The Age of Reason
1700-1789
The Age of Reason
► Also
known as the Enlightenment
► Scientific methodology
► Mathematical reasoning
► Skepticism
► Four trends:




Concentration of political power in the great states
Return of aristocracy to prominence
Rise of the middle class
The Enlightenment – cultural movement
Cultural Styles
► Two
styles
 Rococo
 Neoclassical
Enlightenment Views
► Secular,
human centered perspective
► Embraced humanism
► ’Rationalism
► Empiricism
► Skepticism
► Experimental Method
► Belief in human perfectibility through
education
The Philosophes
►
►
►
French
Main philosophes were
Voltaire, Diderot,
Montesquieu, and Roussea
Beliefs: Confidence in
reason, nature is good and
orderly, empiricism,,
change and progress could
improve society, rejection
of orthodox religion, belief
in education
Deism
► Worship
of God who created the universe
and set t he laws of nature in motion, but
who never interfered in natural or human
matters
► God as clockmaker
The Encyclopedie
► 1750-1772
► Seventeen
volumes
► Edited by Diderot
► More than 161 writers
wrote articles
Society
► 18th
century is focused on society not
individual
► Traditional social hierarchy
► Growing urbanization
Absolutism, Limited Monarchy, and
Enlightened Despotism
► 18th
century was the last age of kings in the
west
► France – Louis XV
► Great Britain – Hanoverian Kings
► Prussia – Frederick the Great
► Austria – Maria Teresa
Rococo
► French
origin
► Created for the French elite
► Frivolous subjects and themes
► Rococo Painters:




Watteau
Boucher
LeBrun
Fragonard
Watteau
Watteau
Watteau
Watteau
Boucher
Boucher
Boucher
LeBrun
LeBrun
Fragonard
Fragonard
Fragonard
Neoclassicism
► Rejection
of Rococo
► Fascination with new archeological
discoveries
► Classical themes
► David – major Neoclassical painter
► Classical ideals of balance, simplicity, and
restraint
David
David
David
David
David
Neoclassical Literature
► Rousseau-
The Confessions
► Voltaire- Candide
► Pope – An Essay on Man
► Rise of the English Novel
► Realism in novels
Rococo Music
► Couperin
► Rameau
Classical Music
► Sonata
form – three
parts, emphasis on
form and structure
► Symphony
► Concerto
► Haydn
► Mozart