Anto Raphael Mengs and Theodore Gericault

Anto Raphael Mengs and Theodore Gericault
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Introduction
Neoclassicism and romanticism are two distinct movements whose ages span between the late 18th and 19th centuries. Within this era, neoclassicism emerged first followed by Romantic Movement. Both movements developed across Western Europe, United States and Eastern Europe. On one hand, this paper aims to examine neoclassical art and artist, and on the other hand it aims to study romantic art and artist.
Anto Raphael Mengs
A new European movement evolved across the continent in the late 18th century. Famously regarded as neoclassical art, it developed as a reaction to the exaggeration of baroque art and also as a reaction to the superficiality of Rococo style. Neoclassic art was inspired by the values of roman and Greek culture and art, and was influenced by the discovery of the remains of Pompeii and Herculaneum (1738-50). Faroult, Leribault and Scherf (2011) present that whereas all these took place; Anto Raphael Mengs (1728-79) developed a mutual relationship with Johann Joachim Winkelmann (a German art historian). It was through Winckelmann that Mengs obtained commission to work on his mural painting Parnassus (1761) for Cardinal Alessandro Albani.
Mengs incorporated classical sculptures into his works. He was famously identified as the German Raphael. He migrated to Italy and lived his artistic career in Rome, though he was also committed in Saxony and Madrid. Though his early works depicted a Rococo style, Mengs was majorly considered the artist who founded neoclassical painting. During his time, he gained success; he gained several artistic honors. He was appointed to serve as the heads of both the San Fernando fine art academy in Madrid and the fine art academy of St. Luke in Rome. He was considered as the greatest painter in Europe during his time. Mengs created several religious art as well as devotional artifacts, altarpieces including fresco paintings (Duffy, 2002). His most famous works include the Parnassus fresco (1761) as well as his artworks in the royal palace of Madrid.
Mengs was born in Germany and spent his early life in Dresden where his father (a court painter) stayed working for commissions he received from the king of Poland (Friedrich August II) of Saxony. Mengs and his father travelled to Rome during 1741 where Mengs spent much of his time and trained in oil painting and drawing. While in Rome, Mengs studied Italian high renaissance painting including the sculpture of ancient classical arts. When he travelled to Saxony, Mengs rapidly spread his skills, and he received an appointment as a court painter to work for the king of Poland. His profession remained international. He travelled back to Italy and spent much time working on commissions he obtained from the pope of Rome and also working for Charles III in Madrid (Faroult, Leribault and Scherf, 2011). His style was majorly neoclassical, and his paintings were atmospheric and colorful designed by shading and light techniques and creamy brushstrokes.
Duffy (2002) says that during his later years, Mengs lived in Madrid where he created altarpieces, frescoes and painting of the king of Spain. While in Spain, Mengs managed to train some of his students like Austin Esteve (1753-1830) who became a great painter later. Mengs travelled back to Rome during 1777 where after two years he died. He had 20 children whom received pension from the king of Spain. Though Mengs died at the age of 50, his artworks influenced neoclassical artists from France, Spain and Italy. Mengs ascended to the top of his career due to his dedication to neoclassicism that enabled him to surpass some of the great artists like Tiepolo (1696-1770). His was inspired by the arts of ancient classics and the high renaissance. Some of the most famous religious works and paintings of Mengs include Parnassus fresco (1761), assumption of the virgin (1751-66), the penitent Mary Magdalene (1751), portrait of Charles III (1761) and others.
Parnassus fresco (1761) was one of the greatest works by Anto Raphael Mengs. The painting was created during 1761 designed in the central position of the ceiling of the villa Albani in Rome. The painting is a good model of how Mengs ruined baroque traditions and revived the values of neoclassical art. The artwork is an inspiration of the Raphael’s frescos on the similar subject matter in the Vatican apartment in Rome (Faroult, Leribault and Scherf, 2011). In the painting, Apollo is at the center. He is the sun God, the leader, patron and innovator of the arts and figurehead of the Muses. He carries a lyre and has a laurel wreath on his head and also his right hand carries another laurel wreath. On the left side is Mnemosyne who is sitting; she is the mother of the Muses. From Mnemosyne, then there is Muses Thalia (comedy) who is followed by Calliope (epic poetry), and then there is Polhymnia (mimic art and heroic hymns) and lastly is Terpsichore (song and dancing). On the right side of the painting, Muses Clio (history) can be seen, then followed by Erato (love poetry), then there is Euterpe (lyric poetry), and finally followed by Urania (astronomy) and Melpomene (tragedy) respectively. Each Muse is described with relevant characteristics. The paint...