The Enlightenment

Definition

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that emerged in Europe during the late 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. This period greatly influenced various fields, including art, as thinkers sought to challenge established norms and promote new ideas about human rights, democracy, and scientific progress, ultimately shaping the artistic expressions seen in Neoclassicism, which drew heavily from ancient Greek and Roman ideals.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Enlightenment thinkers, such as Voltaire and Rousseau, advocated for principles like liberty, equality, and fraternity, which influenced societal values and governance.
2. Neoclassicism, as an art movement, mirrored Enlightenment ideals by emphasizing clarity, symmetry, and adherence to classical forms found in ancient Greek and Roman art.
3. During the Enlightenment, there was a shift away from baroque extravagance towards simplicity and rationality in artistic expressions.
4. The period encouraged the idea that art should be a vehicle for moral instruction and civic virtue, reflecting the belief in progress through education.
5. The Enlightenment's legacy can be seen in how it laid the groundwork for modern democratic societies by promoting individual rights and challenging authoritarian structures.

Review Questions

• How did the principles of the Enlightenment influence the characteristics of Neoclassical art?
  • The principles of the Enlightenment fostered a focus on reason and clarity, leading Neoclassical artists to emphasize simplicity and adherence to classical forms. This movement was characterized by a return to ancient Greek and Roman aesthetics, which aligned with Enlightenment ideals of order and rationality. As artists sought to depict subjects that conveyed moral lessons and civic virtue, they drew upon themes from classical history that exemplified these values.
• In what ways did Enlightenment thought challenge traditional artistic norms prevalent before its emergence?
  • Enlightenment thought challenged traditional artistic norms by promoting individualism over collective traditions and encouraging artists to explore themes related to human rights and social progress. This shift led to a decline in the ornate styles of baroque art, as artists began to prioritize rationality, simplicity, and moral clarity in their work. As a result, artworks became more focused on conveying universal truths rather than merely reflecting the grandeur of religious or royal subjects.
• Evaluate how the Enlightenment contributed to broader cultural changes in Europe that influenced subsequent artistic movements beyond Neoclassicism.
  • The Enlightenment sparked significant cultural changes in Europe by fostering critical thinking, skepticism towards established authorities, and a belief in progress through education. These changes paved the way for subsequent artistic movements like Romanticism, which emerged as a reaction against Enlightenment rationalism by emphasizing emotion and individual experience. The legacy of Enlightenment ideas about personal freedom and expression continued to resonate through these later movements, shaping the evolution of Western art into modern times.

Related terms

Rationalism:

A philosophical stance asserting that reason is the primary source of knowledge and that it should be prioritized over sensory experience.

Humanism:

A cultural and intellectual movement that focused on the study of classical texts from ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing the value of human beings and their capacities.

Empiricism:

The theory that knowledge arises from sensory experience, highlighting the importance of observation and experimentation in understanding the world.