Classical Blog
Above is a painting created by Jean-Honoré Fragonard which is called The Swing created in 1767, this painting is an example of the Rococo style. The young man on the bottom left of this painting was a part of the french royal court, and he asked Fragonard to create this painting of him and his partner; The man in the bottom left corner was a bishop, and he is pushing the lady. The young man was apparently hiding in the bushes so he can look up his lovers dress. This painting gives off playful and erotic vibes. This painting was actually a bit too "naughty" to be displayed in the public. There is a lot of flow in this painting. The Swing was disliked by the middle class because it is a Rococo style painting.
The middle class also affected theatre. Above is the opening of the Beggar's Opera in London during the mid 1800's. Theatre was mainly comedy entertainment before its new middle class audience. This show "focused on politics, poverty, criminals, and the injustices of society topics that spoke directly to the growing middle class."
Dr. Ashley Bruckbauer, "Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing," in Smarthistory, February 26, 2021, accessed October 23, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/jean-honore-fragonard-the-swing/
Kutlesa, Jeff. "The Growing Economic Power of the Middle Class in the 1700's- Visual Arts, Music, & Theatre of the Classical Era." October 14, 2014, accessed October 23, 2023. https://fishinginakwithjmk.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/the-growing-economic-power-of-the-middle-class-in-the-1700s-visual-arts-music-theatre-of-the-classical-era/
The Swing is quite a beautiful work, I really like how the pink of her dress contrasts the green background. It is definitely a good example of the Rococo era because it is kind of just for the sake of itself and not for any higher lesson.
ReplyDeleteThe mother and children painting is very well done too, and I love the natural poses. It is also a good example of a standard to live up to, valuing family over objects is a story as old as humanity.
The Beggar's Opera is pretty cool in how it uses tones to create depth. It really gives you a sense of dimension. It is interesting to compare theater itself merely to opera when the medium is so flexible. Using actors to show stories with a meaningful lesson is quite nice, but I also appreciate the ones purely for comedy.
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ReplyDeleteHello Anna, you picked some paintings worth a few thousands words! Each one speaks to a different societal concern or sociopolitical personification. There is a common theme or tone amongst these paintings: the relationship between how wealthy a person is and what types of things they value. The Swing is a staple representation of the frivolous and carefree dispositions that the Upper-class wanted to embody. The wealthy were viewed to be more concerned with their frolicking than the state of the world, and this enraged the middle and lower classes. Cornelia, Mother of the Gracci is an extraordinarily blunt expression of either Kauffmann's opinion or direct observations. As people grow their monetary wealth, they tend to lose sight of those things which we should value the most: family, community, and company. Those were perfect pieces to lead up to the last painting: The Beggar's Opera, which I believe to be an exquisite representation of the "new way of things" the general public was adopting. All classes had the right to be truly informed and entertained, and that was the goal of the Beggar's Opera. They spread information, news, enjoyable stories, and comedic jests that could be passed on. It was dramatic and brought high and low entertainment and art to the same dining table. Very nice work connecting all three paintings to the Middle Class. Would you own a copy of any of these paintings?
DeleteI too, picked The Swing I find it beautiful. The Rococo style played a big part in the classical era. You made a good connection to the middle class here. It was playful but seen as scandalous for its time, which is why I think so many people love the painting. The meaning behind the second painting I find interesting. The children in this painting are playful. However, I don't see the connection between all three pieces I think the art you chose was beautiful. What did you think of the art? Was there anything about them in particular that you liked or disliked? and where was your second painting made this might explain some things behind the middle class of there time and the area.
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