Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism looked to ancient Greece and Rome for models of clarity, order, and moral seriousness, rejecting the ornamental excess of the Rococo. Its paintings are usually sharply composed, linear, and controlled, with figures that feel sculptural and themes that emphasize duty, sacrifice, civic virtue, and historical example. The movement was deeply tied to Enlightenment thought and revolutionary politics, so its beauty often comes with an ethical and public ambition.