English 103
NEOCLASSICISM IN FRANCE
As in Britain, the reaction against the Rococo in France first appeared in architecture.
This sublime phase of Neoclassicism had a profound impact on painting.
Architecture: Rational Classicism
The first phase of French Neoclassical architecture was a reaction to the excesses of the Rococo, which had been about asymmetry, graceful movement, decorative flourishes, and curvilinear elegance.
The new architecture was about rational design, and hence is often called Rational Classicism.
Jacques-François Blondel- architect who Launches the attack on the
Rococo.
Blondel’s rationalism was seconded by the influential writer Abbé Marc-Antoine Laugier- he declared that function, not beauty, should determine the style of a building.
JACQUES-GERMAIN SOUFFLOT- architect an ardent follower of Blondel, who designed the most famous rationalist building.
Work: The Panthéon
MARIE- JOSEPH PEYRE- an architect, was a student of Blondel’s, and in 1751 he won the Rome Prize.
Work/ with Charles de Wailly: Façade of the Théâtre Français
CLAUDE-NICOLAS LEDOUX- architect also a student of Blondel. Ledoux was heavily influenced by Peyre s Architectural Works, Piranesi s publications, and Neufforge s Basic Collection of Architecture.
Work: Main entrance, saltworks, Arc-et-Senans, House of the river authority, ideal city of Chaux.
ÉTIENNE-LOUIS BOULLÉE- architect
Ledoux’s contemporary
One of Boullée s most famous visions is his design for a tomb for Isaac Newton.
Cenotaph- attributing “innate” symbolic qualities to the cube, pyramid, cylinder, and sphere, the last regarded as an ideal form.
Work- Project for a Tomb to Isaac Newton.
Painting and Sculpture:
Expressing Enlightenment Values
JEAN-BAPTISTE GREUZE- created the vogue for genre painting, and his scenes of everyday life were the sensation of the Paris Salons. attempted to match the intensity of emotion and gesture found in history painting. heavily influenced
As in Britain, the reaction against the Rococo in France first appeared in architecture.
This sublime phase of Neoclassicism had a profound impact on painting.
Architecture: Rational Classicism
The first phase of French Neoclassical architecture was a reaction to the excesses of the Rococo, which had been about asymmetry, graceful movement, decorative flourishes, and curvilinear elegance.
The new architecture was about rational design, and hence is often called Rational Classicism.
Jacques-François Blondel- architect who Launches the attack on the
Rococo.
Blondel’s rationalism was seconded by the influential writer Abbé Marc-Antoine Laugier- he declared that function, not beauty, should determine the style of a building.
JACQUES-GERMAIN SOUFFLOT- architect an ardent follower of Blondel, who designed the most famous rationalist building.
Work: The Panthéon
MARIE- JOSEPH PEYRE- an architect, was a student of Blondel’s, and in 1751 he won the Rome Prize.
Work/ with Charles de Wailly: Façade of the Théâtre Français
CLAUDE-NICOLAS LEDOUX- architect also a student of Blondel. Ledoux was heavily influenced by Peyre s Architectural Works, Piranesi s publications, and Neufforge s Basic Collection of Architecture.
Work: Main entrance, saltworks, Arc-et-Senans, House of the river authority, ideal city of Chaux.
ÉTIENNE-LOUIS BOULLÉE- architect
Ledoux’s contemporary
One of Boullée s most famous visions is his design for a tomb for Isaac Newton.
Cenotaph- attributing “innate” symbolic qualities to the cube, pyramid, cylinder, and sphere, the last regarded as an ideal form.
Work- Project for a Tomb to Isaac Newton.
Painting and Sculpture:
Expressing Enlightenment Values
JEAN-BAPTISTE GREUZE- created the vogue for genre painting, and his scenes of everyday life were the sensation of the Paris Salons. attempted to match the intensity of emotion and gesture found in history painting. heavily influenced