Revolutions—Neoclassicism and Romanticism

How to Look at and Understand Great Art • Season 1 • Episode 28

About this episode

The early 19th century saw the emergence of two compelling and highly contrasting styles. Referencing the art of Napoleonic painter Jacques-Louis David, discover the tenets of Neoclassicism, specifically its ordered composition and emphasis on stoicism, morality, and rational control. In works by Eugène Delacroix, find the spirit of Romanticism and its concern with dramatic proportions and expression of emotion.