The artistic style in European art of the 17th and 19th centuries, the most important feature of which was a profound appeal to ancient art as an ideal, a standard, is classicism. In painting, as in sculpture, architecture and other forms of creativity, the traditions of the Renaissance continued - faith in the power of the human mind, worship of the ideals of proportion and harmony of the ancient world.
Classicism trends appeared in Italy at the end of the 16th century. A pan-European style began to take shape in the bosom of the
artistic culture of France. The aesthetic value of this era is possessed only by timeless, enduring. Great importance was attached to the educational and social functions of art. Therefore, classicism in painting advances the latest ethical standards, which forms the images of its heroes: submission to the common personal, passions - reason, duty, the supreme interests of the public, the laws of the universe, resistance to the vicissitudes of life and cruel fate. Orientation to enduring images, to a reasonable start determined the regulation of artistic laws, the normative requirements of classical aesthetics, a strict hierarchy of existing genres - from “low” (portrait, landscape, still life) to “high” (mythological, historical, religious). Each genre put forward substantial strict boundaries and formal clear signs.
The first to introduce classicism into painting was the Frenchman N. Poussin, and he is its founder. The artworks are “The Death of Germanicus”, “Rinaldo and Armida”, “Arcadian Shepherds”, “Finding of Moses”, etc. All of them are marked by the harmony of rhythmic color and structure, the sublime ethical and philosophical content.
Classicism in Russian painting was expressed by the assertion of the beauty of the individual, unique, unusual. The highest achievement of this era in painting is not historical subjects, but a portrait (A. Antropov, A. Agrunov, F. Rokotov, D. Levitsky, V. Borovikovsky, O. Kiprensky).
Russian classicism in
the 19th century painting occupies a place of honor because it has its own discoveries and features. O. Kiprensky, for example, discovered not only new
human qualities, but also the newest possibilities of painting. All his portraits are different: each has its own original pictorial system. Some are built on a picturesque contrast of shadow and light. In others, a subtle gradation of similar, close colors is manifested.
Russian classicism in painting is necessarily associated with priceless paintings by Bryullov. They are distinguished by an alloy of academic classicism and romanticism, novelty of plots, theatrical effect of plasticity and lighting, complexity of composition. A. Ivanov managed to overcome many patterns inherent in academic technology and gave his work the character of sacrificial judgments to ideas.
Classicism in Russian painting was also promoted by such famous artists: I. Repin, I. Surikov, V. Serov, I. Shishkin, A. Savrasov, I. Levitan. All of them individually did a lot for the art of their country, and taken together - for the culture of the whole world.