Classical Revolt

     The 18th century to mid 19th century was a political firestorm worldwide.  Also called the "Age of Revolutions", in just around 150 years we got Circassian, Industrial, American, French, Haitian, and Serbian Revolutions, just to name a few.  Revolutions are many things, but one thing they are most certainly not is clean.  Social and political upheavals are messy and brutal, especially during this time period.  American soldiers fighting and dying for freedom en masse, and only a few years later the French aristocracy starts coming in 1st place at the Headless Horseman look-alike contest thanks to Joseph-Ignace Guillotin's most famous invention.  This was a gritty and savage period in history, which is why it's very interesting to me that dozens of artists depicted moments from this period through a brighter, more glorious lens.

Eugene Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, 1830, Oil on Canvas

    A fantastic example of this is Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix, painted in late 1830 in France.  It was painted as a commemoration of the July Revolution of 1830, which dethroned Charles X of France.  The painting beautifully depicts the masses revolting against the monarchy, a massive crowd of citizens marching over the bodies of French soldiers from the era, led by the female embodiment of Liberty, proudly waving the French flag in one hand and brandishing a musket in the other.  The piece has definite elements of violence and gruesomeness in it (See above: the young boy dual-wielding flintlock pistols), but based on the artist's choice in framing and palette of bright, vibrant colors, it is not a condemnation of this violence.  It's a celebration of the triumph of the average citizen over the aristocracy.


John Trumbull, The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775, 1786, Oil on Canvas 

    Another example of glory in revolutionary art is John Trumbull's 1786 piece, The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775, painted in America.  It depicts the death of General Richard Montgomery during the Invasion of Quebec, the first major military operation of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.  General Montgomery was one of the generals leading the invasion but was killed in battle.  The painting depicts the death of the general, surrounded by his grieving and shocked officers.  The piece uses color, shape, and lighting to give the scene an almost ethereal tone, the whispy battle flags behind the officers blending into the dark clouds above contrast against the pristine gold and green uniform Montgomery is wearing.  Speaking of the uniform, it's also completely spotless, even though the real General Montgomery died to grape-shot (basically buckshot for cannons) hitting his thighs and head.

Emanuel Leutze, Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851, Oil on Canvas

    And finally, possibly the most well-known revolutionary painting, Emanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware.  It's a very good painting, but it sacrificed historical accuracy for glorious reverence to George Washington.  The actual crossing of the Delaware River was said to be a miserable experience.  It was New England in December at night and the weather was abysmal, soldiers huddled together for warmth in cramped rowboats, pushing through floating blocks of ice with not a lot of room for Washington to strike a Captain Morgan pose.


Sources:

Dorbani, Malika Bouabdellah. “Work July 28: Liberty Leading the People.” July 28: Liberty Leading the People | Louvre Museum | Paris, 2009, www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/july-28-liberty-leading-people.

Editorial, Artsy, and Isaac Kaplan. “How France's Violent Revolutions Impacted Some of Its Most Important Artists.” Artsy, 13 July 2016, www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-how-france-s-violent-revolutions-impacted-some-of-its-most-important-artists.

Fischer, David Hackett. “Washington's Crossing An Excerpt for President's Day Weekend Introduction: The Painting.” OUPblog, 17 Feb. 2006, blog.oup.com/2006/02/washingtons_cro/.

“Guillotine.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/guillotine#ref193500.

Comments

  1. LuanneMarch 18, 2021 at 5:17 AM

    This was a great post! I really liked how you broke down each of your example paintings, describing in detail their historical context, as well as their artistic elements that reflect (and are influenced by) the moments of the vast amount of revolutions that occurred during this period. It's so interesting to see how although each painting depicts a scene from a different revolution, and how each one does not illustrate the same emotional atmosphere. For example, while Delacroix's work paints a celebration of triumphant, Trumbull's, provides a tragic moment, and Leutze's lacks historical accuracy by covering it with something hopeful. (Just as I learned from your blog!). I find Revolution paintings interesting because artists can either capture a scene either tragically or more hopefully, regardless of how the moment actually occurred. 

    ReplyDelete
  2. KimberlyMarch 18, 2021 at 8:58 PM

    I decided to do revolution art as well. I really like how you explain about Washington Crossing the Delaware how it was miserable for men. For me, I can see that there is a hope and strength in that artwork. George Washington standing up and that represent of strength to me.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction

Image
 My name is Garrett.  I was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska.  Most of my interests are related to comics, horror movies, unsolved mysteries, and art.  I am currently twenty years old and I hope to eventually get a degree in Art with a minor in creative writing, and I have an online store where I sell some of my designs. Li I (1974), by H.R. Giger      I have been drawing since a pencil could fit into my hand, and my personal favorite medium to work in is pen and ink with Microns and dip pens.  I am mainly interested in horror and thriller-based content.  I grew up fascinated by films such as "Alien" (1979) and "Hellraizer" (1987), and their aesthetics helped to shape my art style.  Naturally, I reference the creative minds behind the visuals of those films, H.R. Giger and Clive Barker, as significant influences on my style and creative process, along with artists with similar aesthetics such as  Masahiro Ito  and  Zdz...
Read more

The Great War's Effect on the Early Modern Era

Image
      World War I, or the Great War, was one of the most catastrophic events to happen in the 20th century.  The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand set off a dense chain-reaction of political rivalries and alliances through all of Europe and Asia like throwing a bowling ball into a room full of mousetraps.  From Serbia to Germany to the United States to the Ottoman Empire to Australia, the only continent on the planet left unscathed by the conflict was Antarctica. John Singer Sargent, Gassed , 1919, Oil on Canvas     One of the most horrific factors in WWI was the invention of chemical warfare, specifically the use of  bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, or mustard gas, depicted above in John Singer Sargent's Gassed , painted 1919 in London.   Gassed  was commissioned in 1918 by the British War Memorials Committee for the Hall of Remembrance, a series of artworks created to memorialize the lives lost in the Great War.   The...
Read more