Classicism in Europe

•	in the 17th century the styles of Classicism and Baroque evolved side by side
•	the style of Classicist art articulated the legacy of antiquity differently from the Baroque style 
o	the Baroque applied twisted shapes, densely decorated surfaces, rich ornamentation, an abundance of colours and shades
o	Classicism sought simple, clear structures, symmetry and well-arranged divisions, applied weighty and stable forms, modest ornamentation  

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•	the age of antiquity was considered to present the “ideal beauty” which all art should aim at  geometrical forms, balanced proportions
•	the art of Classicism was determined by strict rules, which were thought to be the rules of nature  art was to be the “imitation of nature”, nothing could be involved in art that was vulgar or common  the culture of refinement and sophistication
•	e. g. the main rule of classicist drama was the “triple unity”: the unity of place, time and action (defined after Aristotle’s work on the art of drama entitled Poetics)
•	most conspicuous French dramatists: Pierre Corneille, Jean Racine, Moliére
•	the questions of thought were centred on man, on the possibilities of individual action 
•	in French classicist dramas emphasis was laid on character, on passions and on their collision with necessity

•	from the second half of the 18th century, Classicism became the dominant style all over Europe

•	the age of Classicism was also that of Enlightenment, or “the age of reason”:
“The Age of Reason was an eighteenth-century movement which [revolted agaist] the mysticism, religion, and superstition of the Middle Ages. The Age of Reason represented a genesis in the way man viewed himself, the pursuit of knowledge, and the universe. […] This was the beginning of an open society where individuals were free to pursue individual happiness and liberty. Politically and socially, the imperial concepts of the medieval world were abandoned. The Age of Reason included the shorter time period described as the Age of Enlightenment; during this time great changes occurred in scientific thought and exploration. New ideas filled the horizon and man was eager to explore these ideas, freely.”

“Age of Reason” at All About History, http://www.allabouthistory.org/age-of-reason.htm

Jean-Baptiste Chardin, Self-portrait

References:

All about History. Retrieved from http://www.allabouthistory.org/
Cabanne, Pierre. A barokk és a klasszicizmus. [Baroque and Classicism] Budapest: Helikon, 2001.
Szerb, Antal.  A világirodalom története. [History of World Literature] Budapest: Magvető, 1941.