Art in Context | Bodies and Bodices: A Study of Revolutionary Europe Through Art and Fashion

Name: Art in Context | Bodies and Bodices: A Study of Revolutionary Europe Through Art and Fashion
Start: 2026-02-04T11:00:00-08:00
Location: Bowers Museum

Schedule

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026 at 11:00 am

UTC-08:00

Location

Bowers Museum | Santa Ana, CA

WEDNESDAYS | FEBRUARY 4 – MARCH 11 | 11 AM - 12 PM *unless otherwise noted
NORMA KERSHAW AUDITORIUM | 6-PART LECTURE SERIES Presented by Annalee Andres, Art Historian
FEBRUARY 4 | Setting the Stage: The Ancien Régime, Marie Antoinette, and the Prelude to Revolution
Explore the sweeping cultural shifts of the Enlightenment through the compelling story of Marie Antoinette, whose bold personal style and break from royal tradition reflect the era’s move from Rococo elegance to Neoclassical refinement and the dawn of modern individualism on the eve of the French Revolution.
FEBRUARY 11 | The Rise of Neo Classicism and the Work of Jacques-Louis David
In the hands of Jacques-Louis David, Neoclassicism became a force for Enlightenment-inspired social and political change, and this talk traces how his major works both reflected and helped shape the evolving ideals of the French Revolution.
FEBRUARY 18 | Revolutionary Fever: Jacques-Louis David and His Students
In this lecture, we will trace how Jacques-Louis David, an ardent Jacobin who voted for the king’s execution, drew on classical traditions to cast revolutionary events in the language of heroic history, while also examining the artists in his circle who ultimately broke from their master to create sensuous, exotic paintings that captured the era’s emotional intensity.
FEBRUARY 25* | Power and Style: Napoleon Bonaparte and Joséphine de Beauharnais
In this lecture, we will explore the intertwined lives of Joséphine de Beauharnais and Napoleon Bonaparte—tracing how, in the volatile world of the post-Revolutionary era, Joséphine rose as an influential arbiter of fashion and taste while Napoleon skillfully used art, style, and public imagery to craft his imperial identity and consolidate power across Europe.
MARCH 4 | French Imperialism in Europe: The Case of Spain and Germany
MARCH 11 | The Restoration, the Second Empire and the Dresses of Eugénie
*Begins at 11:15 AM
Series Package: Members $55 | General $80 (includes one free lecture!)
Individual Tickets: Members $11 | General $16
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 714.567.3677. Proceeds benefit Bowers Museum Education Programs. Tickets are non-refundable.