Curriculum Materials: Art in America
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Image 8 Hiram Powers Questions: |
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism was an art movement based on the revival of the arts and ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. Artists working in the neoclassical style used ideas and motifs that would evoke the values of the ancient Roman republic, with which the U.S. government and public wished to associate themselves. Neoclassicism, which emphasized moderation and rational thought, dominated European and Euro-American architecture and art from the mid-18th century to the late 19th century.
With the surge of patriotism following the American
Revolution, a desire for commemorative portraits arose.
Because the nation, dubbed the "New Republic," continued to
associate itself with the glories of the ancient Greeks and
Romans well into the 19th century, the neoclassical style
remained popular for portraits of America's leaders.
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