Generation in Revolution

When the French Revolution broke out, an entire generation of artists, most of them students of the famous painter David, reached maturity.

This pivotal period, which upset political and social organization, affected these men who, whether revolutionaries or not, experienced a profound change in their way of living and creating.

Some joined the revolutionary movement, while others exiled themselves mentally or physically; most of them looked above all for ways to survive in a world that was no longer stable.

Although the end of the monarchy and the birth of a patriotic and republican ideal incited artists like David to take inspiration from Antiquity, the representation of intimate and picturesque scenes also enjoyed unprecedented popularity, conveying a renewed sensitivity.

The collection of drawings from the Fabre Museum of Montpellier reflects this artistic reaction, which led to a profound rethinking of genres and stylistic movements that oscillated between Neoclassicism and pre-Romanticism.

The selection of 80 drawings, some of which have never before been exhibited, shows the subtlety with which great names like Girodet, Prud’hon, Gérard and Fabre ensured the transition from the ancient world to that of the nineteenth century during this period when history leaped toward the future.

COMMISSAIRES GÉNÉRAUX :

Michel Hilaire et Rose-Marie Mousseaux

COMMISSAIRES SCIENTIFIQUES :

Benjamin Couilleaux et Florence Hudowicz

Hashtag #ExpoDessinFabre