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In the 18th and 19th centuries, art began to serve as a tool for reflecting the political and social processes that took place in society. This paper will consider five works in neoclassicism, English painting, romanticism, and realism, which had a powerful social message and had a significant, and sometimes revolutionary, impact on contemporaries. Today these paintings still affect the audience, although they are viewed from a new point of view.
Hogarth, Breakfast Scene, 1745
William Hogarth transformed satire into visual art. Breakfast Scene is the second in a series of paintings under Marriage à la Mode (Kleiner, 2021). The artist ridicules the immorality and licentiousness of society. A man and a woman seated at a table seem entirely uninterested in each other. The picture over the heads of a young couple accurately comments on the situation: among the ruins. Hogarths satire reflects his goal of improving society and educating morality through artistic creation.
David, Death of Marat, 1793
David was a leading neoclassicist in France and was interested in ancient and biblical fine art, whose techniques he used in his painting. In 1789, when the Revolution broke out, David joined the Jacobins, a radical, revolutionary fraction. The Death of Marat captured the death of Davids associate Jean-Paul Marat, who was murdered in his bathtub (Kleiner, 2021). This event made a huge impression, and as a reaction, David created a modern, secular icon. The position of Marats hand and head references the themes of the removal of Jesus from the cross (Mazower, 2021). Like the biblical heroes, Marat suffered and died in torment, but for the faith and the Revolution.
Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People has become a symbol of the struggle for freedom and justice in France and throughout the world. This work is a visualization of the slogan Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood. Against the background of the recognizable landscape of Paris, Liberty is walking over the corpses (Kleiner, 2021). Her visual image combines a woman from the people and an ancient warrior goddess. Bare chest demonstrates the courage and willingness to defend their ideals, even at the cost of living. Behind her, the viewer sees representatives of all classes: aristocrats, workers, and boys.
Goya, Third of May, 1808
The Third of May, 1808 depicts the tragic moment of the execution of Spanish civilians by Napoleons soldiers. The punitive operation occurred in 1808 after the Spaniards attacked the French units stationed in Spain (Kleiner, 2019). On a mans face, the viewer sees a mixture of emotions: courage, patriotism, and anger. He froze in a pose reminiscent of Jesus on the cross, but the execution will not stop. A black sky emphasizes the gloominess and inevitability of reprisals. Goya intentionally uses a balanced perspective, hinting at medieval artists biblical subjects.
Courbet, The Stone Breakers, 1849
The Stone Breakers is painted in realism and reflects completely new themes for art: industrialization, technological progress, and labor rights (Kleiner, 2019). The artist does not try to reinforce the impression with the help of artistic techniques. On the contrary, muted colors should make viewers see the life of poor people for what it is. This work became famous and had a great resonance in French society. In 1848, the workers rebelled against the bourgeoisie, and labor issues were among the most pressing when the picture appeared.
The Meaning of Paintings to Audiences Today
The works of artists of the 18th and 19th centuries are now perceived from the point of view of contemporary problems and issues. For instance, the moral values of modern families may differ significantly from the ideas of William Hogarth. The art of Delacroix, Goya, and David was used as a form of propaganda (Mazower, 2021). For contemporary viewers, these works remained of the price for freedom and the mistakes that were made on the path to democracy.
References
Kleiner, F. P. (2021). Gardners art through the ages: The western perspective, volume II (16th ed.).
Kleiner, F. P. (2019). Gardners art through the ages: A global history (16th ed.). Cengage. ISBN: 9781337630702.
Mazower, M. (2021). The Greek Revolution: 1821 and the making of modern Europe. Penguin UK.
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