Week Six Comments

     Week seven concerned the method of academic painting. It was astonishing to learn just how meticulous and thorough Academic artists such Ingres, David and Bouguereau were in their painting, often taking years to complete a masterful work such as The Death of Socrates. Artists started with sketches, which were often masterful works in themselves, as seen in Oath of the Tennis Court. Reading about Classical mythology was as important as the artistic creation for these artists, the idea being that an artist should find originality through emulation of old masters.

      There were counter factions against the Academy in the 19th century however. The famous rivalry between Delacroix and Ingres serves a a prime example. Ingres was the conservative, Classical painter, dutifully executing his works with every step of Academic finish. Delacroix used less steps in finishing, valuing color over the line.