The Arts in the Seventeen Hundreds
Presented By: Noah Cohen
the time period of the Enlightenment; Culture and the Arts changed during the 1700’s
Western Europe were relatively more prosperous and serfdom began to disappear
Others owned land, worked for others, rented land , or were hired help
In central and eastern Europe serfdom still existed and deepened
Peasants could be bought and sold (along w/ land)
Some had to provide free labor to the rulers
Still there was also a new growing middle class.
Art
Paintings were huge, colorful, and full of excitement
They glorify historic battles or the lives of saints
Architects and designers developed the Rococo style in the mid 1700's
It was personal, elegant, and charming
Furniture and tapestries had delicate shells and flowers
Portraits featured noble subjects in charming rural settings
surrounded by happy servants and pets
Successful merchants and prosperous officials wanted their portraits painted, but with no frills.
They liked pictures of family life or realistic scenes.
The famous dutch painter Rembrant van Rijn was highly influential.
Music
Ballets and Operas were performed at royal courts but then opera houses began to spring up throughout Europe
Many influential composers emerged
Johann Sebastian Bach: German born
Beautiful and complex religious works for organ and choirs
George Frederick Handel: Also German born
Composed Water Music and Messiah ( which is a standard at Christmas and Easter concerts)
A European born child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
Famous for outstanding arias (solos)
He composed operas, symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, chirch music and more
The Opera - The Magic Flute was an opera he wrote towards the end of his life.
(The Picture May Not Be Accurate)