Sidmouth U3A Art Appreciation: Ingres and Delacroix

Johann Winckelmann

Lecture notes

Neoclassicism

In the 18th century there was a revival of interest in the classical world of Greece and Rome. Wealthy Europeans took the "Grand Tour" to marvel at classical architecture. In 1750 the German art historian Johann Winckelmann wrote "Thoughts on the Imitation of Greek Works in Painting and Sculpture" (1750) and this became essential reading for those studying art. He followed this in 1764 with "The History of Art in Antiquity" which extolled the virtues of Greek sculpture and architecture.

“Beauty, as the highest aim and as the central focus of art, ...”

Beauty resides “in part in measures and relations, in part in forms, ..”

"All beauty is enhanced by unity and simplicity"

"..a beautiful body will be all the more beautiful the whiter it is.."

"Stillness is the state most proper to beauty."

Winklemann's ideas became central to the practice of art in the late eighteenth century and led to a style known as “Neoclassicism”. Its greatest exponents were the French artists, Jacques-Louis David and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.

History of the Art of Antiquity http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mbWo3EaeGPEC

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (29 August 1780 – 14 January 1867)

Ingres aged 24. Self portrait 1804.

Ingres' father was a stonemason and amateur musician and his mother was a housewife. He was born in the town of Montauban in the South of France (about 40km north of Toulouse). He was the eldest of five surviving children. He attended the École des Frères de l'Éducation Chrétienne between 1786 and 1791 but left school aged 11 because the school closed as a result of the French Revolution.

His father enrolled him in the Académie Royale de Peinture, Sculpture et Architecture in Toulouse where he was taught by the neoclassical painter Guillaume-Joseph Roques who was heavily influenced by Raphael. Ingres was also an accomplished musician.

In 1797 Ingres won a prize to study art with the pre-eminent neoclassical artist of the age, Jacques-Louis David. David's studio was attended by students who believed deeply in neoclassical ideas and there was a faction, called Barbus or Primitifs, that effected classical dress and beards to display their classical credentials. After two years at David's studio Ingres enrolled at the Ecoles des Beaux-Arts in 1799. He won the “Rome Prize” in 1801 for his The Ambassadors of Agamemnon in the Tent of Achilles.

The Prix de Rome provided funds for a four year study leave in Rome. Unfortunately the funds for the prize were not made available until 1806. In the meantime Ingres established a reputation as a portrait painter and his painting “Portrait of a Woman” (now lost) was selected for the Salon in 1802.

In 1803 Ingres was one of five artists selected to paint Napoleon's portrait for distribution to the Empire.

At this time he set up his own studio and academy within an old Capuchin monastery in Rue de la Paix.

In the 1806 Salon he had four paintings selected, three portraits (Philibert Rivière, Mme Rivière, and Mlle Rivière) and a controversial portrait of Napoleon which caused consternation both for its excess and for verging on the Gothic rather than Neoclassical style. It is remarkable as a demonstration of virtuoso textile painting.

1806 was a busy year for Ingres, he also became engaged to the artist Marie-Anne-Julie Forestier and joined the French Academy in Rome in September., working from a studio in the garden of the Villa Medici. Shortly after his arrival in Rome he said: "I was misled, Sirs, and I had to begin my education again." (Louvre biopic http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/bather-known-valpincon-bather )

As part of his study tour he sent three pictures to Paris as evidence of his progress: Oedipus and the Sphinx, The Seated Woman and Jupiter and Thetis.

In Ancient Greek myth Oedipus meets the sphinx on the road, it threatens to kill him unless he can answer a riddle: "What walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon and three at night?". Oedipus answered: "Man: as an infant, he crawls on all fours; as an adult, he walks on two legs and; in old age, he uses a 'walking' stick" .

The Valpincon Bather is named after one of its owners. It was originally called “The Seated Woman”.

His final submission, in 1811, was Jupiter and Thetis. This was a very large work – about 3m x 2.5m.

The painting shows the nymph Thetis pleading for the life of Achilles, her son. Jupiter looks quite Napoleonic. Notice how the slight distortion of the female form in the Valpincon Bather is now becoming the sacrifice of form for the sake of line. The supplicant Thetis stretches all over the solid God.

His paintings of this period were widely condemned by critics as being too “gothic”. Ingres was offended by this criticism:

“It is not possible that one day I suddenly became gothic; it is only the comparison with the sloppy and cowardly sort of painting which makes even connoisseurs misjudge my paintings , so that they call gothic that which is strong and noble”. (1)

Ingres had developed a style of romantic classicism that, at first, was unpopular with classicists and later became unpopular with romantics. However, his work became increasingly popular with those those who were not aligned with these extremes. His romanticism lay in his choice of subject matter and style of presentation and his classicism lay in his technique where he elevated line above colour.

When his five year prize money had run out Ingres lived “seul, fier, et triste” (Theophile Gautier – French art critic and poet). He made a living painting portraits for English tourists in Italy. In 1813 he married Madeleine Chapelle.

The marriage appears to have been happy even though the courtship was carried out entirely by mail.

In 1814 he painted one of his most famous works - “La Grande Odalisque” - in English “The Large Concubine”.

Ingres was exposed to the works of the Italian Mannerists at this time and was emboldened to allow the lines in the painting to extend to display languidness and sexual availability.

Ingres and his wife moved to Florence in 1820.

In 1820 Ingres obtained a commission to paint the Vow of Louis XIII for the cathedral in Montauban. He completed the commission in 1824 and exhibited at the Salon of that year. The painting was a huge success and led to Ingres receiving the Cross of the Legion of Honour and being appointed to the Institute de France. He returned to Paris in triumph.

Ingres knew what he was doing when he painted emperors and kings and this painting yielded the hoped for return to fame and prestige. It has been hailed as a truly Rafaelesque picture that demonstrates what Ingres had learnt in Italy.

Ingres set up a successful studio in Paris. In 1827 he received a commission from the government to paint “The Apotheosis of Homer”.

This was widely acclaimed at the time. However, as a later critic says: “His aim was to show a kind of "School of Athens" containing all the famous men of ancient and modern times. …. In spite of one or two fine single figures (such as the Muses at the base of the throne), and in spite of the clear, brilliant color scheme, the large canvas is stilted and unconvincing.” ( Friedlaender 1952).

The Apotheosis of Homer is certainly classical rather than romantic classicism or gothic and led to critics regarding Ingres as the quintessentially classical artist of his time.

However, it was as a portrait painter that Ingres truly excels. His portrait of Louis Francois Bertin was exhibited in the 1833 Salon. It was a critical failure but the skill of the artwork is undeniable.

The flattering realism of Ingres' portaits guaranteed a string of commissions. Despite his skill at portraiture Ingres was determined to produce large, historical pictures. His submission of the Martyrdom of St Symphorien in the 1833 Salon was a critical failure.

Ingres was mortified by this rejection and returned to Italy as director of the French School in Rome.

In Rome he seemed to recover his classical poise in the painting “La Stratonice” which he sent back to Paris for exhibition. La Stratonice was a critical success.

Antiochus was the son of Seleucus, King of Syria. He developed a wasting illness that resisted all cures. Eventually the great physician Erasistratus was called and he diagnosed that Antiochus was love sick for his young stepmothedr Stratonice. Erasistratus persuaded Seleucus to give his wife to his son and the sickness was cured. David had also painted this tale in 1774

Ingres returned to Paris in 1841 and over the next 26 years until his death in 1867 aged eighty six painted many portraits and created some of his most memorable work. He was especially fond of oriental themes.

Perhaps his most famous painting is “La Source” - The Spring in English.

The model was a sixteen year old girl. It has similarities with Praxiteles' sculpture, the Aphrodite of Knidos and almost looks like a painting of a sculpture.
1. Walter F. Friedlaender. 1952. David to Delacroix. Harvard University Press
2. Siegfried, S. L., & Rifkin, A. 2001. Fingering Ingres. Oxford: Blackwell

Romanticism

Whenever there is a formal, rationalist movement there is always a reaction. Reason is not enough. The reaction to Classicism, neo-classicism and eighteenth century materialism was Romanticism. In Britain this movement was particularly strong amongst poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge, it was also the driving force behind a movement in art typified by the work of Blake and Constable in England and perhaps most popularised by the German artist Caspar Friedrich.

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix 1798-1863

Eugene Delacroix aged c. 40. c.1840

Eugene Delacroix was born the son of Charles Delacroix who had been Minister of Finance under Louis XVI and was a Deputy of the National Convention when Eugene was born. His family was closely connected with Maurice de Talleyrand, the famous French diplomat and Foreign Minister. It is rumoured that Charles was infertile when Eugene was conceived and that he was in truth the son of Talleyrand. Talleyrand protected and patronised Eugene throughout his career.

Eugene was educated at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, and at the Lycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen. He joined the studio of Pierre-Narcisse Guérin, a prominent French artist, in 1815.

Delacroix's early work is fairly free from neo-classicism and shows that he is using colour and the swirling forms that were popular amongst baroque artists.
The picture was a commission won by the artist Theodore Gericault for the Bishop of Nantes. Gericault was a friend of Delacroix and passed him the commission to ease his financial position. It was turned down by Nantes cathedral and ended up in Ajaccio cathedral in Corsica.

Eugene was heavily influenced by Gericault's Raft of the Medusa:

In 1822 Eugene painted a similar tableau called “The Barque of Dante”, the theme of which is taken from Canto 8 of Dante's Inferno and shows Dante crossing the river Styx.

Notice how Gericault used an almost porcelain finish for his figures and background whereas Delacroix suggests the background with colour and binds his characters together with his freer brushwork. Apparently this painting was derided by the public but purchased by the State.

Delacroix was capable of brilliant portraiture and detail when he desired:

Eugene was also influenced by the energy and colour of Rubens.

In 1825 he visited England and developed an interest in English romantic literature, particularly Scott and Byron.

The Assassination of the Bishop of Liege was based on a scene from Scott's novel “Quentin Durward”, about a Scottish archer fighting for the French.

Sometimes Delacroix's romanticism borders on the adolescent, such as in the Death of Sardanapalus.

Inspired by Lord Byron’s tale of Sardanapalus, the Assyrian king, Delacroix created this massive 12 by 16 foot masterpiece. As the tale goes, once, Sardanapalus learned he was facing military defeat, he ordered all his possessions destroyed, including his many concubines, servants and animals, before he committed suicide.

Delacroix followed Byron's involvement in the Greek struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire. His painting “The Massacre at Chios” records the suppression of the Greek Independence movement by Ottoman forces. Delacroix portrays the Ottoman cavalryman as a typical cavalry dandy carrying out orders without much of a second thought. The division of humanity into anti-racists and evil people was only popularised from the 1980s onwards – to Delacroix there were just people.

Eugene's political sentiments were also expressed in his painting “Liberty Leading the People” which was actually executed during the three days of the July 1830 Revolution when power in France transferred from the House of Bourbon to the House of Orleans.

Liberty Leading the People was purchased by the French Government immediately after the July Revolution and was put on permanent display after the 1848 Revolution as iconic of Revolutionary sentiment.

Delacroix, as a member of the elite Parisian “Hashish Eater's Club” (3), was motivated to find better hashish and could also appreciate the styles that appeal to people who are stoned. Middle Eastern musical forms in particular are more comprehensible to western sensibilities after hashish. He visited Algeria and Morocco in 1832 after the French conquered Algeria.

Delacroix's orientalism frequently included the hookah and the hooker.