were balanced.
Classicism strongly influenced such a branch of culture as architecture. Antique forms were used, Greek, Roman motifs are visible. Pastel shades predominate. In Russia, a mixture of Russian baroque is also very noticeable. Representatives of classicism in Russian architecture: Kazakov, Eropkin, Zemtsov, Korobov, Rossi, Stasov, Montferrand.
As a rule, it emphasizes the smoothness of forms, and the main elements of the form are line and chiaroscuro. N. Poussin and K. Lorrain are recognized as one of the best painters. Poussin created masterpieces depicting heroic deeds, plots in a historical style. Lorrain, in turn, was engaged in landscapes, where the connection between man and nature, the harmony of their interaction is noticeable. Representatives of classicism in Russian painting: the unsurpassed master of the subject A.P. Losenko, his students (I. A. Akimov, P. I. Sokolov and others).
Translated from Latin "classicus" means - "exemplary". In simple words, classicism at the very dawn of its formation was considered ideal in terms of painting. The artistic style developed in the 17th century and began to gradually disappear in the 19th century, giving way to such trends as romanticism, academicism (a combination of classicism and romanticism) and realism.
The style of painting and sculpture of classicism appeared at a time when artists and sculptors turned to the art of antiquity and began to copy many of its features. The ancient art of Greece and Rome during the Renaissance produced a real surge of interest in works of art and creativity. The authors of the Renaissance, who today are considered one of the greatest creators in history, turned to ancient motifs, plots, and most importantly, the forms of depicting human figures, animals, environments, compositions, and so on. Classicism expresses the exact image, but the figures in the paintings of artists look quite sculptural, one might even say - exaggeratedly unnatural. People on such canvases may seem like frozen sculptures in "speaking" poses. The poses of people in classicism speak for themselves what is happening at the moment and what emotions this or that character is experiencing - heroism, defeat, grief, and so on. All this is presented in an exaggerated and ostentatious manner.
Classicism, which was built on the foundations of the ancient depiction of men and women of idealized athletic or exaggeratedly feminine physique, required Renaissance artists and artists of subsequent periods to depict people and animals in their paintings in this form. Therefore, in classicism it is impossible to find a man or even an old man with flabby skin or a woman with a shapeless figure. Classicism is an idealized image of everything that is present in the picture. Since in the ancient world it was accepted to depict a person as an ideal creation of the gods, which has no flaws, the artists and sculptors who began to copy this style fully began to correspond to this idea.
Also, classicism often resorted to ancient mythology. With the help of ancient Greek and Roman mythology, both the plots from myths themselves and contemporary plots for artists with elements of ancient mythology (antique architecture, gods of war, love, muses, cupids, and so on) could be depicted. Mythological motifs in the paintings of classical artists subsequently took the form of symbolism, that is, through ancient symbols, the artists expressed this or that message, meaning, emotion, mood.
Paintings in the style of classicism
Gros Antoine Jean - Napoleon Bonaparte on the Arcole Bridge
Giovanni Tiepolo - Cleopatra's Feast
Jacques-Louis David - Oath of the Horatii
Jacques Louis David "Portrait of Lavoisier and his wife Marie-Anne", 1788 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Classicism Lavoisier was a chemist known for his research on oxygen, gunpowder and the chemical composition of water. David conveys an almost domestic friendliness to the image of a scientist sitting at a table surrounded by working instruments. His wife is standing next to him. The manuscript lying before Lavoisier is probably his Treatise on Elementary Chemistry, ...
Ivan Fomich Khrutsky "Flowers and Fruits", 1839 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow Classicism Khrutsky's painting "Flowers and Fruits" cannot leave any spectator indifferent. Luxurious still life with objects that the artist especially loved. Faience jug filled with a rich combination of various colors. Nearby is a simple bast tuyesok. There is a huge variety of fruits on the table. Peaches and pears, pumpkin and lemon,…
Pierre Paul Prudhon "Justice and Divine Retribution Pursuing Crime", 1808 Louvre, Paris Classicism This painting occupies an important place in the creative heritage of P. P. Prudhon. The content of the picture, the meaning of the allegory embedded in it, the artist reveals in one of the letters dated 1805. He writes: “Under the roof of night, in a desert landscape, the greedy Crime, having strangled and robbed its victim, ...
John Singleton Copley, Girl with a Bird and a Dog, 1767 Toledo Museum of Art, USA Classicism
Ivan Petrovich Argunov "Portrait of an Unknown Woman in Russian Costume", 1784 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow Classicism The portrait of an unknown woman reflects the interest in the peasant theme that appeared at that time in Russian society. Argunov, who himself came from the serfs of Count Sheremetyev, strove to show in portraits the natural beauty and dignity of a person, regardless of his class affiliation. The image of a peasant woman in this work of the artist ...
Ivan Ivanovich Firsov "Young Painter", 1765-1766 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow Classicism Ivan Firsov's painting "Young Painter" is one of the first works of Russian genre painting. Archival documents testify that the Russian artist Ivan Firsov, decorator of the imperial theaters, lived and worked in Paris in the mid-1760s, where he improved his skills at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. There…
Virgilius Eriksen "Portrait of Catherine II in front of a mirror", 1762 - 1764 State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg Classicism The name of Catherine the Great, who ruled the country for 34 years, is associated with the entire history of Russia in the second half of the 18th century. In addition, she was one of the most powerful and successful monarchs in Europe of her time. The ideal, hero and example of a statesman for Catherine was ...
Claude Lorrain "Noon (Rest on the Flight into Egypt)", 1661 Hermitage, St. Petersburg Classicism It is no coincidence that the artist chose a holy biblical subject for his sublimely beautiful landscape. And where else could a believing Catholic place the Holy Family for rest - the Virgin Mary, the baby Jesus, the betrothed Joseph and the Angel accompanying them? An idealistic picture of the story with a peacefully grazing herd, majestic trees, graceful ...
