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The argument of color verses design originated in the Baroque, but extended much further into the eighteenth century in terms of theory. Roger de Piles was the father of this argument based on colori's versus diego and the Poussinists versus the Rubenists and so on. He joined the Academy in 1699, right on the verge of the Rococo and basically formed the argument for color, rather than classical design in his Cours de Peinture par Principes in 1708. Up until Rubens artwork, the classical style of painting was preferred with a focus mainly on straight lines, right angles, triangular arrangement of forms, balance, symmetry, and so on (Minor 367). De Piles believed that color appealed more to humans emotions and that was what truly great art was meant to do. He therefore obviously chose Rubens work as superior to Poussin's.
This was known as the Quarrel between the Ancients and the Moderns, with the Moderns prevailing in the eighteenth century. Rubens work was monumental in shaping the painting style during the next century. His paintings inspired artists styles such as Watteau, Gainsborough, and Boucher. Through de Piles arguments within the academy and Rubens rejection of the classical style the eighteenth century painting theory was born. This essay will attempt to follow this movement from the classical style that dominated the baroque with Poussin to the shift towards Rubens at the end of the century and end with its influence on art theory in the eighteenth century. Throughout most of the Baroque the classical was preferred in painting.
Poussin's paintings are usually used as perfect examples of baroque classicism, but the idea of painting in the classic mode goes much further than this. Literary theory on ideas of painting went back at least to Alberti (Puttfarken, Roger de Piles Theory of Art 2). The Academy wished to move painting into a more serious and advanced form of art comparable with poetry and writings of the greats from antiquity. The themes chosen for these paintings were usually in the history category and followed strict visual rules. The entire composition would be the core of the painting with an emphasis on drawing. These paintings have clear lines defining each object and are placed in an orderly manor.
This order can be read as very complex with an exact sequence like literature and is only one of the many characteristics of classical baroque painting. Sequence is used not only in the visual, but also in thought and leads into the idea of episodes, still connecting back to the fine art of writing. Modes were also used in art theory by both Poussin and Felibien. These were based on what musicians called modes or dessins (Puttfarken, Roger de Piles Theory of Art 30). Basically modes are determined by the subject matter of the painting. If the subject were happy or sad or strong and so on, there would be a specific mode to follow.
These modes would determine the viewers emotional reaction to the work and were based around the ideas of the ancients, like Plato. Poussin's own words describe the idea of modes best by saying as the Modes of the ancients were composed of several things put together, the variety produced certain differences of Mode whereby one could understand that each of them retained in itself a subtle distinction, particularly when all the things that pertain to the composition were put together in proportions that had the power to arouse the soul of the spectator to divers emotions (Puttfarken, The Discovery of Pictorial Composition 215). Poussin's A Dance to the Music of Time, done between 1639 and 1640, clearly represents these ideas. The overall picture invokes the mood of calm contemplation and is based on the triple groupings with which Poussin was so obsessed and has a very defined symmetry (Merot 95). Time is shown on the right of the picture space playing a lyre and four figures, one male and the other three female, dance in the middle of the painting. It is possible that the four figures represent poverty, work, riches, and pleasure (Merot 95).
Meanwhile, in the sky Apollo flies by accompanied by the seasons. This painting can be compared with Rubens The Kermis, done between 1635 and 1638. It is not arranged at all like Poussin's. The objects are strung across the painting at a diagonal going back into the distance. There are a number of figures not really grouped at all, but rather scatter throughout the composition freely. The couples feast, dance tempestuously, and rush off toward the trees for love-making (Minor 369).
The scene is more casual and not allegorical at all when compared to the Poussin. The colors are more vibrant too and the use of paint in the Rubens is much looser and seems to reflect the overall mood of the people frolicking in the painting. It is a much more relaxed scene and probably one that people could more closely relate to in their daily lives. The comparison between these two paintings leads into the de Piles discussion of color versus design with his favor being for Rubens. De Piles was not an artist, but more of a freelance critique of art who focused mainly on the lite d object in contrast to Felibiens unite de sujet.
He mainly focused on the works of the Dutch painters, specifically the works of Rubens and argued his works against Poussin's. This wasnt a debate that was de Piles alone. He was more like the official spokesperson in the Academy for the debate that was more a universal one. What was better, line or color, design or the emotion evokes by an overall mood? It was an argument that was fought throughout the artistic community and marked a shift in the general idea of what painting should be. The shift towards looser brushstrokes and an overall loosening of subject matter and design wasnt met without opposition.
Even the Academy itself, under Lebrun, fought against this change, but eventually accepted it as a possibility with the induction of de Piles. The definition of painting was the general preface that was under attack. De Piles definition of painting remained the most popular treatise on painting for most of the eighteenth century (Puttfarken, Roger de Piles Theory of Art 39). He basically felt that painting was to be looked at and understood as an emotion at the first basic glance and then the viewers understanding of the overall subject would interpret the meaning from there on. This is in the same vain as the theory on Modes, but goes beyond that in a more abstract manor.
His way of viewing a painting was more for an overall sensory experience rather than in broken up themes and pictorial spaces that must be understood in order to view the painting as a whole. This is different than looking at a picture in Modes. The total composition is determined by the subject matter, but the reaction of the viewer is based on a less calculated overall understanding. De Piles found that the Modes did go along with the subject matter, but much more was needed to evoke an emotional reaction.
Emotions could not be determined on a cookie-cutter definition of what happy or sad and so on were supposed to look like and how these emotions were to be depicted. De Piles looked to move the definition of painting into its own realm. He felt that it should be appreciated as an art of its own and not involved with any of the other arts, such as literature. To him painting was a visual art and couldnt be categorized differently. The very definition of what de Piles felt to be the visual arts was based around color, not to totally ignore design though.
There were generally two different definitions of design. The first being the overall picture design that is in the artists mind prior to the painting of a picture. This would include the composition, color, shading, and so on. These are basically all of the elements that will go into the work. The second definition of design...
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Research essay sample on Art Theory Leading Into The 18th Century
