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The enigmatic legacy of Pompeo Batoni

Though he was trained to become a goldsmith, Pompeo Batoni’s heart and talent lay elsewhere. And despite his immense talents in painting, Batoni contributions to neoclassical painting are often overlooked and forgotten. His role of bringing back to life classical antiquity in mainstream art is often ignored. That is the result of several factors, but predominantly it is due to how little is actually known about Pompeo Batoni. Questions concerning who trained him and how he developed his skill remain unanswered. Indeed, when he moved to Rome at age 19 in 1727, the first documented case of Batoni’s works appear when he needed to support himself by drawing antique objects and British tourists in the city. Essentially, Pompeo Batoni was a glorified street portraitist. But, the story of Pompeo Batoni and his art only develops from there.
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Music from the 18th to the 20th century

Baroque, Romantic and Neoclassical music were styles of music during the time between the 18th century and the 20th century. Baroque music was a style of European classical music which was respected and inspirational between 1600 and 1750. Well-known and respected composers from the Baroque era were Arcangelo Corelli, Johann Sebastian Bach, Tomaso Albinoni, Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi and George Frideric Handel. “Baroque” comes from the Portuguese word barroco. Barrocco means ‘misshapen pearl’. The term Baroque originally described the era of time and later was used to refer to the style of music during that time. Baroque music developed just after the Renaissance which in turn was formed after Medieval music. Baroque music is known for its functional tonality which
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Setting the stage for neoclassical architecture

The story and meanings behind Rococo and Baroque  architecture

Nothing in existence simply “happens.” The creation of an entity requires stimulation, conception, and nurturing – whether it be an offspring, an event, or a simple idea. The increased popularity of neoclassical architecture in the mid 18th century did not occur because of a sudden societal nostalgia to revive the architecture of classical Greece and Rome. Certainly that is part of the equation, but more importantly, architectural movements are largely provoked by disenchantment with the mundane present. Neoclassical style was a reaction against the paradigms of the Renaissance architecture – chiefly, Rococo and Baroque architecture. It was these styles that laid the fertile foundations for neoclassicism to thrive.

Likewise, the Baroque architecture that largely defined European architecture in the 17th century was a reflection and affirmation of the times. Begun in Italy, Baroque style sought to extend upon the designs of the renaissance. However, the development of the Baroque architecture was largely dictated by
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The Times That Are Changing

It is woven and conditioned into our imaginations that “different” is synonymous with the “new.” To be unique requires no precedent. The field of architecture is no different in that respect – architectural movements and schools have continuously evolved, changed, and been invented because architects prefer to leave their mark and remove themselves from the mundane. That is precisely why neoclassical architecture stands in stark counterpoint. As the name of it suggests, it embraces the tried; the true; the old. The neoclassical style of architecture was conceived as a direct response to its disenchantment with the “new”, particularly Rococo and Baroque architecture that enjoyed popularity in the early 18th century when the neoclassical period began to gather its momentum.

The Rococo movement focused particular attention to the interior design of buildings and developed in France in the early 18th century. The Rococo style sought to display individual rooms as art itself, and consequently paintings were prevalent and furniture was intentionally highlighted as its own lavish form of art. As one would expect,
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Characteristics of Neoclassical Architecture

What defines this timeless movement?

Even the most inexperienced and naïve of the world of architecture would be capable of identifying the architectural landmarks that define the neoclassical movement. Indeed, many that are standing today remain as visually impressive as when they were constructed. Descriptive terms such as ‘classical’ and ‘imposing’ are among the characteristics that immediately are identified with neoclassicism. This is altogether unsurprising. Neoclassicism, after all, as a movement was rooted in two things: first, a backlash against the newer schools of architecture that gained popularity in the early 18th century. Second, neoclassicism was a product of an aching nostalgia for a lost world of architecture that inspired pride and strength, namely the classical Greek and Roman architecture.

Visuals such as Capitol Hill in the United States or the Prado Museum in Madrid offer a window as to why neoclassical architecture may be the most identifiable style that exists in architecture, even if many cannot identify it by name. The buildings are elaborate, symmetrical, imposing, and timeless works. Though neoclassicism adapted itself differently in individual countries, this
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From Death Arises Life

A desire to return to more basic
Symmetry and order
“Traditional Architecture”
- NEOCLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

There exists a popular cliché that is repeated to us – undoubtedly you have heard it- that goes: “From death arises new life.” Naturally, it is commonly associated with religious creed in the form of life after death; a message that death is not to be dreaded or feared for it produces something better and more perfect in its wake. Yet, the notion that the destruction of one entity will yield something better extends beyond theocracy. Many facets of life, politics, and idea are built on the foundations of previous or extinct entities. Nowhere is this more evident than in architecture. Neoclassical architecture represented a revolution in its truest sense. It was a reaction against the Baroque and Rococo, and an attempt to revive the essence of classical  Greco Roman forms from an epoch long past.
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