After the long-standing power that religion had over people, the Enlightenment brought a radical change in culture. The once superstitious people of the time were now finding explanations for things that religion once explained, losing faith in the monarchy, and were able to use art not only as a way to show religious events of the past, but also as journalism to criticize their modernity. Company. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The Enlightenment focused on understanding nature, contrary to past beliefs. Going against "God's will" in trying to find meaning was looked down upon, but this evolved into the opposite during the Enlightenment. Education was a major goal of society and being knowledgeable about the world around them was considered a must for everyone. This idea of ​​learning was instilled in children very early so that they could contribute to society. Many paintings in the neoclassicism style illustrate these ideas. La Gouvernante by Jean Siméon Chardin, created in 1739, illustrates this idea. In this image, a governess is shown telling a young boy that it is time to study. Toys are visible on the floor, showing the transition from play to work/education. This example of a moralistic image shows the European emphasis on responsibility and education that were necessary in adulthood. This painting reminded parents (and nannies) how to raise their children to contribute to society. The Air Pump Experiment, created in 1768 by the English painter Joseph Wright, shows an informal way of learning. This piece depicts the Lunar Society, a group of scientists who performed experiments outside the scope of formal education. The experiments this company participated in were illegal, so they had to hide their activities. In the painting, the Lunar Society "performs" its air pump experiment on a wealthy family after dinner. Even though it was not a formal education, these people still wanted to learn and shared their knowledge with other groups of people. Even entertainment had the benefit of becoming more educated. Finally, education has changed the hierarchy of society. Women's roles were changing and the desire for a better educated community extended to groups that would not normally become educated. They were exposed to the same education as men. In Self-portrait with two students, produced by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard in 1739, we can see Labille-Guiard painting with two students. Women were becoming more and more educated, and even learning to paint from life was considered more educated than a woman who had just had children and stayed at home. This shows how women could attend an academy and gain professional training, an option that was once only available to men. Spreading knowledge to the people, through teaching children, informing citizens without scientific training through entertainment, or changing social roles to allow learning for all, was vital to an educated community. The effects this had on the culture of the society also allowed for the advancement of social values ​​and a new way of thinking. People no longer relied on the monarchy to instill knowledge and power. Political propaganda was still widespread at this time and was used according to the evolution of society. Because royalty was losing its impact onsociety with art, artists had to depict them in different lights to encourage the changing society to see them differently. Marie Antoinette with Her Children, created by Elizabeth Vigée-Lebrun in 1787, is an example in the French neoclassical style. As mentioned earlier, society was changing rapidly, and so were its values. This painting depicts Marie Antoinette as a loving mother with all her children, even though she probably rarely saw them. It was an attempt at self-propaganda to attract society and its change of outlook on values. However, this did not work and she was murdered by guillotine in 1792 during the Reign of Terror. The Oath of the Horatii, created in 1784 by Jacques Louis David, was another attempt to change society's view of the monarchy. This painting is set in the Roman Republican era and depicts King Horace sending his three sons to fight for the city. They are depicted giving the Roman salute to Horace, and this political loyalty was meant to be interpreted the same way for France, remaining faithful to the king. However, it was interpreted as a reminder of family values ​​and the preservation of one's way of life. This interpretation reflects society's changing views on life and values. Another painting by Jacques Louis David, titled The Death of Marat, was produced later in 1793, when David no longer supported the king. He joined the Jacobin Party, an extremist group of revolutionaries responsible for the reign of terror. This painting depicts the martyrdom of the Jacobin leader, Marat. He lies dead in a medicinal bath, murdered by Charlotte Corday, a royalist. The painting recalls the feud between royalists and revolutionaries and the problems resulting from a society that has lost confidence in the monarchy. In a rapidly changing and increasingly educated society, those in power had to change the way they were perceived. The art of political propaganda was created in hopes of inspiring loyalty to the monarchy. However, in an increasingly educated and open-minded society, the monarchy began to lose power. The education of society, as well as the political propaganda present in the Age of Enlightenment, allowed retaliation in the form of art. This change in values ​​marks the beginning of social commentary in art. Towards the end of the Enlightenment, the Ancien Régime of the monarchy came to an end. As people became more confident in expressing their anger at government and social issues, modern events gave artists a way to use art as journalism. Artists were more assertive in their beliefs, could freely criticize society and have their own opinions. The Raft of Medusa, created in 1818 by Théodore Géricault, is a painting created during the era of French romanticism. This dramatic painting depicts the contemporary shipwreck of the Colonial Medusa, which sailed off the coast of Africa and sank. The captain, crew and first-class passengers took to the lifeboat, leaving the third-class passengers and servants to fend for themselves on a makeshift raft filled with debris. It was later discovered that the captain had no training and had purchased the position from his wealthy father. This tragedy outraged the public and Géricault was not afraid to show the horror and level of French corruption that was present. Another painting depicting a tragedy is May 3, 1808, created in 1814 by Francisco Goya. This painting illustrates the murder of Spanish peasants by a French firing squad. This happened because of a rebellion against the royal family. The brutal technique used by Goya helped communicate the message.