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Dr Podro examines Davide in the light of Rousseau's moral and political thought. The eighteenth century drew upon classical antiquity for its moral and political thought. The political and personal... implications of such moral ideals were expounded by Rousseau and it is Rousseau who provides the best means of illuminating David's career, the severity and moral seriousness of his major paintings and the shift fron the dedicated artist of the Republic to the Court painter of the Emperor Napoleon. Dr. Podro refers briefly to the practical advantages of using classical stories, which were removed from the everyday world and, at the same time, intelligible to anyone who had had a basic education in the eighteenth century. He then discusses Rousseau's first Dijon Discourse, in which Rousseau concludes that the advancement of science and the arts is hostile to human morality. Rousseau's ideal is not Athens but Sparta - and early Republican Rome. This is a direct challenge to the artist and David responds by taking the subjects of his major paintings from early Rome or, in the case of Socrates, by choosing a figure who stood out against corruption in Athens, Dr. Podro goes on to examine in detail the Oath of the Horatii, tha Brutus, and the Death of Socrates showing how moral and political issues are focussed within the painted image, not only by the choice of subject matter but by the way it is handled. In conclusion, he emphasizes how David fulfils Rousseau's demand that the artist must edify while, at the same time, his work remains a seriously personal art.
Dr Podro examines Davide in the light of Rousseau's moral and political thought. The eighteenth century drew upon classical antiquity for its moral and political thought. The political and personal... implications of such moral ideals were expounded by Rousseau and it is Rousseau who provides the best means of illuminating David's career, the severity and moral seriousness of his major paintings and the shift fron the dedicated artist of the Republic to the Court painter of the Emperor Napoleon. Dr. Podro refers briefly to the practical advantages of using classical stories, which were removed from the everyday world and, at the same time, intelligible to anyone who had had a basic education in the eighteenth century. He then discusses Rousseau's first Dijon Discourse, in which Rousseau concludes that the advancement of science and the arts is hostile to human morality. Rousseau's ideal is not Athens but Sparta - and early Republican Rome. This is a direct challenge to the artist and David responds by taking the subjects of his major paintings from early Rome or, in the case of Socrates, by choosing a figure who stood out against corruption in Athens, Dr. Podro goes on to examine in detail the Oath of the Horatii, tha Brutus, and the Death of Socrates showing how moral and political issues are focussed within the painted image, not only by the choice of subject matter but by the way it is handled. In conclusion, he emphasizes how David fulfils Rousseau's demand that the artist must edify while, at the same time, his work remains a seriously personal art.
| Module code and title: | A202, The age of revolutions |
|---|---|
| Item code: | A202; 29 |
| Recording date: | 1972-01-28 |
| First transmission date: | 12-08-1972 |
| Published: | 1972 |
| Rights Statement: | Rights owned or controlled by The Open University |
| Restrictions on use: | This material can be used in accordance with The Open University conditions of use. A link to the conditions can be found at the bottom of all OUDA web pages. |
| Duration: | 00:17:12 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Mary Hoskins |
| Contributor: | Michael Podro |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | David to Delacroix; Dijon Discourse |
| Master spool number: | TLN04FM184J |
| Production number: | TLN04FM184J |
| Available to public: | no |
