“The only way for us to become great”, observed Johann Joachim Winckelmann “lies in the imitation of the Greeks”. With this idea, the German-born art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann encapsulated the movement of neoclassicism. Seeking to recapture the essence of classical Greek and Roman art, neoclassicism became the widespread movement in visual art in the mid-18th century. It gained popularity partly as a backlash against the baroque and rococo styles that concerned themselves with aristocracy, excess, institutionalism, and vanity. This sentimentalism towards civilizations past was not limited to art. It was rooted in the societal and political happenings of the time, especially in Europe. Neoclassicism became more than an art style to many countries: it became intertwined with the moral revolutions of the century. To Winckelmann, art needed to move its audience and teach virtue. Much like in the civilizations of Greece and Rome, art represents and serves humanity.
In France, the Revolution of the late 18th century sought to reinvent its society by overthrowing old orders and establishing a society based on equality, intellect, and freedom. This romantic interpretation lent itself well to neoclassicists who had similar hopes for their art. The leading neoclassical painter in France was Jacques Louis David. His paintings illuminated ancient and moral iconography to represent proper virtue and morality. His painting Death of Socrates, for example, portrays the Greek philosopher sentenced to death for his beliefs. The moral lesson of martyrdom and truth captures the essence of what the Revolution sought to establish. It equates the death of Socrates to Saints illustrated on altarpieces in Church. Jacques Louis David became so important to the Revolutionary institutions that he was selected to head the art establishment of France to help navigate its virtue.
Despite being in the circle of Winckelmann, Anton Raphael Mengs, a German-born Catholic, offers an example of a different form of neoclassicism. While his work became increasingly maligned with the rise of romantic art, Mengs inclusion of faith as a source of inspiration and design demonstrates the importance of the political and societal influence on neoclassicism. Mengs philosophy to art was that beauty could only be understood by looking at past civilizations. In Germany – unlike in France – Protestantism and Catholicism were among the stronger societal conflicts. Being a man of faith, his paintings, such as The Ascension, combines the detail to features of neoclassical art with the grandeur of baroque art. Germany never experienced the same flux of neoclassicists as its neighbors because of its context. Only later did Germany turn to neoclassical architecture in order to build itself as an empire.
It was Italy, however, that became the centre of the neoclassical movement. Foreigners, including Anton Raphael Mengs and Jacques Louis David, honed their skills in Rome where leaders were eager to profit from the movement that was engulfing Europe. With schools and business located in Rome, neoclassicism was cultivated in Italy not only by foreigners, but Italian too. Ugo Foscolo, Giuseppe Bossi, and Andrea Appiani – who Napoleon Bonaparte appointed to be among his official painters – are among the most prolific Italian neoclassicist painters.
Even in the United Kingdom, neoclassicisms prominent figures developed in mainland Europe. Scottish-born Gavin Hamilton spent most of his life in Rome. Hamilton’s subjects in his neoclassic works were often based on classical Greek and Roman history, such as his masterpiece Death of Lucretia. Still, neoclassicism didn’t thrive in England because of the lands isolation and more stable political landscape.