Baroque ArtBaroque Art

Characterized by movement, intensity, Characterized by movement, intensity, tension, energy, vivid color, theatre, use of tension, energy, vivid color, theatre, use of intense light, stark contrastsintense light, stark contrasts

Rejects the limits of previous styles of artRejects the limits of previous styles of art Shocks audienceShocks audience Seeks to restore power to the church of Seeks to restore power to the church of

RomeRome Variations in style due to three catagories Variations in style due to three catagories

of supporters:of supporters: Church in Counter ReformationChurch in Counter Reformation Aristocratic Court of Louis XIVAristocratic Court of Louis XIV Bourgeois merchants of HollandBourgeois merchants of Holland

17th century trends

• During the Renaissance, wealth and conspicuous consumption become very cool

• During the Middle Ages, the wealth of the church was seen as corrupt, the church was too powerful, abuses of the church began to be recognized

• Therefore, the Reformation….• New churches were formed…

– Luther-Lutheranism– Calvin-Calvinism– Knox- Presbyterian– Henry VIII- Anglicanism

17th century trends

• The Roman Catholic Church’s response was the Counter Reformation– They try to reform– It’s too late– People already left the church– Church sends out missionaries– Church also starts the Inquisition…terror…

burning people at the stake

17th century trends• People wanted very rich decoration, flamboyant, lots of emotion,

very showy, wanted to decorate homes• There was a rise in secular art and music because of increase in

wealth• Some areas have no religious art because of religious beliefs

(Calvinism)• Church loses grip over people…Individuals become more powerful

with choices involving religion and education• People begin to take pride in their countries…the beginning of

Nationalism• Kings and queens become more powerful over people especially if it

is a Protestant country because the Pope’s power has dwindled

Baroque-Counter Reformation Baroque-Counter Reformation ArtArt

Caravaggio, Gentileschi, and BerniniCaravaggio, Gentileschi, and BerniniDynamic, colorful, often violent, Dynamic, colorful, often violent,

flamboyant, emotional , intenseflamboyant, emotional , intenseThe focus with this style is an answer The focus with this style is an answer

or “counter-attack” by the Roman or “counter-attack” by the Roman Catholic ChurchCatholic Church

Architecture: IL GESU- “CHURCH OF JESUS”

Il Gesu Counter Reformation Baroque style Founded in 1534 by Ignasius Loyola Church became a model for Roman

Catholic churches Strong accents of double paired pilasters Central portal of double cornice

Caravaggio Shocking subject matter Unbalanced; opposed to balance and restraint Nonrealistic Dramatic lighting Paintings have intense psychological impact Caravaggio said nature would be his only teacher His life is as dramatic as his art…He killed a man

in a fight, nearly fatally wounded in another fight, died during a violent rage over a misunderstanding

The Martyrdom of St. PeterCaravaggio

Caravaggio’s Deposition

How many people?

Who is half-nude?

Actual or implied light?

Caravaggio’s Conversion of St. Paul

The Flagellation of Christ

The Crucifixion of Saint Peter

Gentileschi Violent subject matter Used same style as Caravaggio A woman Heroic women were her preferred subject In the next painting, Gentileschi chooses

the exact moment of the execution The extreme contrast between light and

dark emphasizes the horror of the scene

Gentileschi’s Judith Slaying Holofernes

Bernini Probably the last artist to fully represent the

Counter Reformation A sculptor and an architect Produced very emotional art with intense energy Rome was his city and he left his stamp

everywhere, especially the piazza of St. Peter’s and the Baldacchino, canopy over St. Peter’s tomb

Bernini

• The piazza of St. Peter’s

Bernini’s Baldacchino

Bernini’s David

Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Theresa Saint is in state of rapture Overcome by love for God Arrow in hand of smiling

angel represents pain of love for God

Velasquez Concerned with nature and optical effects of light Not interested in religious subjects His Maids of Honor is one of the most celebrated

works of the century Page 354

Enormous depth in painting: people are in all areas of the room, mirror shows people where the audience is, the door opening goes farther into the background

A painting about space and light

Velasquez’ Maids

Aristocratic BaroqueAristocratic Baroque

Regal style- glamour, grandeur, and gloryRegal style- glamour, grandeur, and glory Rubens and van Dyck were leading Rubens and van Dyck were leading

painterspainters Versailles is the supreme example of Versailles is the supreme example of

architecturearchitecture Artists made money working in the courts Artists made money working in the courts

of kings and queens: Fredrick the Great of of kings and queens: Fredrick the Great of Prussia, Maria Theresa of Austria, Peter the Prussia, Maria Theresa of Austria, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great of Russia, Louis Great, Catherine the Great of Russia, Louis XIV, XV, and XVI of FranceXIV, XV, and XVI of France

Rubens Lived in an exciting time of new changes as

people like Galileo and Kepler help change people’s vision of the world

Lived in a bloody time of misogynistic witchcraft trials and the Inquisition

Nevertheless, Rubens praised the human spirit and the beauty of the natural world

His temperament was wholly positive and sunny

Rubens The Assumption of the Virgin

Rubens The Raising of the Cross

Rubens Massacre of the Innocents

Anthony van Dyck Portrait painter for court Elegant portrayals always improved upon

the model Came under patronage of Charles I of

England

Van Dyck

Baroque ClassicalBaroque Classical

Grand manner but a style that Grand manner but a style that emphasized line and natural color.emphasized line and natural color.

Leading artist was PoussinLeading artist was PoussinStands in direct contrast to RubensStands in direct contrast to Rubens

Nicolas Poussin Emphasized line, lucidity, and control Lofty subject matter from ancient history,

mythology, and biblical stories He believed Caravaggio treated religious subjects

in a base and vulgar manner Classicist Objectivity, balance, control, rationality Painted in the style of Raphael with a triangular

arrangement of subjects

Holy Family on the Steps

Rape of the Sabine Women

The story of The Rape of the Sabine Women

• Livy tells another story about Romulus in the story of "The Rape of the Sabine Women." It seems that Romulus needed wives for the men who had joined his city.

• The Roman state had become strong enough to hold its own in war with all the peoples along its borders, but a shortage of women meant that its greatness was fated to last for a single generation, since there was no prospect of offspring at home nor any prospect of marriage with their neighbors. Then, in accordance with the decision of the senate, Romulus sent messengers to the neighboring peoples to ask for alliance and the right of marriage for the new people. . . But nowhere were the emissaries given a fair hearing. Some scorned, others feared the great power growing in their midst, both for themselves and for their descendants. . . Romulus, to gain time till he found the right occasion, hid his concern and prepared to celebrate the Consualia, the solemn games in honor of equestrian Neptune. He then ordered that the spectacle be announced to the neighboring peoples. He gave the event great publicity by the most lavish means possible in those days. Many people came, some simply out of curiosity to see the new city, and especially the nearest neighbor, from Caenina, Crustuminum and Antemnae; the entire Sabine population came, wives and children included. Received with hospitality in the houses, after having seen the position of the city, its walls, and the large number of buildings, they marveled that Rome had grown so fast. When it was time for the show, and everybody was concentrating on this, a prearranged signal was given and all the Roman youths began to grab the women. Many just snatched the nearest woman to hand, but the most beautiful had already been reserved for the senators and these were escorted to the senators' houses by plebeians who had been given this assignment.

• The Romans drove off the men, and took the women for their wives. The Sabine men did not give in so easily however. There was war between the Romans and the Sabines led by their king Titus Tatius. It was the women who finally brought peace to Rome. They persuaded their fathers not to fight their new husbands and the Romans accepted Titus Tatius as joint ruler with Romulus.

•  

Versailles

Versailles “royal style”: The Age of Kings Reinforced and enhanced the absolute rule

of the king Louis XIV said, “I am the state” and “It is

legal because I wish it.” He became king at five years of age.

Vigee-LebrunPortrait of Marie Antoinette and Her Children

Shows no hint of the danger just before her…That her husband would lose her crown and she her head

Bourgeois BaroqueBourgeois Baroque

Realistic styleRealistic style Art concerned with everyday subjectsArt concerned with everyday subjects Still lifes, landscapes, moral lessons, group Still lifes, landscapes, moral lessons, group

portraitsportraits Rembrandt, Hals, Leyster, and VermeerRembrandt, Hals, Leyster, and Vermeer New patrons of art were all people who could New patrons of art were all people who could

afford a painting to hang in their living roomafford a painting to hang in their living room Signified the coming age of world trade, free Signified the coming age of world trade, free

enterprise, industrial development, and enterprise, industrial development, and democratic societiesdemocratic societies

The focus here is in Holland with the hard-working The focus here is in Holland with the hard-working and pre-dominantly middle-classand pre-dominantly middle-class

Frans HalsDutch portraitist

Judith Leyster Genre paintings Especially liked to paint musicians

Judith LeysterThe Proposition

Rembrandt Worked with ease on portraits, genre paintings,

and history or landscape paintings Concerned with the human drama of the Old

Testament, the loving and forgiving God of the New Testament, and the life and passion of Christ

Shakespeare of seventeenth-century painters Best known for use of light for dramatic purposes,

number of self-portraits

Rembrandt’s Descent from the Cross

Rembrandt’s Nightwatch

Nightwatch A group of people like to dress up and play

war games Light plays an important role (the girl, the

man next to the Captain, the drummer) The shape is a V

Self-Portrait of Rembrandt

Another Rembrandt self-portrait

Jan Vermeer Vermeer did for ordinary rooms what

renaissance artists did for ordinary human bodies

Specialized in light-natural light streaming into an interior

Vermeer’s The Girl with the Red Hat

Light bounces off girl’s earring, eye, lips… as if she were caught in a soft-focus camera

Ruisdael Finest Dutch landscape painter Specialized in space

Still Life: a painting or other 2-D work in which the subject matter is an arrangement of objects brought together for their pleasing contrasts of shape, color, texture to create a nice composition

Common symbolic items in still life Clock, blown out candle, skull-death Fish, bread, wine- Christianity Cat- sneaky mischief, cheating Dog- faithfulness, loyalty Dice, cards, other games and alcohol- wasting

time, evil Money and jewelry- wealth, status

Still Life

Rococo ArtRococo Art Started after the death of Louis XIVStarted after the death of Louis XIV French court moved back to Paris to life in elegant intimate French court moved back to Paris to life in elegant intimate

salons, Parisian townhouses where manners and charm salons, Parisian townhouses where manners and charm were emphasizedwere emphasized

The French Revolution ended the Rococo period as well as The French Revolution ended the Rococo period as well as most of the lives of the French aristocracymost of the lives of the French aristocracy

Rococo art is Baroque art made small and lightRococo art is Baroque art made small and light Illustrates the superficial values of the aristocracyIllustrates the superficial values of the aristocracy Ornate style with gentle pastel colorsOrnate style with gentle pastel colors Often used rocks and shellsOften used rocks and shells Secular artSecular art Portrayed decadent society pursuing pleasure and escaping Portrayed decadent society pursuing pleasure and escaping

boredomboredom Celebrated the cult of pleasure, seduction, and loveCelebrated the cult of pleasure, seduction, and love Fairy tale like, often used gods from classical mythology or Fairy tale like, often used gods from classical mythology or

angels and saints of Christianityangels and saints of Christianity

Rococo ArtRococo Art

Does not address the social problems Does not address the social problems of the timeof the time

Response to aristocracy’s demand for Response to aristocracy’s demand for interior designinterior design

A style enjoyed by the aristocracyA style enjoyed by the aristocracySensual and light-heartedSensual and light-hearted

Watteau’s Gersaint’s Signboard

Francois Boucher’sVenus Consoling Love

Madame de Pompadour as Venus Erotic, sensual

Fragonard:The Last of the Exceptional Rococo Artists

Shows the pursuits of a frivolous aristocracy supported by 97 percent of the population

THE SWING

French Rococo Artists:Watteau, Boucher, and Fragonard

Watteau’s Embarkation for Cythera The amorous dalliances of a privileged

people as lyric poetry; elegant and refined

English Rococo: Gainsborough and Hogarth

The artificial elegance of the French Rococo had no place in an English society that was less frivolous and less decadent.

English Rococo shows the dashing, worldly taste of English high society.

Gainsborough’s Mrs. Sheridan is the very picture of the tasteful elegance admired by British society.

Gainsborough’s Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Hogarth: Master Satirist Delighted in attacking English society

especially frivolousness, foolishness, hypocrisy, etc.

A visual Jonathan Swift

Marriage a La Mode II

Rococo Architecture

Neoclassic ART

French Neoclassic ArtFrench Neoclassic Art

More restrained, symmetrical, and More restrained, symmetrical, and proportionalproportional

Straight linesStraight linesGeometic shapesGeometic shapesCleanCleanPaintings are often darkPaintings are often darkLack emotionLack emotion

Jacques-Louis David A propagandist- placed his art talent at the service

of revolutionary ideas Extolled the virtues of patriotism and democracy Following are The Death of Marat and The Death

of Socrates Men of principle should be willing to die for their

ideas His artwork seems to be a cry for revolution