por What was neoclassicism in Colombia?
Neoclassicism in Colombia was a literary, artistic and cultural movement that had a certain presence at the end of the 18th century and in the first half of the 19th century. This movement was born in France as a reaction to the excesses of the baroque. Neoclassicism was greatly influenced by rationalism and the Enlightenment.
In Colombia, and in general throughout Latin America, neoclassicism was highly marked by the historical context. In this way, in addition to the general characteristics of neoclassicism, the struggle for independence became one of the most used themes. In what was then New Granada, much of it had a nationalist theme.
The arrival, therefore, of neoclassicism in Latin America was delayed compared to what had happened in Europe, due to Spanish domination. Later, some experts include among the neoclassical authors heroes of independence, such as Antonio Nariño or Simón Bolívar.
Neoclassicism had an impact, especially in Colombian literature. Both in poetry and in theater, there were many authors framed in this current. However, critics affirm that its influence was less than in other countries in the Latin American environment.
Historic context
Worldwide, neoclassicism arose in France in the mid-18th century and lasted until the first decades of the following century. Its appearance was a response to the excesses of the baroque, especially during its last stage, the rococo.
In Latin America, the arrival of this artistic and cultural current was later. Due to Spanish domination, it was not until the end of the 18th century that its first exponents appeared.
For this reason, it was developed in a context of struggle for the independence of the territories in the hands of the Spanish crown.
independence processes
The second half of the eighteenth century marked the beginning of the decline of the colonial organization in Latin America. From that moment until 1825, most of the countries in the region achieved their independence.
These emancipation processes shared some of the influences of the neoclassical movement, such as the appearance of Enlightenment thought and the outbreak of the French Revolution. The slogans of the latter, asking for equality and freedom, were very present both in the independence movements and in neoclassicism.
Those ideas came to Latin America at the hands of its most educated elements, such as Antonio Nariño. Many of them later participated in neoclassical literary creations.
Most of the cultural life in Latin America at the end of the 18th century was dedicated to the promotion of Enlightenment ideas. From literature to science, all areas of knowledge promoted the idea of political and intellectual independence.
Colombia
The years after 1810, with constant confrontations with the Spanish, left Colombia mired in poverty. For this reason, it was impossible to consolidate the republic or recover the cultural life to which José Celestino Mutis had collaborated.
The Botanical Expedition was one of the important milestones for New Granada. For the first time, they tried to combine science with art. For the purpose of this project, during the first years of Independence, the artists had to accept commissions again to make portraits of wealthy families or paintings based on religious traditions.
These themes were far removed from neoclassicism and did not reflect the process of struggle for independence that the country was experiencing.
Finally, between 1826 and 1850, there was a change in Colombian art. The situation allowed the influence of European neoclassicism to arrive thanks to the trips that some artists made to the Old Continent.
Characteristics of neoclassicism in Colombia
Neoclassicism claimed ancient classical culture, specifically Roman and Greek art. According to experts, stylistically it was quite cold, with a great presence of satire in literature.
The reason became the reference concept for the neoclassical, replacing religion and feelings. There was a rejection of the fantastic, since writing came to be understood as a way of educating and not entertaining.
In Latin America, this current had a differentiating characteristic with respect to what was happening in Europe. Due to the historical context, the theme was impregnated by the independence struggle. Criticism against the Spanish and praise for the revolutionary heroes of the region were frequent.
In Colombian neoclassical literature, themes such as denunciations of social injustices, praise of national heroes and the wars against the Spanish, and the attempt to create awareness of the new nation’s identity stood out.
Within the neoclassical prose developed in Colombia, new genres arose, most of them focused on social and national themes. One of the most important was political, social and economic journalism, which was imposed as a method to disseminate revolutionary and enlightened ideas.
Although Colombia has been called by some experts «land of writers», neoclassicism also had a notable influence on its architecture. Thus, a current appeared that drank directly from European models, especially from Spain and Italy. Neoclassical buildings used to be very sober, since it was a reaction against the baroque and its excess of decoration.
In Colombia, in addition, a style of its own developed from that neoclassicism, the so-called Colombian classical tradition.
Authors and representative works
At the end of the 18th century, some important poetic groups existed in Colombia, such as the Tertulia Eutropélica or the Academia del Buen Gusto.
However, the one that experts highlight the most is the group of poets from Popayán, made up of authors such as José María Valdés, Francisco Antonio Rodríguez and José María Gruesso. His writings show some influence of the romanticism that will replace the neoclassicism, but the language still responded clearly to the characteristics of this last current.
Jose Fernandez Madrid (1789-1830)
José Fernández Madrid was born in 1789 and is considered one of the pioneers of Colombian theater. His most outstanding works, published during the independence wars, were Atala and Guatimoc.
Camilo Torres Tenorio (1766-1816)
Like many other neoclassical authors, Torres Tenorio was part of the movement for the first independence of New Granada. He was famous for his great facility with words, which earned him the nickname of The Word of the Revolution.
His most important work was Grievance Memorialin which he developed a fierce criticism of the Spanish government and the laws that prevented Creoles from holding important positions in New Granada.
Antonio Narino (1765-1823)
Antonio Nariño was one of the heroes of the independence of New Granada. As a soldier, he was present from the beginning of the war and, as a politician, he collaborated with Bolívar in the formation of the new country.
Apart from his political facet, Nariño was one of those responsible for leading the Declaration of the Rights of Man to Colombia. His translation of it, and the disclosure paid for out of pocket by him, cost him jail time.
Nariño also gathered around his figure a circle of enlightened and liberal intellectuals.
Bogota Cathedral
Within neoclassical architecture, the cathedral of Bogotá is possibly the most emblematic building among those built in Colombia. FIt was designed and built between 1806 and 1811 by Domingo Petrés, a Spanish religious and architect.
References
Colombian National Radio. Art and Independence. Recovered from radionacional.co.
Scott, John F. Latin American art. Recovered from britannica.com.