This is one of the earliest Neoclassical paintings created in France. Inspired by the excavation of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, painters like Vien began to include classicalarchitecture, furniture, and costumes in their work. Vien also changed his style of painting by favoring smoother surfaces, finer brushstrokes, and cooler colors. The artist transmitted this style to his pupil Jacques-Louis David, the best-known Neoclassical painter.This painting is among the earliest depictions of "Sweet Melancholy," a subject derived from traditional emblems that became very popular in the late 18th century. The woman is not a tragic mourner or a brooding intellectual, but rather a gently regretful figure. The letter on the table may have brought news of a distant or lost love, while the dove underscores the sweetness of the scene.
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This is one of the earliest Neoclassical paintings created in France. Inspired by the excavation of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, painters like Vien began to include classicalarchitecture, furniture, and costumes in their work. Vien also changed his style of painting by favoring smoother surfaces, finer brushstrokes, and cooler colors. The artist transmitted this style to his pupil Jacques-Louis David, the best-known Neoclassical painter.This painting is among the earliest depictions of "Sweet Melancholy," a subject derived from traditional emblems that became very popular in the late 18th century. The woman is not a tragic mourner or a brooding intellectual, but rather a gently regretful figure. The letter on the table may have brought news of a distant or lost love, while the dove underscores the sweetness of the scene.
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