April 5
Eighteenth Century

 

 

English Rococo
British middle class wanted:
Portraits
Moralizing genre scenes
Landscapes
 
 
Reflected Enlightenment values:
Interest in social progress
Embrace of natural beauty
Faith in reason and science

 

 

 

 

 

 

William Hogarth
1697 - 1764

 

 

Marriage Contract

William Hogarth. The Marriage Contract. 1743 - 45.

 

 

Marriage a la Mode

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump

Joseph Wright. An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. 1768.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrews

Thomas Gainsborough. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews. c. 1748 - 49.
Janson, H.W. and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 6th Ed. Vol. 2. North Carolina: Prentice Hall and Harry N. Abrams, 2001. 2 vols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Joshua Reynolds
1723-1792

 

 

1769 Reynolds outlines his artistic theories in Discourses
Artists should follow rules derived from great masters
Artists should learn their craft by copying the great masters
Art should be universal rather than particular
Highest art form was history painting

 

 

 

 

Lady Sarah Bunbury Sacrificing toh the Graces

Joshua Reynolds. Lady Sarah Bunbury Sacrificing to the Graces. 1765.

 

 

"I'm sick of portraits, and wish very much to walk off to some sweet village where I can paint landscapes." - Sir Joshua Reynolds

 

 

Grand Manner = an elevated style of painting popular in the 18th century in which the artist looked to the ancients and the Renaissance for inspiration: for portraits as well as history painting, the artist would adopt poses, compositions and attitudes of Renaissance and antique models

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Siddons as Tragic Muse

Sir Joshua Reynolds. Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic Muse. 1784.
Janson, H.W. and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 6th Ed. Vol. 2. North Carolina: Prentice Hall and Harry N. Abrams, 2001. 2 vols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas Gainsborough
1727-1788

 

 

Portrait of Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Thomas Gainsborough. Portrait of Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 1785 - 87.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Siddons

Thomas Gainsborough. Mrs. Siddons. 1785.
Janson, H.W. and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 6th Ed. Vol. 2. North Carolina: Prentice Hall and Harry N. Abrams, 2001. 2 vols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Siddons as Tragic Muse
Mrs. Siddons
Sir Joshua Reynolds. Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic Muse. 1784.
Thomas Gainsborough. Mrs. Siddons. 1785.
Janson, H.W. and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 6th Ed. Vol. 2. North Carolina: Prentice Hall and Harry N. Abrams, 2001. 2 vols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Tour = educational tour of Europe (especially Itlay)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angelica Kauffmann
1741-1807

 

 

Cornelia Points to Her Children as Her Jewels

Angelica Kauffmann. Cornelia Points to Her Children as Her Treasures. c. 1758.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benjamin West
1738-1820

 

 

Death of General Wolfe

Benjamin West. The Death of General Wolfe. 1770.