Historical Connections to the Restoration and Neoclassical Periods

A painting of Oliver Cromwell
by Robert Walker

After the years of the English Civil War and the rule of Oliver Cromwell, Charles II was invited back to England to become king. This began the Restoration Period. With the coronation of a new king, there was renewed hope and stability. Having just experienced a civil war, the country looked forward to peace. The Restoration Period led to the Neoclassical Period, a time when artists gleaned inspiration from the ancient Greeks and Romans. Many writings from the Neoclassical Period explored the genres of satire and social advocacy.