Art During The Enlightenment

Art throughout the world reflects new ideas of the time and preserves the past historically marking each new era. A shift in the way the world is organized is almost always immediately followed by a new perspective that changes the way people create and receive art. Art has endless capability to be felt, observed, and examined in new ways that reveal a story behind each piece that weaves another picture of life during that century. Exploring art movements not only reveals the history of the time, but inspires new ideas that are constantly built upon and reflected in everyday life.
During the Enlightenment a new style of art began to emerge, Rococo. Townhouses in Paris began to be filled with artwork emphasizing this new style. The paintings were softer and more elegant than previous styles of work, which fit in perfectly with the high-class homes that strived to display their wealth. Rococo style was not only seen in artwork, but was also emphasized in the architecture in the interior of homes. Rococo had a very detailed and extravagant type of interior dressing, and its small stones and shells created a very unique and beautiful visual picture. With the changing culture of individual status, the interiors of buildings had to change with it. As people began to socialize inside the home, buildings had to accommodate for …show more content…
Gericault’s painting, Raft of the Medusa, attains a very intricate piece of work by layering nude bodies amidst the ocean on a raft. Many of the people draped over each other appear to be dead as the waves of the ocean topple over them. Men towards the top of the painting appear to be desperately waving for help by flapping their clothing into the air. Gericault studied dead bodies to create this realistic painting that was developed after a real event. The scene is dark and morbid, offering only little hope to the viewer that those aboard will be