Article

Neoclassical sculpture represented an interesting combination of new and old ideas in art. On the one hand, he recovered and reinterpreted the aesthetic and formal ideals of classical Greek and Roman sculpture, but at the same time he incorporated new concepts arising from the Enlightenment and the revolutionary movements of the late 18th century.

Aspects taken from the classical tradition:

- Cult of the ideal beauty and harmonious proportions of the human body, based on Greek canons.
- Mythological themes and allegories taken from Antiquity.
- Predominance of serene, balanced shapes and pure lines.
- Use of white marble as the main material.
- Carving techniques and refined finishes inherited from Greek and Roman sculpture.

New elements contributed:

- Neoclassical spirit of return to the civic, patriotic and moral values of classical antiquity.
- Themes that exalted the ideals of freedom, reason and virtue of the Enlightenment.
- Representation of characters and events of the American and French revolutions.
- Heroic nudes with the aim of exalting republican and democratic values.
- Incorporation of some naturalistic features in expressions and gestures.

Neoclassical sculptors such as Antonio Canova, Bertel Thorvaldsen and Jean-Antoine Houdon sought to revive the greatness of Antiquity, but reinterpret it under the new ideals of their enlightened era. They combined classical formal perfection with a renewed civic, patriotic and virtuous spirit that broke with the previous rococo.
Latamarte

• Tags
• #Sculpture
• #neoclassicist
• #classical tradition
• #Antonio Canova
• #Bertel Thorvaldsen
• #Jean-Antoine Houdon