Visual Expression of the Republican Ideals of Ancient Rome in France - Essay Example

Name: Institution: Professor: Course: Date of Submission: Visual Expression of the Republican Ideals of Ancient Rome in France Introduction The history of architecture reveals that the republican ideals of ancient Rome resurrected in the 18th century during the French revolution. It is also true that art has been a way through which human beings express their ideas. Neoclassicism is the flow of thoughts that bring out man’s seduction through the past. This implies that human beings attempt to relive what already existed. The neoclassical architectural movement associates itself with the 18th century French revolution under the reign of Napoleon. This time was a period of great transformations and revolutions. Some analysts referred to this period as the “age of reason”. Contextually, the neoclassical movement opposes the Baroque. This is a reaction of the bourgeoisie against the rococo. Largely, this is a period of enlightenment (Hammersley, 2005, pg. 63). The society reacts against demur of virtue and social thoughts that are influential. As opposed to the Baroque movement that valued symmetry and proportion, the neoclassical movement focused on aesthetics based on political criteria. The Rococo architectural style dominated the European art from the 1720s onwards. It took spirited efforts from the neoclassical ideologies to overrule this movement. The neoclassical movement received much momentum by the new archaeological inventions. The exploration of the ancient Roman cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii contributed a lot towards the neoclassical architectural styles. Republican Ideals of Ancient Rome Republican ideas of ancient Rome are characterised by the development of the Roman portraiture. This is associated with a stylistic cycle that alternately stressed realistic elements. All portraitures emerged in stages. Versiticism describes each stage of the Roman portraiture since every imperial dynasty focused on emphasis of certain factors of representation. This was in an effort to legalise their authority or support the revered predecessors. The stylistic elements competed with each other as they pushed the medium towards prospective artistic inventions. During the republic ideals, art highly valued devotion to public service and martial ability. As a result, republican citizens projected these ideals through their presentation in the portraiture. Their officials during the ancient time endorsed portrait busts that showed every wrinkle and impression of the skin. Heroic, full-length statues in most cases were genetic bodies onto which there was attachment of realistic verstic portrait heads. The general impact of this style offered the Republicans ideals objective form and presented an image that the sitter wanted to articulate. Republican ideals in Rome begin with Augustus, the emperors of imperial time. They entirely utilised the means of power as a tool for conveying particular ideologies to the Roman population. There was dissemination Augustus’ official portrait kind in the entire empire and put together the heroicizing perception of Hellenistic art (Sachs, 2009, pg. 101). This was done with Republican ideas of personal likeness to bring out an entire novel structure for portraiture that was at one time inventive and yet imperatively founded in a unique aspect of conventional Roman art. During this period, the Augustan and Julio-Claudian portraits stressed the youth, splendour, and goodwill of the new dynastic family. Through this, Augustus set a stylistic model that had a long-life effect on Roman portrait statuette until Constantine the Great came into reign. Classicism was characteristic of the Republic ideals in the Romantic art. This kind of portraiture gave a chance to emperors to express their emphasis on loyalties to the regal house (Cohen, 1973, pg. 62). In addition, they legalised their authority through visually associating themselves to their predecessors. For instance, Tiberius (r. 14-37 A.D.) had no relationship with Augustus. However, his statuette indicated a remarkable and fictionalised appearance that linked him to the princeps and helped validate his position as a successor. Other leaders in the Roman Empire that not intended to continue Augustus’ administrative ideas and concerned themselves with promoting their individual ideologies followed the Augustan and Tiberian portrait convention of classical. They also idealised aspects that indicated a formidable “family” semblance. During the Emperor Claudius reign, there was a change in the political movement, which favoured Republican standards. This as well had an impact on the artistic styles. His portraits reflected the increasing period and robustly resembled verstic portrait of the Republic. This was a move towards realism, which ultimately resulted into the characteristic styles of the second regal family: the Flavians (Sachs, 2009, pg. 128). In the year 68/69, A.D. led to the rise and fall of three different emperors. This initiated big transformations in Roman art. This had a lot of verstic representation that stressed their majestic power. A long period passed without any mention of the Republic ideals of Romantic art. Their resurrection in the 18 century during the French revolution had a huge impact on the artistic styles of France. This was evident during the reign of Napoleon. The Republic ideals affected construction of buildings in Rome, for instance the Colosseum. The Colosseum The Colosseum is perhaps the most outstanding building ever built by the ancient Romans. Built by Emperor Vespasian from 72 C.E. TO 80 C.E. the structure is at the centre of Rome. Unfortunately, Vespasian died a year to the completion of the building. The building, which had a capacity of about 55, 000 people, measures 188m long, 156m wide, and 48m high (Cohen, 1973, pg. 64). Because of its capacity, all its 80 entrances functioned during the many public functions it hosted. The structural size and grandeur in addition to its realistic and effective organization to provide fantastic view as well as serving large numbers of people give the structure its state of being the greatest statue ever constructed by Roman architects. Below its four stories were cages and devices used to hold wild animals such as lions and tigers. At the outer level of the structure, there are arcades that connect every side and stairway between the columns. In the construction of the Colosseum, the Roman designers borrowed so much from the ancient Greek architecture. However, a slight difference came in particularly based on the purpose of the building. The style adopted for the structure as well was of classical Greek (Sachs, 2009, pg. 122). The adoption of such elements by the Romans in the construction of their structures brings us to the knowledge that they valued so much social functions in the particular buildings. The high population in the region forced the Colosseum construction to take on such a style so that there could be accommodation of more people for religious as well as recreational purposes. Since this structure was set for public utility, there were discoveries to improve on the ancient Greek architectural design especially with vaults and arches. The architects had to employ a rich variety of building materials so that diverse sections paid credence to the function of the area. It is also clear from research that the construction of the Colosseum was in an important town and therefore was capable of serving wide range of individuals. Art of Revolution Principal artistic style in France during the 18th century is the neoclassicism. This as mentioned got a lot of influence from rediscovery of the art of ancient Rome (Cohen, 1973, pg. 75). As a result, artists cited the ancient classical world to repair contemporary ideologies and activities. As opposed to the perkily decorative Rococo art that came before the neoclassicism movement of art, the neoclassicism movement was widely informative, solemn, colossal, and huge. This implies that artists did their work with great attention to smallest details. The first move in implementation of the neoclassicism movement was to abolish the Academy System of the ancien régime that controlled the education of artists and their display of work (Hammersley, 2005, pg. 121). The National Assembly then affirmed that all artists had a chance to exhibit in the Salon, making entry to the exhibition free. The National Convention recognised that arts are significant in the growth of a novel society for their educational and motivating value. The French Revolution and philosophical ideologies that surrounded the neoclassicism movement also motivated artists as well as writers to perceive beyond science and reason to the force of nature, emotional and spiritual impetus of existence. It is during this time that the Romanticism movement, which stressed on the expression of individual creativity, arose to counter the analytical rationalism of classicism (innovation of the ancient classical past). This ended up being referred to as neoclassicism. During this period, most artists who had lost their earlier clients were supposed to be cautious of expressing counter avant-garde attitude. The fortune of most artists increased and decreased according to the political movements. Preference at this time had already stipulated that history painting had enjoyed an elevated status compared to the land, picture and variety painting. It realistically showed scenes from daily life. This was a period of terror, whose succession was a time of tranquillity under great self-possession and sophistication in artistic production. This slowly paved way for a resurrection of display and beauty in arts, under the Consular and then Empire times. Another thing associated with the neoclassicism movement was a call for celebration of images by the entire French nation. This meant celebration for the country’s emancipation, power and magnificence. The new bourgeoisie class endorsed by the Revolution looked for images of themselves and their environment (Hammersley, 2005, pg. 112). They established themselves as key clientele of the interior decoration, furniture, arts decorations, sculpture and painting. They also needed images that showed current events that represented outlooks from the outside world visited by Napoleon’s armies. The landscapes filled with the force of nature. The Consular and Empire Style These are unique styles in France, which received influence from ancient Rome ideologies. They came about during the Consular period that began in 1799 in France. This was a time when there was an overthrow of the Directory in a bloodless coup. Three consuls replaced the Directory, Napoleon included. Research indicates that the overthrow followed a number of military tragedies and revolts that led to lose of confidence in the federal government. Three years later, Napoleon regained his position as the emperor. After regaining his position, Napoleon used artists, designers and architects improve and legalise his regime. Charles Percier and Pierre-Francois-Leonard Fontaine became official architects and designers of the Emperor Style through Napoleon’s appointment (Hammersley, 2005, pg. 104). Designs of the Consular and Empire periods incorporated many military aspects that included symbols of war and triumph, majestic insignia, like the golden eagle, classical tribute leaves and laurel circlets. Notably, the symbols of authority directly connected the regime, the splendour and power of the ancient Roman Emperors. The above imagery-Jacob Frères- was the firm of brothers Georges II (1768-1803) and Francois-Honore Jacob (1770-1841) that made luxury finishing from 1793-1803. The chair is a true depiction of ancient Roman Empire chair for the royal family. The style employed sphinxes, winged-lions and portraits having heads of eagles on the table legs and armrests on chairs. In addition, broad, austere surfaces of overseas woods, especially mahogany, had ornaments with patterns of gilt-bronze characteristic of the ancient republican ideologies of ancient Rome (Hammersley, 2005, pg. 100). The furniture had monumental style, which reflected an ostentatious splendour. The furniture as well had heavy based that emphasized a colossal appearance and the symmetry followed closely. At the peak of the Empire period, documentation indicates that this style looked royal and bravura. To emphasis the borrowing from the ancient Roman Empire, Egyptian motifs became significant. This is because there is a close relationship between the Egyptian art and that of ancient Rome, especially detailed drawings of art and architecture published on the return of Napoleon after his campaign in Egypt (Carroll, 1994, pg. 91). Generally, neoclassicism as seen in the French paintings by the 1790s stressed on the qualities of outline and linear plan as opposed to those of colour, atmosphere and light effect. There was a widespread dissemination of engraving of classical statuettes. The Greek vase paintings were imperative in determination of these imitations. Painters of the neoclassicism movement emphasised depiction of costumes, the environment, and smaller details of their classical theme with a lot of historical accuracy. Directoire Style In design, the resurrection Republic ideals in Rome influenced the Directoire style in France. This style finds its name from the period 1795-1799, a time when the governance of France was through directors. The Directoire style was independent. This was a transition between the Louis XVI and the Consular style. The neoclassicism ideologies of the Directoire style are in the classicism of Louis XVI (Danto, 1964, pg. 600). The only unique thing about this style is that it had great moderation and utilised a wide range of symbols of equity, fraternity and autonomy linked to the revolution. During the reign of Louis XVI, neoclassicism (art and design that incorporated ideas from the ancient Rome), started replacing the exaggerations of the Rococo style. Resurrections of Pompeii and Herculaneum influenced the ideas of this style of art and design. Furniture and other equipment replicated in excess the excavation from Pompeii. As shown on the antique, the furniture replicated vases and reliefs. In addition, there was an imitation of the Greece design especially the klismos, which was a chair from ancient Greece. This chair had a curved backrest and bowed legs bursting outwards. This type of style was expansive in European design. The most notable art from the Directoire style was the day bed. It received inspiration from the ancient examples and put significance on the portraits of eminent beauty Madame Recamier. Design during this period mostly used emblems of the French Revolution. For instance, there was the Phrygian cap as well as a spade topped with a Phrygian cap to symbolize the Third Estate (Danto, 1964, pg. 568). It was during this period of the French revolution that there arose movements like the conceptual art movement. This movement emphasised on the visual art of colour. The Conceptual Art Movement The conceptual art movement is a type of contemporary art that in the first place considers notions found in visual means. In this kind of movement, artists believe that art is by the viewers and not the artist himself or the artwork. Artists made images more attractive through abstraction and colour (Danto, 1964, pg. 567). This is evident in the photo above adapted from the Austin Museum of Art. The conceptual art movement has emerged as an international contemporary art movement in the same era as the Pop-Art movement. This art is mostly referred to as art, which delivers an idea or fact in a way, which requires not utilizing of, indicating a tradition object. This was a rebellious kind of art movement, which came into being parallel to modernism as it attempted to question some of the objectives of the modernism art. The conceptual art movement is one of the areas that have influenced architectural designs of the modern society. From research done, it is evident that neoclassicism movement put more emphasis on pictorials structures as a way of running away from a divergent academic convention (Carroll, 1994, pg. 49). However, the 1960s to 1970s conceptual art is an art of ideas, which could not just make objects but also created documents. It had a number of premises that contravened the conventions of earlier art movements which only based principles on making objects out of aesthetics. Strategies of the conceptual art movement came into being and most of artists utilise them to reflect human life and existence. In architectural designs that emerged during the conceptual art movement, buildings not only meant to meet the aesthetics of the architect but reflect social cultural dispositions of the larger community. Just like the Pop Art of the time, concrete expressionism as well as minimalism associated with it, conceptual art movement has a historical background of the avant-garde activities, which came to being in the aftermath of wars. This makes it influence today in the visual art. This movement is particularly pertinent since it raised imperative concerns of artistic modernism. On the other hand, it addresses the wider social and political flaws that had emerged during the period immediately after the war. At this time, feminist and Marxism had set in. As a result, the conceptual art movement was set to admonish possibilities of evil deeds after the war. Because of the conceptual art movement, structures in architecture served both social and political functions in the society (Carroll, 1994, pg. 53). This made architecture more real as opposed to other notions of modernism. The conceptual art movement challenged the then existing forms for making, distributing and perceiving art. According to this movement, the earlier importance put on art structures was misplaced and resulted into a static as well as discriminatory art world (Cohen, 1973, pg. 81). This implies that only the few-privileged individual could get access to the art objects of that time. Following thing perceptions, earlier movements in art put emphasis instead of artists’ mental processes and means of production as the significance of work. Bibliography Carroll, N. 1994. The Historical Definition of Art. In Robert Yanal, ed., Institutions Of Art. State College: Pennsylvania State University Press. Cohen, T. 1973. The Possibility of Art: Remarks on a Proposal by Dickie. “Philosophical Review” 82: 69–82. Danto, A. 1964. The Artworld. “Journal of Philosophy” 61: 571–584. Hammersley, R., 2005, French Revolutionaries and English Republicans: The Cordeliers Club, 1790-1794, New York, Boydell & Brewer Ltd Sachs, J., 2009, Romantic Antiquity: Rome in the British Imagination, 1789-1832, Oxford University Press Read More

This was done with Republican ideas of personal likeness to bring out an entire novel structure for portraiture that was at one time inventive and yet imperatively founded in a unique aspect of conventional Roman art. During this period, the Augustan and Julio-Claudian portraits stressed the youth, splendour, and goodwill of the new dynastic family. Through this, Augustus set a stylistic model that had a long-life effect on Roman portrait statuette until Constantine the Great came into reign. Classicism was characteristic of the Republic ideals in the Romantic art.

This kind of portraiture gave a chance to emperors to express their emphasis on loyalties to the regal house (Cohen, 1973, pg. 62). In addition, they legalised their authority through visually associating themselves to their predecessors. For instance, Tiberius (r. 14-37 A.D.) had no relationship with Augustus. However, his statuette indicated a remarkable and fictionalised appearance that linked him to the princeps and helped validate his position as a successor. Other leaders in the Roman Empire that not intended to continue Augustus’ administrative ideas and concerned themselves with promoting their individual ideologies followed the Augustan and Tiberian portrait convention of classical.

They also idealised aspects that indicated a formidable “family” semblance. During the Emperor Claudius reign, there was a change in the political movement, which favoured Republican standards. This as well had an impact on the artistic styles. His portraits reflected the increasing period and robustly resembled verstic portrait of the Republic. This was a move towards realism, which ultimately resulted into the characteristic styles of the second regal family: the Flavians (Sachs, 2009, pg. 128). In the year 68/69, A.D. led to the rise and fall of three different emperors.

This initiated big transformations in Roman art. This had a lot of verstic representation that stressed their majestic power. A long period passed without any mention of the Republic ideals of Romantic art. Their resurrection in the 18 century during the French revolution had a huge impact on the artistic styles of France. This was evident during the reign of Napoleon. The Republic ideals affected construction of buildings in Rome, for instance the Colosseum. The Colosseum The Colosseum is perhaps the most outstanding building ever built by the ancient Romans.

Built by Emperor Vespasian from 72 C.E. TO 80 C.E. the structure is at the centre of Rome. Unfortunately, Vespasian died a year to the completion of the building. The building, which had a capacity of about 55, 000 people, measures 188m long, 156m wide, and 48m high (Cohen, 1973, pg. 64). Because of its capacity, all its 80 entrances functioned during the many public functions it hosted. The structural size and grandeur in addition to its realistic and effective organization to provide fantastic view as well as serving large numbers of people give the structure its state of being the greatest statue ever constructed by Roman architects.

Below its four stories were cages and devices used to hold wild animals such as lions and tigers. At the outer level of the structure, there are arcades that connect every side and stairway between the columns. In the construction of the Colosseum, the Roman designers borrowed so much from the ancient Greek architecture. However, a slight difference came in particularly based on the purpose of the building. The style adopted for the structure as well was of classical Greek (Sachs, 2009, pg. 122). The adoption of such elements by the Romans in the construction of their structures brings us to the knowledge that they valued so much social functions in the particular buildings.

The high population in the region forced the Colosseum construction to take on such a style so that there could be accommodation of more people for religious as well as recreational purposes. Since this structure was set for public utility, there were discoveries to improve on the ancient Greek architectural design especially with vaults and arches.

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