Classical Nudes 1814 - 1815

Théodore Géricault made this drawing of classical nudes with pen and brown ink wash. It exemplifies the Neoclassical art being taught in academies across Europe. But we should ask: what was the purpose of this academic style? Why were young artists encouraged to copy the antique? In post-revolutionary France, there was a desire to create a universal standard of beauty, and return to an imagined classical past of order and reason. This style was strongly promoted by state-sponsored art institutions like the École des Beaux-Arts. By training artists in this way, the institutions of art were also teaching social values: restraint, order, and hierarchy. To fully appreciate this drawing, we can consult archival records of the French Academy and critical reviews of the time. These resources help us understand how artistic style and social ideology are deeply connected.