Le Néo-classicisme

Style and Civilisation

by Hugh Honour

English summary: Neo-classicism is often misunderstood as a cold, pedantic, even bombastic artistic movement. The present volume seeks to rehabilitate Neo-classicism, explaining its esthetic, philosophical, and political implications, through the example of both famous and little-known artists from across Europe. French description: De tous les courants artistiques europeens, le neo-classicisme est sans doute celui sur lequel s'accumule le plus grand nombre de malentendus. Heureusement, depuis une trentaine d'annees, en France et a l'etranger, de nombreuses expositions ont ete consacrees a ce mouvement ou a ses plus grands heros. Malgre tout, les cliches ont la vie dure, selon lesquels le neo-classicisme serait un compose de froideur et de pedanterie, un art litteraire et grandiloquent. Hugh Honour en propose une rehabilitation passionnante, qui embrasse toutes les techniques artistiques. Au lieu d'offrir un survol chronologique scolaire, il explicite les enjeux esthetiques, philosophiques ou politiques, analyse quelques exemples cles, fait decouvrir des artistes singuliers et meconnus, qui partageaient des ideaux voisins d'un bout a l'autre de l'Europe, et rend justice a des genies tels que Ledoux, David ou Canova, dont il fait ressortir toutes les facettes.

Genres: Art, Art History, History, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

A self-taught English art historian.

Reviews

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 'Style and Civilisation' series was the sort of thing Pelican used to do really well, and I wish they would do something like again.

[Mattia Colombi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno dei libri fondamentali per un’introduzione quanto mai appropriata per quanto riguarda il periodo neoclassico dell’arte, dell’architettura, della scultura e della mobilia.

Consigliatissimo per chiunque abbia voglia di immergersi in un periodo storico poco esaltato dagli storici più in vista.

[Ensiform · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an explanation, with illustrations, of the cool, simple, linear, rational, geometric, secular, civic moralizing art we call Neo-Classicism (which its contemporaries called the “true” art, reflecting their idealism), and its subsequent downfall with the Revolution, Napoleon and romanticist reaction. Honour writes well and weaves the various talents (architecture, design, painting, sculpture, writing) together seamlessly. I didn’t appreciate many of the black and white reproductions — they were almost indiscernible. And Honour goes too far when he denies a link between David’s early works, such as “Brutus,” and his political writing. On the whole, though, this is a deft description on an art period inseparable from its historical background.

[Del Herman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and informative treatment of the Neoclassicist movement in art during the 18th century.

[Audrey Kalman]

Reading this made me realize that “Rococo” is one of my favorite words.

[Mary Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scholarship in this book is superb, it's well organized and there are enough primary sources to really support what Honour is talking about, but it just can't makeup for the fact that I hate Neo-Classicism. If it's your thing, I recommend checking it out, but I'm way too much of a Romantic for this.

[Carissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not care for Neo-Classicism so it was difficult to read about it. It was required for an art history class.

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book/treatment of a rather unexciting topic (Neoclassical aesthetics... Winckelmann... ughh).

[Hillary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for an 18/19 art history class...and it was boring, this author needs to make it where people don't fall asleep while reading this book.