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Baroque
The Baroque era began in Rome, and then spread to the rest of Europe
It included the 17th and most of the 18th centuries.
In general, it took all the innovations of the Renaissance and combined them with the drama of Mannerism.
Having learned all the Renaissance techniques, Baroque artists could represent the human form convincingly from any angle, they could portray
the most complex forms in perfect perspective, and could reproduce almost anything in the seen world realistically
The main differences between the Baroque and Renaissance art are that Renaissance art is rational and static, while Baroque art is emotional and
dynamic
It’s useful to recall and compare Michelangelo’s David and Bernini’s David to draw the distinction.
Baroque took on a different character in each of its major geographic locations.
But in general, we could say that Baroque art is characterized by strong emotion and energy; dramatic lighting, scale and balance
In essence, it was a great deal more intense, and more theatrical than the art of the Renaissance.
The major artists of the Italian Baroque were the Painter Caravaggio, and the sculptor Bernini
The most renowned artist of the Flemish Baroque was Peter Paul Rubens.
The three great masters of the Dutch Baroque were Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer
Finally, Velasquez was the most gifted artist of the Spanish Baroque.
Premise (from webpages)
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Encompasses the period between 1600 and 1750
(17th and most of the 18th centuries)
Began in Rome, then spread to the rest of Europe.
In general, it took all the innovations of the Renaissance and combined them with the drama of Mannerism.
In its efforts to counter the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church encouraged visual forms that appealed to the senses and excited
religious feeling. Artists portrayed miracles with drama and realism.
The central theme of Baroque art and literature is the conflict between reason with passion.
Idealism of the High Renaissance gave way to Baroque realism and an art that is often look ornate, dynamic, with greater color saturation
and more contrast between light and shadow; by comparison Renaissance styles look relatively static.
The Baroque diversity in subject matter and style is most apparent in Dutch art which includes a style of art that might be characterized
as Realist art, focusing on the atmospheric effects of dramatic shadow and lighting.
Timeline:
1543 to 1565 - Council of Trent
1605-1621 Papacy of Paul V (Borghese)
1609 Galileo invents telescope
1620
Francis Bacon writes Novum Organum
1623-1644 Papacy of Urban VIII (Barberini)
1637 Descartes writes- Discourse on Method
1644-1655 Papacy of Innocent X (Pamphili)
Newton (1642-1727)
Overview/History (from webpages)
Baroque encompasses the period between 1600 and 1750
(17th and most of the 18th centuries)
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began in Rome, then spread to the rest of Europe
In general, it took all the innovations of the Renaissance and combined them with the drama of Mannerism.
Having learned all the Renaissance techniques, Baroque artists could represent the human form convincingly from any angle, they could
portray the most complex forms in perfect perspective, and could reproduce almost anything in the seen world realistically.
The main differences between the Baroque and Renaissance art are that Renaissance art is rational and static, while Baroque art is
emotional and dynamic characterized by strong emotion and energy; dramatic lighting, scale and balance. In essence, Baroque art was a
great deal more intense, and more theatrical than the art of the Renaissance.
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Baroque took on a different character in each of its major geographic locations.
The Baroque style is often subdivided into an aristocratic and a bourgeois (middle-class) style. Both styles emphasize portraiture. Other
principal themes include episodes from classical mythology (aristocratic style) and stories from the Bible and genre scenes (bourgeois
style). In the later Rococo style, subject matter is devoted almost exclusively to earthy parables on the vicissitudes of amatory love.
Major artists of the regions:
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Italian Baroque: Caravaggio and Bernini
Flemish Baroque: Peter Paul Rubens.
Dutch Baroque: Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer
Spanish Baroque: Velasquez
Diversity in subject matter and style:
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era when subjects such as the everyday activities of people, the landscape, and still life became acceptable themes for artists to depict.
The central theme THEME of Baroque art and literature is the conflict between reason with passion.
Idealism of the High Renaissance gave way to Baroque realism and an art that is often look ornate, dynamic, with greater color saturation
and more contrast between light and shadow; by comparison Renaissance styles look relatively static.
The Baroque diversity in subject matter and style is most apparent in Dutch art which includes a style of art that might be characterized
as Realist art, focusing on the atmospheric effects of dramatic shadow and lighting.
Variety of Baroque styles, including classicism
(Common traits of 17th & 18th centuries)
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spacious and dynamic
brilliant and colorful
theatrical and passionate
sensual and ecstatic
opulent and extravagant
versatile and virtuoso
embrace viewer- Caravaggio and St. Peter’s
Baroque Artistic Characteristics / Devices
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Written program (like telling a story) everything has meaning
Breathtaking Movement
Naturalism breaks into viewers space
heightened emotionalism - exaltation
light, dancing, chiaroscuro (strong), symbol of God
spotlight, just appears, window
The real moment in action
ImmediacyPsychological- self portrait
inwardness- mystery of individual
Visual game- Las Meninas
Genre- everyday objects, subject matter, people, activities (domestic)
Drama- Rembrandt’s group portraits, Light
Tensions between: ...
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light and dark
real and unreal
illusion and reality
concave and convex
certainty and uncertainty
passion and intellectual
earthly and heavenly
naturalism and classicism
classicism and romanticism
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religious and non religious
sensual , passion and prof.
math & fancy
love and creation
Christianity and empire (Charles)
Baroque Painting
Baroque art of the 17th century is characterized by its dynamic appearance, in contrast to the relatively static classical style of the Renaissance (see
Baroque Art and Architecture). Typical of the baroque style are diagonal compositional lines, which give a sense of movement, and use of strong
chiaroscuro (contrasts of light and shadow). Both these techniques created a grandiose, dramatic style appropriate to the vital spirit of the Counter
Reformation. Many painters of the early 17th century also began to turn away from the artificiality of Mannerism in an attempt to emulate more
closely the natural world.
Italian Baroque Painting
In Italy, many innovative artists worked during the baroque period. Splendid ceiling frescoes by Annibale Carracci, Guido Reni, Guercino, and Pietro
da Cortona decorate various palaces in Rome, all to some extent inspired by Michelangelo's murals in the Sistine Chapel. Perhaps the most
influential of the Italian baroque innovators was Caravaggio; his use of powerful chiaroscuro effects in religious and genre paintings had a profound
influence on other Italian painters, such as Orazio Gentileschi and his daughter Artemisia, and, indeed, on European art in general. This style has
been called Tenebrism, from the Latin word for “darkness.”
French Baroque Painting
Two French painters in particular assimilated the Caravaggesque style. Georges de La Tour, primarily a painter of religious subjects, was a master of
light and shadow, demonstrating his virtuosity at so illuminating faces and hands, by the light of a single candle, that flesh seems almost
translucent. Louis Le Nain also used light and shadow dramatically in his monumental paintings of peasant life. In general, however, French baroque
artists practiced a classical restraint that brought clarity, balance, and harmony to their pictures. This is seen both in the classical subjects painted
by Nicolas Poussin and in the dreamlike landscapes of Claude Lorrain; significantly, both artists spent most of their careers in Italy.
Spanish Baroque Painting
In Spain, Jusepe de Ribera and Francisco de Zurbarán absorbed Caravaggio's Tenebrism, but each brought different interests and tendencies to his
work. Ribera could be brutally realistic, as in the Clubfooted Boy (1652, Louvre, Paris). Zurbarán imbued his religious paintings with Spanish
mysticism; like Caravaggio, he also excelled in still life. Diego Velázquez, court painter to Philip IV, was the greatest Spanish painter of the age and a
consummate master of tone and color. He approached his subjects with detachment, dispassionately but realistically portraying members of the
royal family. The royal entourage can be seen in his masterpiece, Las meninas (The Maids of Honor, 1656, Prado); as symbol of its veracity, it even
includes a portrait of Velázquez himself at his easel.
Flemish Baroque Painting
Peter Paul Rubens, the Flemish baroque master, was also strongly influenced by Caravaggesque Tenebrism as well as by the work of the great
Venetian colorists Titian and Veronese. Such was Rubens's popularity that he established a large workshop of assistants in Antwerp to help him
carry out the great number of commissions he received from the city, the church, royalty, and private patrons. His enormous oeuvre includes
portraits; a great outpouring of religious paintings; and treatments of mythological themes, classical legends, and history—all expressing the
exuberance of the baroque style and attesting to the painter's own vitality of spirit. Large in scale, these paintings are charged with vibrant color
and light, dramatic in composition and fluid of line. Rubens's way of contrasting light and shadow, as well as his wide range of themes, can be seen
by considering just two of his paintings: The Descent from the Cross (1611-1614, Cathedral, Antwerp), with its great compositional sweep, and the
tender portrait of a beautiful young woman in Le chapeau de paille (1620?, National Gallery, London).
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Anthony van Dyck, one of Rubens's assistants, became famous for his portraits of members of the court of Charles I of England. These paintings are
imbued with an elegance and attention to detail characteristic of Rubens; they had enormous influence on the style of 18th-century English
portraiture.
Dutch Baroque Painting
An extraordinary number of fine painters emerged in the Netherlands during the 17th century; all, however, were surpassed by Rembrandt. His early
works, such as the Money-Changer (1627, Staatliche Museen, Berlin), were influenced by Caravaggio; his later paintings, for example the 1659 SelfPortrait (Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood House, London), display his incomparable chiaroscuro technique and psychological profundity. Other Dutch
artists were Frans Hals, who, like Rembrandt, painted group portraits; and Jan van Goyen and Jacob van Ruisdael, who did magnificent landscapes.
Numerous “little Dutch masters” excelled in genre scenes, portrayals of everyday life that delighted the newly rising middle classes, who were
becoming art patrons. Foremost among these painters was Jan Vermeer, whose paintings—such as View of Delft (1660?, Mauritshuis, The Hague)—
although small in actual size, give a sense of ordered space and are, above all, masterpieces of the effect of light.
BAROQUE IN ITALY
Sculpture and Architecture
Bernini
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St. Peter's Colonnade, Rome, begun 1656
collonade was created for growing numbers who visit the St. Peter's Basilica
Baldacchino, St. Peter's, Rome, 1624-33, gilded bronze, 95' high
was created to create a more human scale in the interior of St. Peter's
The Ecstacy of St. Teresa, 1645-52
created inside St. Peter's
David, 1623, marble, lifesize
a more dynamic and literal version compared to Michelangelo and Donatello
Painting
Baroque painting had many of the same attributes that Baroque sculpture and architecture had: theatrics, sexual innuendo, and violent subjects.
Giovanni Pietro Bellori was an influential Baroque art critic who fervently believed that "ideal" and Classical forms were more desirable than
naturalistic or "more realistic" images.
Annibale Carracci(1560-1609) ideal and Classical
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-a favorite of Bellori because of his use of "ideal" forms.
The Virgin Appearing to St. Luke and St. Catherine, 1592, Oil on canvas
Carravaggio (1571-1610) naturalistic and "real"
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Italian painter who influenced most of the painters of his time through his use of great contrasts and theatrical lighting
was a murderer (condottieri) and had a violent nature
in works are characteristic dark backgrounds and bright highlights called tenebroso
also uses many diagonals which makes a composition more active
The Calling of Saint Matthew, 1599-1600, Oil on canvas
Judith Beheading Holofernes, c. 1598, Oil on canvas
The Conversion of Saint Paul,1600-1601, Oil on canvas
Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653)
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-a master female artist from the Baroque era
-did Biblical and mythological subjects which portrayed violent themes
Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1620, Oil on canvas
Italian Baroque
Caravaggio (-)
Bernini
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Northern Europe Baroque
Flemish Baroque (Flanders)
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
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-wealthy trader, diplomat, and artist from Flanders
-influential in art because he bucked trends and worked in a painterly fashion (the brush strokes were active and easily recognized in
the painting.
The Garden of Love, c. 1630-32, Oil on canvas
Rape of the Daughters 0f Leucippus- c.1635, oil on canvas, 6.5'x 8'
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-active painting with sensual overtones
-mythological subject at the time of the Reformation
-soft, painterly look
Dutch Baroque
The Netherlands
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-69)
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-conveyed character and drama through his use of dark and light
Self Portraits- conveyed these ideas of character in light and shadow
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-they are also a chronicle of a person's life, because he did them each year
-Rembrandt was an excellent printmaker. He used a process called etching. This is a process that involves scratching into a metal
plate, which has been covered with an acid-resistant coating, then dipping the plate in acid until it mars the surface of the plate. The
plate is then washed, ink is pushed into the grooves left by the acid, and finally it is printed on paper.
The Little Children Being Brought to Jesus ("The 100 Guilder Print"), Completed 1647-49, Etching and drypoint, 1st state
The company of Frans Banning Cock preparing to march out, known as the Nightwatch, 1642, Oil on canvas
Abraham and Isaac, 1634, Oil on canvas
Jan Vermeer (1632-75)
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-master of light and perspective.
-works were technically correct to the finest detail
-Dutch banker and mapmaker
View of Delft, c. 1660-1661, Oil on canvas
The Art of Painting, c. 1666-1673, Oil on canvas
Woman Holding a Water Pitcher- c.1664-5, oil on canvas, 16"x 15"
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-exceptional perspective, convincing 3-D space
-dramatic lighting
-high detail
Hals
Dutch Baroque
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Spanish Baroque
Diego Velasquez (-)
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-court painter for Philip IV of Spain
Las Meninas, 1656, Oil on canvas
"Maids of Honor" (English translation) is a view into the artist's studio and the Royal family's lives.
Innocent X, c. 1650
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France
Nicholas Poussin
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-used Classical subject matter
-allegorical painter (he used a picture of mythological scenes to convey ideas about Christianity) allegories are intended to convey an
idea through analogy and metaphor.
-saw a connection between art and music
-Most painters of the 17th and 18th Centuries allied themselves with either the Rubenists (bright vibrant color, painterliness, and
exuberant brushwork) or the Poussinists (classical, idealist, and used a limited palette).
The Rape of the Sabine Women, 1636-37, Oil on canvas
Landscape with the Funeral of Phocion, 1648, Oil on canvas
Phocion was a Greek who was executed because he would not conceal the truth. It is a comment on the Stoic nature of Phocion and reflects
this in its sharp detail and calm.
Part 5: Unit Exam Essay Questions
(from previous Art 261 tests)
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Define the Baroque style of art. What were its visual characteristics? Name two artists whose works exemplify Baroque art.
Discuss the artistic contributions of Rembrandt. Use examples of his paintings to illustrate your answer.
Using examples in your text compare Baroque and Renaissance pictorial style.
Compare Bernini's David to Michelangelo's David, showing how they illustrate the Baroque and Renaissance styles respectively.
Define the Baroque style of art. What were its visual characteristics? Name two artists whose works exemplify Baroque art and use their
work to help describe the Baroque stylistic period.
Discuss the artistic contributions of Rembrandt. Use examples of his paintings to illustrate your answer.
(from AAT4)
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Discuss the political developments of the 17th century in western Europe. How did they affect the arts?
Using examples in your text, compare Baroque and Renaissance pictorial style.
Explain the iconography of Bernini's Pluto and Proserpina. What myth is it based on, and how is it reflected in the sculpture's style?
Describe the Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic elements of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Compare Bernini's David to Michelangelo's David, analyzing how they exemplify the Baroque and Renaissance styles respectively.
Compare Caravaggiois tenebrism with Leonardo's chiaroscuro, using the examples in your textbook.
Discuss the role of women in the arts from Antiquity through the seventeenth century. Cite examples from your textbook.
(from other)
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Discuss the political developments of the 17th century in Western Europe. How did they affect the arts?
Using examples in your text, compare Baroque and Renaissance pictorial style.
Explain the iconography of Bernini's Pluto and Proserpina. What is it based on, and how is it reflected in the style?
Describe the Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic elements of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Compare Bernini's David to Michelangelo's David, showing how they illustrate the Baroque and Renaissance styles respectively.
Compare Caravaggio's tenebrism with Leonardo's chiaroscuro, using the examples in your textbook.
Discuss the role of women in the arts from Antiquity through the seventeenth century. Cite examples from your textbook
Chapter Outline (AAT4)
THE BAROQUE STYLE IN WESTERN EUROPE, 17th CENTURY
Age of Absolutism: Louis XIV of France; Philip IV of Spain; Charles I of England
Heliocentrism and advances in science: Kepler; Copernicus; Galileo; Newton
Thirty Years' War (1618–1648)
Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
Dutch East India Company; the rise of capitalism
Charles I of England executed (1649)
Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658)
Witch craze in Europe and New England
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Lives of the Artists: Bellori; van Mander, The Painter's Book
New Saint Peter's completed
Great Fire of London (1666)
Wren builds Saint Paul's, the first Protestant cathedral, in London
Urban VIII (papacy 1623–1644)
New genres in painting: landscape; vanitas; still life
Italian artists: Bernini; Borromini; Caravaggio; Gentileschi; the Carracci; Pietro da Cortona; Gaulli
Flanders: Rubens; van Dyck
Dutch Republic: Rembrandt; Hals; Leyster; Vermeer; Ruisdael; Oosterwyck; Etching and drypoint
France: The Louvre
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The Court of Versailles: LeBrun; Tuby; Le Vau; Perrault; Le Nôtre, Hardouin-Mansart
French Academy founded (1648)
Poussin: theory of artistic modes
Lorrain: pastoral landscape
Spain: Cotán; Zurburán; Velázquez
Learning Goals
After reading Chapter 17, you should be able to do the following:
Identify the works and define the terms featured in this chapter
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Compare French, Italian, Flemish, Dutch, Spanish, and English Baroque painting, sculpture, and architecture
Compare Baroque with Renaissance style
Discuss the conflict between science and religion in the seventeenth century
Locate the countries of western Europe on a map
Discuss the continuing role of the Inquisition
Discuss Bernini's David with sculptures of David by Donatello and Michelangelo
Compare Bernini and Borromini
Describe the philosophy of the French Academy and its hierarchy of styles
Explain the iconography of Versailles
Discuss Italian Baroque church ceiling paintings
Analyze Caravaggio's stylistic innovations
Discuss the roles of women in the arts from antiquity through the seventeenth century
Compare developments in northern Baroque painting with those of southern Baroque
Discuss how Rembrandt presented himself in his self-portraits
Discuss the stylistic interchange in the arts between Europe and the Far East in the seventeenth century
Identify the characteristics of Mughal art and architecture
Discuss how Diego Velázquez depicted the Spanish court
Explain how Poussin's style is classicizing
Define or identify the following terms:
AAT4 Key Terms
Academy
(a) the gymnasium near Athens where Plato taught; (b) from the eighteenth century, the cultural and artistic
establishment and the standards that they represent.
aedicule
(a) a small building used as a shrine; (b) a niche designed to hold a statue. Both types are formed by two columns or
pilasters supporting a gable or pediment.
asymmetrical
characterized by asymmetry, or lack of balance, in the arrangement of parts or components.
baldacchino
a canopy or canopylike structure above an altar or throne.
balustrade
a series of balusters, or upright pillars, supporting a rail (as along the edge of a balcony or bridge).
burr
in etching, the rough ridge left projecting above the surface of an engraved plate where the design has been incised.
calligraphy
handwriting designed to be beautiful; calligraphic writing or drawing can be expressive as well as beautiful.
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camera obscura
a dark enclosure or box into which light is admitted through a small hole, enabling images to be projected onto a wall or
screen placed opposite that hole; the forerunner of the photographic camera.
cantilever
a long, low architectural support that enables a cantilevered element such as an eave or a cornice to project horizontally
without vertical support at the far end.
château
French word for a castle or large country house.
chattra
a royal parasol crowning the dome (an.d.a) of a Buddhist stupa, symbolically honoring the Buddha.
clerestory
the upper part of the main outer wall of a building (especially a church), located above an adjoining roof and admitting
light through a row of windows.
drypoint
an engraving in which the image is scratched directly into the surface of a metal plate with a pointed instrument.
etching
(a) a printmaking process in which an impression is taken from a metal plate on which the image has been etched, or
eaten away by acid; (b) a print produced by such a process.
etching ground
a resinous, acid-resistant substance used to cover a copper plate before an image is etched on it.
foreshortening
the use of perspective to represent a single object extending back in space at an angle to the picture plane.
gable (or pitched)
roof
a roof formed by the intersection of two planes sloping down from a central beam.
impasto
the thick application of paint, usually oil or acrylic, to a canvas or panel.
mausoleum,
mausolea
an elaborate tomb (named for Mausolos, a fourth-century-b.c. ruler commemorated by a magnificent tomb at
Halikarnassos).
minaret
a tall, slender tower attached to a mosque, from which the muezzin calls the Muslim faithful to prayer.
miniature
a representation executed on a much smaller scale than the original object.
obelisk
a tall, four-sided stone, usually monolithic, that tapers toward the top and is capped by a pyramidion.
podium
(a) the masonry forming the base of a temple; (b) a raised platform or pedestal.
rectilinear
consisting of, bounded by, or moving in, a straight line or lines.
section
a diagrammatic representation of a building intersected by a vertical plane.
silhouette
the outline of an object, usually filled in with black or some other uniform color.
state
one of the successive printed stages of a print, distinguished from other stages by the greater or lesser amount of work
carried out on the image.
stupa
in Buddhist architecture, a dome-shaped or rounded structure made of brick, earth, or stone, containing the relic of a
Buddha or other honored individual.
stylus
a pointed instrument used in antiquity for writing on clay, wax, papyrus, and parchment; a pointed metal instrument used
to scratch an image on the plate used to produce an etching.
tenebrism
a style of painting used by Caravaggio and his followers in which most objects are in shadow, while a few are brightly
illuminated.
travertine
a hard limestone used as a building material by the Etruscans and Romans.
vanitas
a category of painting, often a still life, the theme of which is the transitory nature of earthly things and the inevitability of
death.
UNIT 19 STUDY GUIDE
Baroque (1600 – 1750 ish) (AP Art History)
Book
Chapter 24—Popes, Peasants, Monarchs and Merchants: Baroque Art, Pages 689‐748 Helpful Text Box—Mercantile Prosperity: Developing an
Open Art Market, p. 727
Background Info:
Flanders: A Southern provinces of the Netherlands, under Spanish rule, officially Catholic, both church and state art commissions Dutch Republic:
Northern provinces of the Netherlands, merchants and middle class commissions, Protestant, Holland was the largest of these seven provinces and
its name was later adapted for the whole
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Terms
be able to identify these by sight, explain these in relation to art, and know an example of each in relation to a work of art
Thirty Years’ War (1618‐1648) Marie de’Medici Treaty of Westphalia (1648) new secular art in the Dutch Republic: landscapes, scientific method
genre, portraits, still‐life international economy etching Catholic Counter‐Reformation Louis XIV (r.1661‐1715) tenebrism French Royal Academy of
Painting and Sculpture genre (founded 1648) market driven art Great Fire of London (1666)
Art Works
know these works by sight, title, date, medium, scale, and location (original location also if moved) and be able to explain and analyze these in
relation to any concept, term, element, or principle
i, David, 1623,
nzo Bernini, interior of the Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, 1645‐1652
1638‐1641, facade
aria del Popolo, Rome,
ofernes, c.1614‐1620, oil
on canvas
Water Carrier of Seville, ca. 1619. Oil on canvas, 3’ 5 1/2” x 2’ 7
Peter Paul Rubens, Arrival of Marie
Dutch Republic
pany of Captain
Frans Banning Cocq (Night Watch), 1642, oil on canva
Jewish Cemetery, 16
France
Joseph the Carpenter, c.1645
s Poussin, Burial of Phocion, 1648, oil on canvas
rs (Galerie des Glaces), Palace of Versailles
Chronology
Art Works
know these works by sight, title, date, medium, scale, and location (original location also if moved) and be able to explain and analyze these in
relation to any concept, term, element, or principle
Summary and Study Guide
“The term Baroque art encompasses the period between 1600 and 1750 and represents the era when subjects such as the everyday activities of
people, the landscape, and still life became acceptable themes for artists to depict. This diversity in subject matter and style may be seen in the
work of the Dutch artists, who performed a style of art that might be characterized as Realist art, focusing on the atmospheric effects of dramatic
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shadow and lighting. It was a time when the idealism of the High Renaissance gave way to Baroque realism and an art that is often described as
dynamic, with greater color saturation and more contrast between light and shadow.”
“The Counter-Reformation also had an effect upon the art of this period, for the Catholic church encouraged artists to produce works that inspired
faith. The realism which developed was instrumental in stressing the human feeling dimension of religion. It was also during the Baroque period
that an academic tradition of art developed that looked to antiquity and the masters of the Renaissance as sources of inspiration.”
“The Seventeenth Century”
“Italy”
“Gianlorenzo Bernini”
“The artist who is probably most frequently associated with the Baroque period is Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). His reputation and expertise
extended into the areas of painting, sculpture, and architec¬ture, and he made contributions as a composer and playwright as well. As an architect,
he spent much of his career working on a number of projects at the Vatican, including the monumental bronze baldachino (1624-1633), or canopy,
for the major altar of St. Peter's Cathedral. He is also responsible for the Scala Regia (1633-1666), a majestic staircase that leads to the private
papal rooms, and the colonnade and piazza in front of St. Peter's Cathedral.”
“The sense of energy and movement typical of Baroque sculpture may be seen in Bernini's David (1623). Earlier versions of David portrayed him at
rest or preparing for action; Bernini captured him in motion, as he twists around to sling his stone. In this way, Bernini describes rather than
interprets the event. The figure's movement is so strong in its implied relationship to the unseen Goliath that it breaks out from what might be
perceived of as its own space and enters that of the viewer. It is, in fact, this relationship with the surrounding space that differentiates Baroque
sculpture from the sculpture that preceded it.”
“One of Bernini's greatest achievements is his design for the Cornaro Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, in Rome. It is an excellent
example of Bernini's ability to integrate architecture, painting, and sculpture, while controlling the lighting to achieve the maximum dramatic
effect. Here, a drama unfolds, and as it does, sculpted figures representing the chapel's donors, the Cornaro family, sit in opera boxes on both sides
of the chapel and "watch," sharing space with the viewer. The painted ceiling presents a luminous picture of heaven, while below is the focus of
attention, St. Teresa in Ecstasy (1645-1652), a dramatically lit sculptural work of white marble and gilt bronze. Saint Teresa, a Carmelite nun, was a
significant figure in the Counter-Reformation; she had visions that she felt were brought on by an angel who plunged an arrow into her heart. The
moment that Bernini has chosen to depict in his sculpture is the one in which the angel is about to plunge his arrow into St. Teresa's heart. As
depicted by Bernini, St. Teresa's ecstasy is both physical and spiritual.”
“Caravaggio”
“Michelangelo de Merisi (1571-1610), better known as Caravaggio, though a highly respected painter, was criticized for his apparent disdain of the
masters of the Renaissance. Though many of his contemporaries whose training took place in the academies looked to antiquity and the
Renaissance for modes of interpreting nature, Caravaggio felt that his powers of observation would provide him with the cues he needed to paint
his subjects.”
“The manner in which Caravaggio depicted some of his subjects in paintings that were of religious themes also met with disapproval. In works such
as The Calling of St. Matthew (c. 1599-1602), Caravaggio took a religious theme and translated it into visual imagery that is common in portrayal
and naturalistic in depiction. Matthew, sitting at a table in a tavern with other men, is approached by two figures from the right. Though one of the
approaching figures is Christ, it is not the slightly visible halo that signifies his identity so much as his gesture, which is highly illuminated.
Caravaggio's use of light provides cues as to how the painting is to be read as well as to its meaning.”
“Caravaggio's "common" depiction of religious themes is seen also in his painting The Conversion of St. Paul (1601). There is little in the image itself
to indicate that an event of religious significance has occurred. Having been thrown from his horse, St. Paul lies on his back, arms raised, while a
stableman guides the horse away so that the fallen figure will not be trod upon. What is striking about the painting is, again, Caravaggio's use of
light, which is harsh, but which selectively accents the figures portrayed in a way that heightens the drama and realism of the image. His manner of
using light so effectively to contrast with shadow is referred to as tenebrism, "the dark manner."“
“Another example of Caravaggio's use of tenebrism to heighten the reality of an image can be seen in his painting The Deposition (1604), which
portrays the lowering of Christ's body from the cross. Here again, the viewer is struck by the drama of the event portrayed through the use of
contrasting light and shadow. The composition is constructed on a diagonal axis, and the artist's placement of light upon the characters guides the
viewer through the painting.”
“While there may have been disagreement between Caravaggio and the academic painters of his time, it is still safe to assume that the academic
painters were influenced to some degree by Caravaggio's work. His influence, for example, can be seen in The Last Communion of St. Jerome
(1614), a painting by Domenico Zampieri (1581-1641), who is better known as Domenichino. Though the work is traditional in mood and theme,
Domenichino has successfully integrated elements of Caravaggio's tenebrism, high-contrast light and shadow, to accentuate St. Jerome's features
and other elements of the composition.”
“Spain”
“Jose de Ribera”
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“There were a number of Spanish artists who focused their attentions upon the realistic portrayal of religious themes. Among them was Jose de
Ribera (1588-1652), who received the nickname "Lo Spagnoletto," the "Little Spaniard," after he moved to Italy. His painting The Martyr¬dom of St.
Bartholomew (1639) reflects the severe attitude that charac-terized the period of the Counter-Reformation. The painting portrays St. Bartholomew
as he is being readied to be flayed; torture was a popular method of the time for encouraging people to embrace the "true" faith. St. Bartholomew
is treated in the same fashion as the other figures in the painting; the overall effect is similar to that of a photo¬graph that documents an event.”
“Diego Velazquez”
“Another popular Spanish painter was Diego Velazquez (1599¬1660), whose mastery of realism in painting is still recognized today. His naturalistic
tendencies and his ability to depict an individual's character were apparent even in his early works, such as The Water”
“Carrier of Seville (1619) and Los Borrachos (1628). In Los Borrachos,”
“which portrays a group of men drinking, he includes the character of Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, crowning one of the participants who rests
on his knees before him. Though Velazquez presents the drinkers as common folk, each is depicted individually with his own gestural and facial
expression.”
“Velazquez is perhaps best known for his painting Las Meninas (1656), (The Maids of Honor), which reflects his mastery of the use of light to model
surfaces. He was able to achieve a sense of daylight in his work through his careful study of the gradual changes in visual tonality that occur when
light reflects off of the surface of an object. These subtle changes he replicated in light and dark, with occasional accents of highlights and deep
shadow. The setting for the painting is the artist's studio. There, Velazquez has portrayed himself on the left before a large canvas, while in the
foreground stands Princess Mar¬garita, the daughter of the king and queen whose reflections can be seen in the mirror on the rear wall of the
studio. Margarita is accompanied by her attendants (las meninas), a dog, and a dwarf. In the background, the open door to the studio frames the
figure of a man, while on the wall above hang paintings by Pietro da Cortona and Peter Paul Rubens. Velazquez's painting may be seen as
functioning on at least two levels. On one level, it is a portrait of the individuals inhabiting his studio space at a point in time, portrayed in the
manner of Realism. On another level, however, the painting is a statement by Velazquez concerning different dimensions of "visual reality," as in
the reality of a viewer's imaging, the reality of an image upon a canvas, the reality of the reflected image from a mirror, and the reality of a painting
of a painting.”
“Flanders”
“Peter Paul Rubens”
“One of the most influential painters of this period, one who had little competition from other painters in Flanders, was Peter Paul Rubens (15771640). Before beginning his studies in art in Antwerp, the artistic center of Flanders, Rubens served for a time as a page in the home of a wealthy
aristocrat, where he was exposed to the formal norms and traditions that would serve him later when he was a court painter. In 1599 he traveled
to Italy, where he studied the Italian masters and produced works for the duke of Mantua as court painter. After eight years he returned to
Antwerp.”
“The effects of his exposure to the Italian masters can be seen in The Raising of the Cross (1609-1610), a painting he did for the Cathedral of
Antwerp soon after he returned from Italy. The image is a powerful one, in which Italianesque brawny figures are depicted with muscles straining
under their task, creating a sense of action that seems to extend beyond the borders of the painting, a characteristic of the Baroque style. Rubens
has used foreshortening as a device to create the illusion of receding space. The dramatic lighting and strong diagonal thrust of the composition are
reminiscent of Caravaggio's The Deposition (1604), and the naturalistic, strongly defined musculature of the figures may have been based upon
Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (1508-1512).”
“Consistent in Rubens' work is his interest in depicting the human body in action. His painting The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus (1617)
portrays the gods Castor and Pollux carrying off the daughters of Leucippus without seeming to exert any effort. Rubens' treatment of the figures
here represents his use of color, accented with light and dark, to define his subjects, rather than relying upon contrasting highlights and shadows
alone. Rubens' ability to depict the human form in action is also apparent in his painting The Lion Hunt (1617-1618). Here he has interwoven the
figures of men, horses, and lions in a deadly struggle, and the viewer cannot help but be drawn into, and possibly repulsed by, the ferocity of the
confrontation.”
“Though both northern and southern influences would remain in his work, Rubens' style softened somewhat during the latter part of his career,
when he created genre paintings such as The Garden of Love (c. 1638) and landscape paintings such as Landscape with the Chateau of Steen
(1636). Though the Garden of Eden theme can be traced back to the northern Gothic period, Rubens' depiction portrays individuals from his time in
a contemporary portrayal of the traditional scene.”
“Holland”
“The Dutch painters of the seventeenth century were sensitive to the tastes of their public and thus tended to specialize in terms of the subject
matter they depicted. A variety of masters and styles representing different "schools" could be found not only in Amsterdam, but also in such cities
as Delft and Haarlem. The manner of realism seen in the work of Jan van Eyck during the fifteenth century was combined with the Italian highcontrast style of Caravaggio. The Dutch painters of this period who were taken with the atmospheric effects of dramatic shadow were referred to
as night painters. Gerrit van Honthorst (1590-1656) was of this school, and his interest in dramatic lighting is seen in The Supper Party (1620). Like
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Honthorst, Hendrik Terbrugghen (1588¬1629) was a student of the Utrecht School, and his painting The Calling of St. Matthew (1621) has a similar
sense of high-contrast lighting and detail. Although neither Honthorst nor Terbrugghen, nor for that matter the Utrecht School, would become
widely known for their artwork, their efforts were invaluable in exposing other Dutch artists to the style of Caravaggio.”
“Frans Hals”
“Frans Hals (1580-1666), of Haarlem, utilized Caravaggio's drama¬tic lighting effects in his portraits as well as the energetic style of Rubens but in a
manner that did not formalize the relationship between viewer and portrait as much as relax the space between the two. In The Jolly Toper (c.
1628), Hals portrays his subject in midmotion and, as in his portrait Balthasar Coymans (1645), in a relaxed state with an expression that invites
interaction and communication, an effect that is reinforced by the visible brush strokes. What is significant here is the informality of the portrait.
The traditional formal pose and distancing between portrait and viewer that have typified the art of portraiture are lacking here.”
“Hals' ability to render the public image of individuals as approach¬able portraits extended to his depiction of idiosyncratic personalities such as
Malle Babbe (1650), who sits chuckling, a tankard in her hand and an owl on her shoulder. Here again, the seemingly spontaneous brushwork
contributes to the immediacy and approachability of the portrait.”
“Hals' expertise in portraiture was his remarkable ability to depict character and personality. One of his later works, The Women Regents of the Old
Men's home at Haarlem (1664), reflects this ability in the way that the facial expressions of the women he has depicted seem to convey the effects
of years of exposure to death and dying. Hals was familiar with the subject of this painting, for it was at the Old Men's Home at Haarlem that he
spent his last years as a resident.”
“Rembrandt van Rijn”
“Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) is considered by many art his¬torians to be one of the greatest artists of all time, though during his lifetime that
opinion was not necessarily shared by all of his contem¬poraries. A master of painting, drawing, and etching, his subject matter included portraits,
landscapes, religious themes, and over one hundred self-portraits. Rembrandt was able to manipulate light and dark in his work in such a subtle
manner as to be able to nearly replicate the psychological effects of the actual nuances that exist in the real world. His technique reflected his
ability to portray the concept of light and dark, as opposed to the physics of light and dark, as a means of expressing mood and emotion.”
“Rembrandt's early works, such as Tobit and Anna with the Kid (1626) and Supper at Emmaus (1628-1630), tended to be realistic, with high
contrasts in light and dark, reflecting the probable influence of Caravaggio through the work of artists with whom Rembrandt was familiar, such as
Gerrit van Honthorst. In Supper at Emmaus, for example, the light source is placed behind the foreground figure, Christ, creating a dramatic
silhouette effect. In a later version of the subject, Supper at Emmaus (1648), Rembrandt's style has changed; he has replaced the dramatic lighting
of the earlier composition with a subtle range of values that creates a sense of drama through the expression of the subjects.”
“As his style matured, Rembrandt continued to use dramatic light in a theatrical manner, as seen in his painting The Blinding of Samson (1636) and
a group portrait, The Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq (1642), also known as The Night Watch. In both compositions, figures fade in and out
of the shadows and light.”
“Rembrandt's group portrait The Syndics of the Cloth Guild (1662) reflects his mastery of and sensitivity toward the elements of light and shadow,
color, and implied movement as vehicles for portraying the personality of the subject. The viewer of the painting is apt to feel that he or she has
just interrupted the meeting of this group of individuals, for they seem to turn to meet the viewer's gaze.”
“Rembrandt's interest in time and change as dimensions of his paintings is especially evident in his self-portraits. His Self-Portrait with Saskia,
painted in 1634, portrays himself with his first wife, Saskia, during a period of time when he was very successful and still imbued with the optimism
of youth. A later self-portrait (1652) pictures him as a confident, mature artist, standing alone and independently. This image of Rembrandt is very
different from the one in a later self-portrait painted in 1658, in which he depicts himself as aged and wearied.”
“France”
“In France, the direction the Baroque style took was directly in¬fluenced by the taste of King Louis XIV, who preferred a more dignified Classicism
to the stirring Baroque style of Italy. As a result, the French Baroque style tended to be more dignified in its imagery and technique.”
“Georges de La Tour”
“French painters such as Georges de La Tour (1593-1652) were influenced in their use of light by the work of Caravaggio and Hont¬horst, as may be
seen in de La Tour's painting The Lamentation Over St. Sebastian (1630). A night scene is the setting for his composition; the drama of the painting
does not arise from the expressions or gestures of its figures, but from the use of light and the inclusion of the light source itself, the torch. The
forms of his figures are simplified, and the surfaces of skin and drapery are smooth, allowing the light to bathe those areas in line with its source.
De La Tour was fond of including the light source in his compositions as a dramatic device, as seen again in his painting Joseph the Carpenter
(1645).”
“Nicolas Poussin”
“More representative of the French manner of Classicism during this period is the work of Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665). Though Poussin spent
much of his active career in Rome, he is considered to have been the greatest French painter of his century. Two versions of the painting The
Shepherds of Arcadia, painted ten years apart, reflect Poussin's modeling of the style of two masters of painting. In the first version, painted in
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1630, Poussin's handling of the figures, his use of light and shadow, and the treatment of landscape are akin to Titian's style. In the latter version,
painted in 1640, his composition more closely reflects Rubens' approach.”
“To Poussin, there were specific subjects and themes that were appropriate for depiction, such as those having to do with religion, heroes, and
war. He felt that in the actual depiction, too, it was the responsibility of the artist to portray these noble themes in an idealized fashion that would
appeal to the intellect rather than to the sensual nature of the viewer. Genre painting being not worthy of his attention, he focused primarily on
Classical themes. His painting The Rape of the Sabine Women (c. 1636-1637) portrays Romulus, the first king of Rome, signaling the men of Rome
that it is time to carry off the Sabine women who have come with the townsfolk of Sabina to attend a celebration [see illustration 81. The modeling
and stances of the figures portrayed are based upon Poussin's study of Greek and Roman statues, and the entire scene seems somewhat artificially
posed. Here the artist has relied upon the formal organization of his composition rather than on passion and drama to convey his message to the
viewer.”
“One of Poussin's later works, Landscape with the Burial of Phocion (1648), reflects the level of intellectual sophistication that he was able to
achieve in his painting, in this case, another narrative. His landscape does not represent a particular place as much as the idea of place that is
appropriate for the subject he is portraying. Though the beauty of his landscape is unreal in its calculated, idealized depiction, it nonetheless invites
the viewer to enter.”
“Versailles”
“Probably the greatest architectural undertaking of the century was the transformation of King Louis XIV's hunting lodge at Versailles into a palace
(1669-1685) that is more than one-quarter of a mile wide and is part of a complex that covers approximately 200 acres of land. Louis Le Vau, court
architect to King Louis XIV, designed the original garden front of Versailles, but died soon after. Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1646¬1708) was accorded
the honor of directing the design and construction of the complex. The magnificent park that extends from the garden front was designed by Andre
Le Notre. In its ornamentation and dynamism the decor of the palace reflects the French Baroque style. The most impressive of the hundreds of
rooms in the palace is the Hall of Mirrors, which is over 200 feet long and is lined with mirrors.”
Discussion topics for this chapter.
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Discuss the political developments of the 17th century in Western Europe. How did they affect the arts?
Using examples in your text, compare Baroque and Renaissance pictorial style.
Compare Bernini's David to Michelangelo's David, showing how they illustrate the Baroque and Renaissance styles respectively.
Compare Caravaggio's tenebrism with Leonardo's chiaroscuro, using the examples in your textbook.
Discuss the role of women in the arts from Antiquity through the seventeenth century. Cite examples from your textbook.

Rubenistes or Poussinistes?
Using your text, study these two paintings and the artists who created them: The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus
Peter Paul Rubens
1617
The Burial of Phocion
Nicolas Poussin (1648)
Choose the painting you like most. Analyze it in terms of subject, technique, and space. Be prepared to discuss how you made your
choice.
Other topics to consider:


Explain the iconography of Bernini's Pluto and Proserpina. What is it based on, and how is it reflected in the style?
Describe the Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic elements of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Summeary/ Conclusion from webpages

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




Baroque art is not single style, nor is it the contribution of any single center. It is:
o truly international variety of expressions
o differences in Baroque styles were no longer regional on a provincial basis.
o artists of many different personalities and persuasions.
The achievements of the Renaissance had brought about the ability of artists to depict the visual world as they chose. In many instances,
Baroque artists chose to crete art that was the theatrical or dramatic moment.
Styles of the past were also beginning to be seen as historically significant.
the experience of the senses was also to be exploited.
Artists frequently worked for long periods in lands far from their homes.
Graphic arts, easily transported, brought replicas of the great works of leading masters to opposite ends of the world.
The ravages of political and religious wars still continued.
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
Baroque artists and their patrons began to use art as a form of social-consciousness raising
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