Floor plan

Style galleriesNeoclassicism

Neoclassicism

Waterfall at Terni, by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, 1826
This image is a pencil sketch on paper with a monochrome palette of graphite gray. The viewer sees various scenes without a defined horizon line. The upper section shows figures in period clothing, possibly mid-19th century women's fashion. The middle area has abstract architectural forms. In the lower right corner, a sailing ship or boat is sketched with more detail than the rest. The drawing style consists of quick, expressive strokes. The image conveys multiple narrative or compositional ideas on a single sheet.
A young woman draws on an oval surface with white chalk while three winged, baby-like putti gather nearby, all on a bank of pale pink clouds in this horizontal painting. The woman and putti have pale, rosy skin, flushed cheeks, and hazel-brown eyes. To our left, the woman reclines with her upper body propped up on her far elbow, which rests on a steel-blue cushion as her legs stretch out to our right. Her light brown hair is braided and wrapped across the top of her head. She wears a loose, seafoam-green robe over a billowing ivory-white garment that has slipped off the shoulder closer to us. A round paint palette with brushes sticking out of its thumb hole and a roll of blue and white paper sit in the lower left corner, behind the woman. The woman and the objects are on a red cloth. In front of the woman is a rounded surface, perhaps a canvas, on which she draws. She holds up a gold-colored stylus with her right hand, closer to us, with a pointed piece of white chalk in one end and black chalk in the other. The canvas is taller than her head, so the child-like putto she draws on it is life-sized. The three nude putti on the far side of the canvas have copper or golden-blond, curly hair, flushed, rounded cheeks, short wings in white or peacock blue, pudgy torsos, and dimpled limbs. One putto, presumably the one the woman draws, sits back on the bank of clouds with a carnation-pink sash across his chest. He pulls his chin back and looks at her from under his eyebrows. He holds a gold-colored torch with a pink flame in one hand, and the other hand rests near a cylindrical quiver of arrows. Another putto peeks around the side of the canvas, and the third stands and props the canvas up. That third putto holds up a wreath of laurel leaves up over the canvas, above the woman’s drawing hand. The bank of clouds is parchment-brown with muted pink and blue highlights against a vivid blue sky. The artist signed and dated the lower right, “F Boucher – 1765.”
Portrait of white man dressed in all black with medallion and sword.
A work made of soft ground etching, with roulette, printed in red on white wove paper.
This is a drawing of a group of mythological figures in a ceremonial scene. The composition features multiple figures in various poses, centered around a symbolic gathering. The drawing is detailed, providing a classical representation of human forms, draped fabrics, and an animal. A plateau with trees is subtly depicted in the background. The figures display expressions ranging from serene to contemplative.

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

Europe turns back to Greece and Rome: clear line, calm figures and civic virtue.

First room, north wall

  1. Waterfall at Terni, by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, 1826
    Waterfall at TerniJean Baptiste Camille Corot, 1826Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. This image is a pencil sketch on paper with a monochrome palette of graphite gray. The viewer sees various scenes without a defined horizon line. The upper section shows figures in period clothing, possibly mid-19th century women's fashion. The middle area has abstract architectural forms. In the lower right corner, a sailing ship or boat is sketched with more detail than the rest. The drawing style consists of quick, expressive strokes. The image conveys multiple narrative or compositional ideas on a single sheet.
    Seaside StudiesEugène Isabey, 1830sCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. A young woman draws on an oval surface with white chalk while three winged, baby-like putti gather nearby, all on a bank of pale pink clouds in this horizontal painting. The woman and putti have pale, rosy skin, flushed cheeks, and hazel-brown eyes. To our left, the woman reclines with her upper body propped up on her far elbow, which rests on a steel-blue cushion as her legs stretch out to our right. Her light brown hair is braided and wrapped across the top of her head. She wears a loose, seafoam-green robe over a billowing ivory-white garment that has slipped off the shoulder closer to us. A round paint palette with brushes sticking out of its thumb hole and a roll of blue and white paper sit in the lower left corner, behind the woman. The woman and the objects are on a red cloth. In front of the woman is a rounded surface, perhaps a canvas, on which she draws. She holds up a gold-colored stylus with her right hand, closer to us, with a pointed piece of white chalk in one end and black chalk in the other. The canvas is taller than her head, so the child-like putto she draws on it is life-sized. The three nude putti on the far side of the canvas have copper or golden-blond, curly hair, flushed, rounded cheeks, short wings in white or peacock blue, pudgy torsos, and dimpled limbs. One putto, presumably the one the woman draws, sits back on the bank of clouds with a carnation-pink sash across his chest. He pulls his chin back and looks at her from under his eyebrows. He holds a gold-colored torch with a pink flame in one hand, and the other hand rests near a cylindrical quiver of arrows. Another putto peeks around the side of the canvas, and the third stands and props the canvas up. That third putto holds up a wreath of laurel leaves up over the canvas, above the woman’s drawing hand. The bank of clouds is parchment-brown with muted pink and blue highlights against a vivid blue sky. The artist signed and dated the lower right, “F Boucher – 1765.”
    Allegory of PaintingFrançois Boucher, 1765Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

First room, south wall

  1. Portrait of white man dressed in all black with medallion and sword.
    Amédée-David, the Comte de PastoretJean Auguste Dominique Ingres, 1823–26Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of soft ground etching, with roulette, printed in red on white wove paper.
    Portrait of a Man in an Armchair, from Collection d'imitations de Dessins d'après les Principaux Maîtres Hollandais et FlamandsChristian Josi, 1826Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. This is a drawing of a group of mythological figures in a ceremonial scene. The composition features multiple figures in various poses, centered around a symbolic gathering. The drawing is detailed, providing a classical representation of human forms, draped fabrics, and an animal. A plateau with trees is subtly depicted in the background. The figures display expressions ranging from serene to contemplative.
    The Nursing of JupiterThéodore ChassériauCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, south wall

  1. RUSTIC INTERIOR: STAGE DESIGN FOR THE TEATRO DE' FELICINI, BOLOGNA
    Rustic Interior: Stage Design for the Teatro de' Felicini, BolognaAntonio Giuseppe Basoli, ca. 1810Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  2. The image shows an illustration of a rocky terrain with towering stone formations and dense foliage. The sky is textured and the scene is created using an etching technique with intricate linework. There are two figures in the scene, one appearing to climb or position near a rock, while the other observes. The color palette is monochromatic, using black on a white background to depict depth and dimension in the artwork.
    Landscape with a Fallen Tree (Paysage à l'arbre cassé)Hubert Robert, 1764Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows three figures. Two of them are embracing in the foreground, kneeling on the ground and facing each other in a kiss. The person on the left has curly hair and appears to be wearing a coat-like garment, while the person on the right has long hair tied back and is dressed in a long robe. The third figure emerges from the bushes in the background, with shoulder-length hair, wearing a dress with a sash and a light shawl or scarf over their head. The setting includes tall trees, shrubs, and a structure with columns and arches on the right side, suggesting a garden or courtyard. Rolling hills and cloudy skies are in the distant background.
    The Fortunate RescueDaniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, 1791Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. Still Life with Fish, Bread, and Kettle, by Luis Meléndez, c. 1772
    Still Life with Fish, Bread, and KettleLuis Meléndez, c. 1772Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Second room, north wall

  1. The Lictors Bringing Brutus the Bodies of his Sons, by Jacques-Louis David, 1787
    The Lictors Bringing Brutus the Bodies of his SonsJacques-Louis David, 1787Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. A work made of graphite and pen and black ink, with touches of opaque, white watercolor on cream laid paper.
    Farmer Requesting Permission to Marry a Nobleman's DaughterGabriel de Saint-Aubin, 1761Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. The painting depicts three children within an oval frame, their upper bodies visible. The central child, a young girl, is positioned with her body facing forward and her head turned slightly to the left. She has a fair complexion, with rosy cheeks, pink lips, and wide brown eyes. Her hair is gray and partially pulled back by a blue ribbon. She is dressed in a white garment with a yellow shawl draped over her shoulders. Her arms are outstretched, holding the ends of a cloth that has been pinned on her dress. Her arms and the cloth extend forward beyond the oval frame that encircles the trio, as if the frame is a window or porthole that she is reaching out of. On the right, a boy leans on the girl's shoulder, also facing to the left, seen in profile. He has light brown, curly hair and a fair complexion. He wears a dark blue-green jacket over a white collar, and he is looking upward towards the third child. On the left, another boy, who also has light skin and light brown curly hair, appears to stand on a chair above the other two children. He is holding a long yellow straw up to his lips. At the other end of the straw, a large bubble hangs over the white cloth that the girl holds out. In his other hand is a small white dish. He wears a muted brown outfit with a dark cloth wrapped around him. The background within the frame is plain gray, and the frame that surrounds the children is light gray and appears to be carved with leaf designs. Beyond the oval frame is gray.
    Soap BubblesCharles Amédée Philippe Van Loo, 1764Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga (1784–1792), by Francisco Goya, 1787–88
    Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga (1784–1792)Francisco Goya, 1787–88Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Third room, north wall

  1. A work made of soft ground etching from two plates, with roulette, on paper.
    Portrait of a Man in an Armchair, from Collection d'imitations de Dessins d'après les Principaux Maîtres Hollandais et FlamandsChristian Josi, 1826Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. The image shows an etching of a forest scene with towering trees dominating the upper half. The horizon is not clearly visible due to dense foliage, but a line of trees and rocky outcrops in the distance provide a boundary. The fine lines and cross-hatching technique create detailed textures in the tree bark and foliage. The color palette is monochromatic, in shades of black and white emphasizing light and shadow. A large tree with a partially hollow trunk and figures scattered throughout the scene give a sense of scale and activity within the forest setting.
    Wooded Landscape with a Nymph and a SatyrSalomon Gessner, 1764Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington