Neoclassical and Goya’s Art: A Comprehensive Analysis
Neoclassical Painting: General Characteristics
Inspired by Enlightenment ideas and classical models (mainly Roman friezes and Pompeian painting), Neoclassical painting emerged as a dominant artistic style. (Note that very little painting from classical antiquity survives.) Common themes included mythological and funerary subjects, often depicted on sarcophagi within the paintings. Line drawing and sculptural impact took precedence over color. Artists favored cold light and primary colors. Compositions were almost always geometric, perfect, and balanced, utilizing triangles, circles, or rectangles to create a sense of serenity.
Jacques-Louis David: Master of Neoclassicism
Jacques-Louis David often incorporated architectural or neutral backgrounds in his works. His art is characterized by cold, conceptual lighting and balanced compositions. His paintings emphasize heroism, drawing inspiration from the symmetry and parallel arrangement of figures found in classical reliefs. When painting models, he rendered his figures as if they were ancient statues, with many works referencing Greek and Roman sculptures. Many of his pieces were inspired by historical events, but he imbued them with contemporary meaning, conveying a moral message relevant to the society of his time. David was a painter deeply involved with the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era.
The Death of Marat: A Powerful Depiction of Martyrdom
The Death of Marat is an oil painting that portrays a historical event of its time. The composition is simple yet powerful, featuring a nude figure against a cold, neutral background. The vast emptiness above Marat accentuates his greatness and revolutionary spirit. Objects are depicted as if slowly dropping. David, who was part of the Jacobin Convention in 1792, was intimately familiar with death. The painting is dominated by line drawing and cool tones. The composition resembles a frieze, with the hard shape of the head adding to the overall structure. Elements like paper and stone symbolize life.
Oath of the Horatii: A Neoclassical Masterpiece
Oath of the Horatii is a historical painting by David, created in the late 18th century (1784) and currently housed in the Louvre. It is an emblematic work of Neoclassicism. The background features architectural elements. The left side depicts warriors, while the right side shows elderly women. The composition is designed like a frieze. Cold light breaks into the figures. Two main groups are presented: citizens/warriors and women/elderly. The father stands isolated between these groups, serving as the focal point of the composition. A triangular structure is formed on the left side. The three heads, arms, and legs of the warriors create a sense of unity, leading the viewer’s eye towards the background. There is a progressive loss of illumination from front to back. The painting is rationally designed, with a strong emphasis on drawing over color. The columns and floor utilize geometric and linear perspective. The color palette includes red, gray, and a cool light green.
Napoleon Crossing the Alps: Art in Service of the Empire
After the fall of the Revolution, David served Napoleon, creating works that glorified the Empire, such as Napoleon Crossing the Alps.
Francisco Goya y Lucientes: A Unique Artistic Journey
Francisco Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828) is sometimes considered a Neoclassical artist, but his genius and unique style warrant individual study.
Biography of Francisco Goya
Born in Fuendetodos (Zaragoza) in 1746, Goya began his artistic training in the workshop of José Martínez Luzán, copying paintings by other artists. In 1771, he received a commission to paint frescoes in the Basilica del Pilar in Zaragoza. He married Francisca Bayeu in 1773. He later began painting cartoons for tapestries to decorate the rooms of the royal palaces. In 1780, he entered a competition at the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando with a painting of a crucified Christ. A serious illness in 1792 left him deaf, contributing to his isolation and the development of a unique artistic world filled with nightmares and personal fears, reflected in his increasingly dark and stormy works. His series of engravings, “Los Caprichos,” created between 1792 and 1799, exemplifies this shift. He subsequently experienced a period of great success, producing works like the frescoes of San Antonio de la Florida in Madrid, The Family of Charles IV, and the two Majas. The War of Independence in 1808 marked another crisis in his life. He spent his last years alone and ill. In 1823, due to the unbearable situation in Spain, he moved to France, where he died in Bordeaux in 1828.
Characteristics of Goya’s Early Work (Phase I)
- Clearly defined outlines in his drawings.
- Bright colors, with a predominance of reds.
- Frequent use of triangular compositions.
- Scenes with a limited number of characters, often depicting parties and popular entertainment, viewed from a Rococo perspective (an aristocratic style associated with Louis XIV of France, prevalent from 1715 to 1734).
- Noblemen and women are often disguised as “majos” and “manolas.”
- Women and children are prominently featured in these celebrations.
His cartoons exhibit a blend of Neoclassical and Rococo styles, with Rococo features gradually diminishing over time. As he progressed, the number of characters in his works increased, the figures became smaller, and the profiles sharper. He began to use stains and placed greater emphasis on light and atmosphere. In addition to cartoons, he also created portraits that aligned with the Neoclassical style, drawing inspiration from 17th-century Dutch and 18th-century English portraiture.
Goya’s Mature Period (Phase II, 1792-1808)
This phase is marked by Goya’s work as a court painter, during which he produced significant portraits like Portrait of the Family of Charles IV and The Naked Maja. Two major events shaped this period:
- His deafness, following a trip to Andalusia, caused a profound change in his character and artistic style.
- The War of Independence against the French had a significant impact on his work.