Definition

1. Noun:
   • An artistic and intellectual movement: A movement in literature, art, and architecture, especially during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, characterized by a revival of and adherence to the principles, styles, and aesthetic values of ancient Greek and Roman art and literature. It emphasizes rationality, order, harmony, clarity, proportion, and restraint.
   • The adherence to such principles: The quality or state of following classical models and standards, often implying a preference for formal elegance, simplicity, and discipline over emotional expression or complexity.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The architecture of the building is a perfect example of classicism, with its symmetrical columns and balanced proportions.
  • The poet's work is marked by a strict classicism, avoiding romantic excess in favor of precise, measured language.
  • During the Renaissance, there was a renewed interest in classicism, drawing inspiration from Roman ruins and Greek philosophy.

Advanced Usage

• "Neoclassicism": A later revival of classicism, particularly in the 18th and early 19th centuries, which is often more archaeologically precise in its imitation of ancient models.
  • The painter Jacques-Louis David is a key figure in Neoclassicism.
• As an evaluative term: Used to describe works that exhibit the qualities of balance and formal perfection associated with classical art.
  • The critic praised the sculpture's classicism, noting its serene beauty and idealized form.

Variants and Related Words

• Classical (adj): Relating to ancient Greek or Roman culture, or to art forms that follow its principles.
  • She studies classical literature.
• Classicist (n): A person who advocates or follows the principles of classicism, or a scholar of classical antiquity.
  • He was a renowned classicist and translator of Homer.
• Neoclassical (adj): Relating to a revival of classicism.
  • The neoclassical building houses the city museum.

Synonyms

• Formalism: Strict adherence to prescribed forms (though often more focused on form over content).
• Traditionalism: Adherence to tradition, especially in cultural or artistic matters.

Antonyms

• Romanticism: An artistic movement emphasizing emotion, individualism, and nature, often in opposition to the restraint of classicism.
• Baroque: A style characterized by ornate detail, movement, and dramatic intensity, which preceded and contrasted with classicism.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A classical education": An education grounded in the study of ancient Greek and Latin literature and culture, the foundation of classicist thought.
  • He received a classical education at a prestigious boarding school.

Noun

1. a movement in literature and art during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that favored rationality and restraint and strict forms
   • classicism often derived its models from the ancient Greeks and Romans