dawn of bohemianism : the Barbu rebellion and primitivism in neoclassical France

The emergence in 1800 of a rebellious group of young artists in the studio of the painter David signaled the first organized and deliberate alienation from society by a group of artists in the modern age. The Barbus, or 'bearded ones,' self-styled eccentrics sporting outlandish costumes derived from Grecian or Oriental garb, presaged the better-known German Nazarenes and the English Pre-Raphaelites. In their effort to separate themselves from the world, the Barbus followed esoteric rituals and proclaimed primitivist ideals in art that reflected their aim of a utopian reorganization of society.