Klassismi

Klassismi, or classicism, is a Western cultural movement that emerged in the 17th century and flourished in the 18th, defined by an adherence to the ideals of ancient Greek and Roman art and literature. It arose as a reaction against the excesses of late Baroque and Rococo, emphasizing clarity, order, proportion, restraint, and the belief that art should reflect universal truths through reason and form. The movement spread across Europe through institutions such as the French Academy and was fueled by renewed interest in antiquity, archaeology, and the extensive travel of educated elites.

In architecture, klassismi favored symmetry, measured proportions, and the use of classical orders, often inspired by Palladian models. In painting and sculpture, it promoted noble subjects, harmonious composition, and idealized forms, with an emphasis on line and clear narrative. In literature and drama, it endorsed the unities of action, time, and place, balanced rhetoric, and morally instructive content. In music, the klassismi period, often called the Classical period, developed forms such as the symphony, string quartet, and sonata-allegro form, with composers like Haydn, Mozart, and early Beethoven shaping a music of clarity, balance, and expressive restraint.

The legacy of klassismi lies in its enduring emphasis on proportion, its influence on public buildings and formal gardens, and the refined taste associated with Enlightenment aesthetics. Its influence waned with Romanticism, though neoclassical styles saw revivals in the 19th and early 20th centuries.