Tradition and Desire: From David to Delacroix

Author: (English) Brison, translated by Ding Ning
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The origins and evolution of both Chinese and Western cultural trends proceed independently, but there are indeed certain specific commonalities in the field of art history, as both Europe and China possess ancient and mature traditions of image representation that exist in the world today. This book aims to discuss the history of European art, focusing on the traditional issues reflected in the works of three French painters—David, Ingres, and Delacroix. It does not intend to be a comprehensive description of these painters' achievements or a comprehensive history of their creations in any all-encompassing sense, but rather to explore the different ways in which David, Ingres, and Delacroix, with their insights, perceive and respond to their positions within the artistic tradition. Faced with the abundant achievements of these artists, I have selected those works that, in my view, best illustrate their individual responses to tradition and provide highly personalized answers to the various challenges posed by tradition.