4.5 - 18th-Century Culture and Arts

The Consumer Revolution

• Industrialization led to increased disposable income for the middle and upper classes, which in turn fueled a higher demand for consumer goods across Europe.

• This period of heightened consumerism is known as the Consumer Revolution.

  • People began purchasing goods not out of necessity but because they wanted them, leading to a shift in consumer behavior.

  • Popular items included porcelain dishes, cotton linens for home décor, and mirrors.

Social Implications of the Consumer Revolution

• Class Identity and Consumerism:

  • As goods became more affordable, the middle class could buy items that were previously exclusive to the upper class.

  • This shift led to a new form of social identification, where people began to define themselves by the goods they purchased rather than just by religion or regional affiliation.

  • The middle class began to feel more affluent, blurring the lines between social classes.

• Privacy and Home Design:

  • The Consumer Revolution also introduced a new concern for privacy.

  • Previously, homes were smaller with multi-purpose rooms; many families lived in single-room houses where everyone shared the same space.

  • With the rise of consumerism, people started to design homes with more rooms, each serving a specific purpose.

  • A notable example is the boudoir, a room specifically for the wife to have private time or entertain other women, separate from her husband.

• Leisure Activities:

  • The Consumer Revolution also led to the creation of new venues for leisure, such as coffee houses.

    • Coffee, popularized by the Columbian Exchange, became a favorite beverage, and coffee houses emerged as places where men from all classes could gather.

    • Unlike taverns, which were associated with drinking and singing, coffee houses were centers for discussing revolutionary ideas.

  • In urban areas, spectator sports gained popularity, with blood sports like bull-baiting and cockfighting being common entertainment.

The Reading Revolution

• The Reading Revolution occurred alongside the Consumer Revolution, driven by increasing literacy rates and the availability of printed materials.

  • Literacy spread rapidly due to new educational efforts for children and the proliferation of books and other reading materials made possible by the printing press.

Expansion of Reading Material

• The variety of reading materials expanded significantly during this period.

  • In France, there was a noticeable decline in the publication of religious devotional books.

  • Instead, books on history, law, science, and the arts became more common.

  • Beyond books, other forms of reading materials became popular, including newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets, and notably, the encyclopedia produced by Denis Diderot.

Impact and Response

• The spread of new ideas through these diverse reading materials led to increased censorship, particularly from religious authorities.

  • For example, the Catholic Church condemned Diderot’s encyclopedia due to its challenges to religious authority.

  • Despite these censorship efforts, the Reading Revolution took hold, and people continued to read more than ever before.

Shifts in the Arts

• During this period, the arts shifted focus from religious themes and royal power to themes that emphasized private life and public goods.

• Baroque Art (Pre-1750):

  • Baroque art celebrated religious devotion and the power of monarchs.

  • Monarchs and the church embraced Baroque art for its grandeur and ostentation, which symbolized authority and power.

  • Notable examples:

    • Gian Lorenzo Bernini: Known for designing ornate chapels and the magnificent piazzas for the renovation of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.

    • Johann Sebastian Bach: Composed music intended for royal courts and high church services, reflecting the era’s focus on religious and state power.

Shift to Bourgeois Art

• By the 18th century, art began to reflect the tastes and values of the Bourgeois Society (the middle class).

  • This period saw a move from the grand, religious, and state-centric themes of Baroque art to more down-to-earth and everyday life subjects.

  • Rembrandt exemplifies this shift, painting both biblical scenes with a more relatable, earthy style and scenes from everyday life, such as The Slaughtered Ox.

Neoclassicism

• As the 18th century progressed, a new artistic movement, Neoclassicism, emerged.

  • Neoclassical art emphasized simplicity and symmetry, contrasting with the opulence of Baroque art.

  • An example is the Pantheon in Paris, designed by Jacques-Germain Soufflot in a style that reflected the ideals of neoclassicism, despite being commissioned by Louis XV.

Literature Reflecting Bourgeois Values

• Literature during this period also shifted to focus on Enlightenment and commercial values, appealing to the Bourgeois Society.

  • Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe: A novel about a man shipwrecked on an island who learns to survive and thrive without the guidance of religious authority, reflecting the self-reliance valued by the bourgeoisie.

  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust: A play about a man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for secret knowledge and wealth, highlighting the human yearning for meaning, a theme resonating with bourgeois values.