Visual Culture – Conversation Piece and Rhetoric of “Talk” 1730-1770

Conversation Piece and Rhetoric of “Talk” 1730-1770

Capturing something that can't be seen or heard

Conversation Piece

Messages were recorded in textual form

Depiction of talking disappeared with introduction of modern technology

Hand gestures and objects helped people to understand what was happening in the paintings

Group paintings of family began in the 17th Century Netherlands

The fashion spread to France who commissioned  group portraits

When it reached England, society had been helped by the industrial revolution

British piece's evolved and had fancy backdrops showing wealth and status

This showed the family knew what was right at the time

Conversation piece was used to capture a moment such as talking

Viewed as a snapshot of life

Relationships of family members were shown with hand gestures

In late 1770's conversation piece had changed

Showing intimate relationships

Conversation piece's became a springboard for young artists

Pieces focused in an individual shifted to show common people

Queen's English separated the talk of rich and common people

Tea drinking and conversations as observations in 18th century

More emphasis on objects and goods

People who understood the conversation piece could get in the conversation

People such as servants would be like objects and not participate in the conversation 

18th century conversation piece became about elementary and people talking and having academic discussion

The discussion of academics became crucial to success of later conversation pieces

1780's losing America ambitions changed to India

Cross cultural convention pieces happened

Different races were shown equally in conversation pieces - servants because o what they do not their race were not included

Conversation Pieces did decline and change going back to status and wealth

Conversation became less of a point and disappeared in 19th century

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