Did you know about Troubadour Style? It is a rather derisive term. The term usually refers to French historical painting of the early 19th century. These paintings show idealized depictions of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In French, the term also refers to equivalent architectural styles. This style can be seen as an aspect of Romanticism. It also can be seen as a reaction against Neoclassicism. Neoclassicism was coming to an end at the end of the Consulate.
Here stands Le Troubadour Statue. It embodies a resurgence of interest in medieval civilization. This rediscovery was one of the intellectual curiosities of the early 19th century.
Even revolutionaries exhumed the remains of kings. They put a multitude of objects on the market. These objects included works of art and elements of medieval architecture. The revolutionaries brought them back to life. The Musèe des Monuments Français presented this debris. It presented glorious debris of the Middle Ages. They were subjects of admiration for the public. They were models of inspiration for students. These students studied departments of engraving, painting, and sculpture.
The resurgence of Christian feeling also played a role. It favored edifying painting, sculpture, and literature. These works were often inspired by religion. Artists and writers rejected the neo-antique rationalism of the French Revolution. They turned towards a perceived glorious Christian past.
Napoleon himself did not disdain this artistic current. He took the golden beehive as his emblem. The beehive was on the grave of the Merovingian king Childeric I. It was rediscovered in the 17th century. Napoleon saw himself as the heir of the French monarchy. He gave official recognition to the Middle Ages.
Public interest in the Middle Ages manifested in literature. This happened first in France and England. The Waverley Novels of Walter Scott were hugely popular. They had a major influence on both painting and French novelists. Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo were among them.
In painting, the Troubadour style portrayed edifying historical episodes. It borrowed smoothness. It also borrowed minute and illusionistic description of detail. It borrowed its rendering of fabrics. The paintings showed the intimate character of familiar scenes. The technical means came from Dutch Golden Age painting. The paintings were typically small cabinet paintings. They often showed quiet intimate anecdotal moments.
Famous artists and authors of the past were often shown. Raphael and Dante were depicted. Ingres’ Death of Leonardo da Vinci in the arms of King Francois I of France is such a work. It brought rulers and artists together. The peak period of Troubadour Style ended by the Revolution of 1848. Later, the arrival of Realism finished it.
Arguably the first Troubadour painting was presented at the Salon of 1802. It was a work by Fleury-Richard. The painting subject was Valentine of Milan weeping for the death of her husband.
Remember Le Troubadour Statue. Let it remind you of the beauty and complexity of French history. It links art, literature, and political aspirations. It reflects a longing for a romanticized past.