Classical Blog Exhibit

 Art and Scientific Discovery in the 1700's

During the Classical era scientific discovery and ingenuity became more and more widespread as technology developed. From the massive strides in physics led by Sir Isaac Newton or the development of the Classification System by Carolus Linnaeus. This influx in scientific progress was widespread throughout the world during the 1700's. With the sciences in the spotlight, artists at the time had more inspiration for their work, whether it was to pay tribute or to record advances in science. For this post I have selected three works from the Classical era to analyze that additionally relate to scientific developments during this time.

The first piece is titled Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky is was painted by British-American artist Benjamin West. This piece was completed in 1816 in Philadelphia.

This piece relates to the sciences because the subject of the painting, Benjamin Franklin, is widely credited to being the first to discover electricity and the consensus on this painting appears to be a tribute of that. From the experiment conducted in the painting, it was found that not only metal can conduct electricity, but it can also be stored. As stated by the Smithsonian Institution "Franklin discovered that by linking multiple jars together they could increase the amount of electricity they could store". 

This painting uses the art element of tone to convey a contrast between light and dark. Ben's figure as well as the clouds in the background have a darker color palate, while the lightning is lighter. There is also symbolism for what appears to be angels guiding Benjamin and they have a lighter tone as well. When looking at this painting, I feel the emotion of hope and I think that is conveyed well in the presentation of this painting. I personally would be impartial to owning a copy of it. While the painting is nice, I don't particularly "like" or "dislike" it. Viewing this work in a museum would be most appropriate in my opinion.

The second work is titled Departure of Jacques Charles and Marie-Noel Robert's 'aerostatic globe' balloon from the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, on Dec 1, 1378. Not much is known about this work other than it was most likely drawn by Antoine Francois Sergent-Marceau in 1783 in Paris.

This drawing ties into the theme as it is an account of the first successful launch of a hydrogen filled balloon, and defined Charles' first ideal gas law. This law has had significant impact in chemistry up to this day. 

This artwork is simple yet interesting. The main art element used is lines. In this, many different line types are used, from horizontal to freehand and curved lines. This piece is what I believe to be a firsthand account of the balloon's launch from the artist's perspective. This art inspires awe for me as many specific details are included such as what seems to be thousands of people in the crowd, the building and its windows in the background, and the strings tying the balloon to the base. At first glance this piece seems simple, but it is actually has a lot of detail. I personally would not mind owning a copy of it because I usually gravitate towards well detailed and extravagant paintings, this is more unique and different. The most appropriate place to view this would, in my opinion, be in a science museum compared instead of an art exhibit as I think this is more important to the sciences than art.

The final piece is the painting titled Portrait of Denis Diderot it was completed in 1767 by Louis Michael Vanloo in Paris.

Denis Diderot was an important figure in the scientific community. This painting was a tribute to Denis and his work. Denis was primarily known for his work on the Encyclopedie which gave the public access to a lot a knowledge that wasn't as widely accessible before. As stated by Encyclopedia Britannica "the Encyclopedie was to bring out the essential principles of everyday art and science." Denis made strides within the scientific community allowing for the average citizen to learn, and this piece is a tribute to that.

This painting's color and tone give me emotions of inspiration and hope. The lighter colors for Denis and the darker background making him the focal point of this piece. Combined with the facial expression seen on Denis all give me those emotions. This is presented in a very respectful way portraying Denis very nicely. This gives me the impression that the artist looked up to and respected Denis. I personally would love to own a copy of this as I am also a fan of Denis and all that he's done, and this piece is a good way to represent that. This would also be appropriate to be placed and displayed in a history museum.

Works Cited

Benjamin Franklin drawing electricity from the Sky (no date) Philadelphia Museum of Art. Available at: https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/57044 (Accessed: 18 March 2024). 

Smithsonian Institution (1970) Benjamin Franklin’s pioneering electrical work influenced today’s technology, Smithsonian Institution. Available at: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/benjamin-franklins-pioneering-electrical-work-influenced-todays-technology (Accessed: 18 March 2024).

PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine (1783) [departure of Jacques Charles and Marie-Noel Robert’s ‘Aerostatic Globe’ balloon from the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, on Dec. 1, 1783] - picryl - public domain media search engine public domain search, PICRYL. Available at: https://picryl.com/media/departure-of-jacques-charles-and-marie-noel-roberts-aerostatic-globe-balloon (Accessed: 18 March 2024).

Jacques Charles (2024) Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Charles (Accessed: 18 March 2024).

Denis Diderot (2024) Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Denis-Diderot (Accessed: 18 March 2024).