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Neoclassicism art (1750-1850) drew inspiration from classical antiquity and were recreated using a modern and historically relevant depiction. There was a renewed interest in classical ideals of harmony, simplicity and proportion. Neoclassicism is closely related to Romanticism, often times there being no easy and clear distinction between the two.
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Elisabeth's Peace Bringing Back Abundance (1780) is a Neoclassic depiction of Peace and Abundance. The darker attire and brunette hair of Peace and her crown of laurels is a giveaway of the painting's lean towards Neoclassicism. -
Le Brun's Juno Borrowing The Belt of Venus (1781) depicts Juno, the goddess of marriage and Venus, the goddess of love, handing her belt over to her. We can also see Cupid in between them both, further implying that they have a romantic interest in one another. This atypical depiction of Juno and Venus is an excellent example of 'the queer gaze' in Neoclassicism art. -
Fuseli's Titania and Bottom (c. 1790) is another painting inspired by Shakespeare's works, in this one the case being Act IV, Scene I of Midsummer Night's Dream. Fuseli references other artworks via the characters portrayed, for example Titania's pose is inspired by da Vinci's Leda (1506) and the elves inspired by Dante's Paradiso (1469), giving this artwork its neoclassical place. -
Antoine-Jean's Napoleon on the Bridge at Arcole (1796) depicts Napoleon leading his troops in the Battle of the Bridge at Arcole. This painting played a role in altering the story that unfolded in Arcole. The painting was used to imply that Napoleon's soldiers were the most loyal of the loyal towards him. -
Antoine-Jean's Bonaparte Visiting the Pest House in Jaffa (1804) is a depiction of Bonaparte visiting his plague-stricken soldiers during the French invasion of Egypt in March of 1799. Antoine-Jean references Bonaparte as Apollo Belvedere and with some images of Christ healing the sick as Bonaparte fearlessly and compassionately touches one of the sores of one of his sick men. This made Bonaparte seem like the "Divine Healer". -
Fuseli's Lady Macbeth Seizing the Daggers (1812) is a visual representation of Shakespeare's Macbeth play, specifically in Act II, Scene II. The sharp contrast of the dark background and the pale-white figures combined with the roughness and hastiness of the strokes gives the painting a high-tension feel.