Neoclassical Era Peculiarities - Essay Example

The neoclassical era gets considered a period of enlightenment. The era drew inspiration from the classical art and culture of ancient Rome or ancient Greece in the fields of visual and decorative arts, architecture and music. The era is thought to have existed between the 18th and 20th centuries. The focus of the era was ethics, science, and government. Examples of popular artwork from the era include; the ‘A River’ painting by Jean-Jacques Caffieri and the ‘Bust of Vincent Coster’, a sculpture by Hendrick de Keyser (Bietoletti, 24). These art forms represented the period as they characterized the linear style and cool colours, and have a moral meaning behind them. The other representative characteristic of the visual art of the period was the sculpture forms.

An example of neoclassical architecture is the ‘national gallery of art’ in Washington DC and the ‘Lincoln Memorial buildings. These buildings are considered representative of the neoclassical era because of their emphasis on walls and the maintenance of separate identities for each of their parts (Bietoletti, 82). The buildings appear to have been inspired by classical architecture from ancient Greece or Rome and further get characterized by their tall columns that rise to the building’s full height and domed roofs.

Examples of neoclassical music include ‘the soldier’s Tale’ and ‘the firebird’ both composed by Igor Stravinsky, a famous neoclassical composer and musician. His music is representative of the era because it aimed at reviving earlier music forms such as those during the Romantic and baroque periods. The music avoided the complex forms and exaggerated gestures of the music witnessed during the late Romantic period. The music focused on reintroducing a tonal centre and a melodic element to bring out a clear form.