The 18th century was a period of social and economic transformation. The artists and intellectuals who were inspired by the classical past contributed to early neoclassicism. Neoclassicism is both a way of viewing the world and a visual style. Neoclassical paintings show frozen forms, tight compositions, and a shallow space of ancient relief sculpture. This type of art was viewed as the embodiment of timeless civic and moral lessons. They were frequently displayed to inspire patriotism and nationalism. Neoclassicism was often used in Britain, America, and France.

Angelica Hauffman was a Swiss History painter between 1741-1807. She trained in Italy. Angelica Hauffman was one of the best painters of early neoclassicism. She arrived in London in 1766 and inspired British artists to paint classical history paintings and British patrons to buy them. In 1768, she was one of the only two women artists among the founding members of the Royal Academy.

SAPPHO by ANGELICA KAUFFMANN

This painting dates from 1774. In 1775 it was presented in the Royal Academy of Art. This painting was always in private hands.

The painting was originally titled "Lady as Venus with Cupid by Her Side." In 1949, it was changed to "A maiden with Cupid." There was an incorrect translation and the identity of Sappho could not be discovered. The translation read "So come again and deliver me from intolerable pain." These are lines 25-26 from Sappho's first Ode to Aphrodite.

Angelica Kauffmann painted this piece during a time when she was depressed. Her marriage had been annulled. She had been the victim of a husband that was a bigamist. Sappho was a female Homer, an epic poet, with beautiful poetry. She was married with children, but her poems desribed a love for women. She resided on an island called Lesbos. That is where we get the name "Lesbian" for a female homosexual.

This painting is a great example of Kauffmanns' neoclassical style. You can see how the light is diffused and there are no harsh lines. There is not a perfect photographic sense. Everything is very soft. The poem on the scroll is to Aphrodite and her son Exos is standing next to her. There are two possible translations for the text on the scroll. The first is by a former Ringling Curator, "So come again and deliver me from unbearable pain". The second is from an art book and says "Come to me my beautiful one and I shall be free of all sorrow."

Kauffmann drew herself as Sappho in this painting. Henry Fuseli, a Brittish painter, said "her heroines are herself." If you compare Sappho with her two self portraits, you can see the resemblence in the shape of the head, the mouth, and especially the eyes.

Sappho may have been aquired after its first exhibition by John Baker Holroyd when the painting was sold. There are no recorded earlier sales. It is possible that Angelica Kauffmann met the Holroyd's in Ireland when she was there between 1771 and 1772.

Angelica Kauffmann befriended famous poets, scientists, and artists of her time. They were drawn to her literacy and gracefulness. She became the most famous female painter of the 18th century.

REFERENCES

http://www.jstor.org/pss/876642

http://www.ringlingdocents.org/kauffmann.htm

http://www.artchive.com/

During the Baroque period, art became an instrument of propaganda and also a means of leading the viewer to a newly inspired Christian practice and belief. The 17th century rejected the ideals of the Renaissance. Examples of these ideals were humanism which consisted of cultural and educational reform. Then there was naturalism, representing a subject without stylization or interpretation. Another example was idealism, a standard of perfection. The last was visual harmony, forming a consistent and orderly whole. Baroque style would evoke intense emotional responses from the viewer. The images, or subjects, were dramatically lit. They embraced Classicism which involved a more moving and dramatic variant of Renaissance ideals and principles. You would see balanced compositions and diagonal movement. Also rich colors were used and visual references to Ancient Greece and Rome were made.

There are two works of art that show the comparisons and contrasts of these periods well. The first example of Baroque style was created by an artist called Gianlorenzo Bernini. He worked as the Vatican architect. Berninini admired antique art and thought of himself as a classicist. He broke through tradition and brought us to a new baroque style. He first became famous as a sculptor and continued to work as one throughout his career. He created a statue of David in 1623. The sculpture was created for a nephew of Pope Paul V. This version of David introduced three dimensional composition. David is bending at the waist and twists to one side. The statue shows action, tension, and determination. The twisted figure gives the viewer the impression that there is someone behind them that the statue is in motion towards. Thus, the viewer becomes part of the action.

The second work of art that shows the Renaissance style was by Michelangelo. Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in Caprese. He came from a poor but noble family. He became an apprentice at the age of 13. Michelangelo was a poet as well as an artist. Michelangelos' David, created between 1501 and 1504 was so admired that the city counsel placed it in the principal city square. The statue has the antique ideal of the athletic male nude. The expression and gaze are new for this time. He seems to be mentally preparing himself for battle. He is a mere youth confronting a giant warrior. The statue stands for supremacy of right over might.

Michelangelos' David Berninis' David

You can see in the images above that the Renaissance art kept viewers at a distance. The art was created to invoke thought in the viewer. The Baroque art engaged viewers as participants in the work of art. The viewer becomes part of the action as the twisted form includes the real background in the art and gives the viewer the sensation there is someone behind them that the statue is aiming at. The Baroque style of Berninis' David also shows intense drama in the facial features and movement throughout the drapes of cloth. The idea was to show so much drama that you would get emotional looking at it. Michelangelos' David shows the intent of motion. You can read anguish in his expression. But it demonstrates the educated thoughtfulness of the Renaissance. They expected the viewer to have pensive thought over a piece, rather than emotion.

I don't have a preference to either of these periods. Both the Renaissance and Baroque periods contributed overwhelmingly to Art History.

Albrecht Durer was one of the most popular artists of the German Renaissance. He lived in Nuremberg. Nuremberg, at the time, was a cultural center with a group of internationally renowned artists.

Durer did not follow in his fathers footsteps to become a Goldsmith. Instead he wanted to be a painter. Although, Durers early training as a Goldsmith is reflected in his attention to detail. He traveled to Italy in 1494. This first trip to Italy introduced him to Italian Renaissance ideas. There he discovered a concept of artists as intellectuals, sellers of ideas as well as pictures. He was introduced to the idea of an artist as a creative genius.

When he returned to Germany, he published a woodcut series on the Apocolypse. It consisted of a title page and 14 full page illustrations with text on the back of each of them. A woodcut, also known as a print, is a technique where an image is carved onto the surface of a block of wood. The images on the surface will show black and the rest will show white. This was commonly done on Beechwood. Durer probably hired a skilled carver to cut his wood blocks. The carvers had to be trusted to follow his drawings perfectly. Durer made his fortune from these prints.

Durer became more familiar with Italian art on his second trip to Italy. He set out to reform the art of his own country. He published writings and manuals that covered Renaissance problems with perspective, proportions, and techniques.

You can see the Italian influence on Durer with a self portrait done in 1500. It was signed "Albrecht Durer of Nuremberg...age 28." This self portrait was not done to advertise himself as an artist. The portrait is a full frontal unlike the three quarter pose of the Renaissance. It reflects other images of Christ that were popular in Northern Europe. You can see the Naturalism with Durer changing his own hair color to look more like christs'. He believed that artists were creative geniuses, possibly God-like. He wrote " The more we know, the more we resemble the likeness of Christ who truly knows all things." The triangular composition of this piece reflects the High Renaissance, but it also shows the Northern European influence with the lifelike look. There is such amazing attention to detail. There is a glow to the skin, texture of the hair, and the reflective quality of the eyes. Also, the way Durers' hand rests on the fur of the collar shows a common pose of the hand with other depictions of Christ during the Renaissance. It is interesting that the gaze is directed at the viewer. It appears to me that the left eye is set in a direct stare (from the onlookers point of view) while the right eye is looking slightly to the right. I'm not sure if this is done intentionally to give an unsettling feel or not. If you cover the left eye with a finger, you may see it too. (Its possible I have just been looking at this painting too long).

All of Durers' art is a tribute to the way he masterfully crafted a paintbrush. It is no wonder he was one of the most popular artists of the German Renaissance.