Italian Baroque

Maderno, Nave and facade of St. Peter’s, Rome, 1606-1612

body details by Michelangelo, finished after his death; finishing part by Maderno. Built on top of tomb of St. Peter. Maderno built façade of building. Looks balanced and organized. Center with columns protrudes out, suggests entry point comes out to greet you as a welcoming act. Made as a statement of authority, convincing people they are the true church. Originally planned for towers on far left and right, they were erected for a short time, but because it was built with heavier stone than the bottom. Caused cracks in foundation, so they tore them down and they weren’t rebuilt. 

Italian Baroque

Bernini, Colonnade of St. Peter’s, 1656-57

Creates a space in front of St. Peters, building and colonnade create the shape of a key, symbol of the popes as a “key to heaven.”

Italian Baroque

Bernini, Baldacchino of St. Peter’s, 1624-33

Marks area right above grave of St. Peter. Cast bronze. Top had sculptures of saints. Around 100 ft. tall. Unusual twisted columns meant to echo spiral columns on original St. Peter’s Basilica. Details are highlighted in gold leaf. Bees on drapery, bees on columns, bees everywhere because Pope Urban VIII came from a rich Roman family (Barbarini, bee was their symbol). 

Italian Baroque

Bernini, David, 1623

Expresses the energetic pose of the Baroque period. Clearly in the heat of the battle with Goliath, using his sling. Bernini had the ability to bring fluidity and life into marble.

Italian Baroque

Bernini, Cornaro Chapel (Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome), 1645-52

Coronaro family paid and was buried here. Detailed photograph of section of Roman church. Reflects Bernini’s over the top enthusiasm for theatrics, has background in theatre. Multimedia work: sculpture, architecture, painting, lighting. Side walls have sculpted images on either side of what appears to be an opening, colored marble creates sash, portraits of family member sculpted, looks like a theatre box viewing stage. Story portrayed called Ecstasy of St. Theresa. Theresa had a vision she was brought to heaven and pierced by the arrow of god’s love (a good thing). Actually story seems almost sexual. Sense of spiritual ecstasy and rapture. Polished brass rods look like golden rays of heaven in back. Inside there is a hidden window casting light down, bounced off of rods and sculpture giving appearance of spiritual intensity. 

Italian Baroque

Boromini, Chapel of Saint Ivo, Rome, 1642

Most unique of Baroque architects. Uses traditional methods but tweaks them. Building was part of university, was meant to be university chapel, lawyers resided here. When he was hired, the buildings on the sides were already there. Created small chapel with unusual interior. No straight lines, not quite a triangle, bizarre spatial arrangement. Master of playful forms. Entire building largely done and paid for under patronage of Urban VIII. Bees all over building. Oddly shaped building, two level chapel. Had main part and then upper dome. Arches on sides meet up, blends nicely to existing buildings. Concave lower floors, dome is convex; plays with shapes. Distinctive design. Uses two triangles, one pointing down, one pointing up creating six point star. Puts circle in middle. Smaller circles placed on points eliminates or adds on elements. 

Italian Baroque

Carracci, Loves of the Gods (Palazzo Farnese, Rome), 1597-1601

Painted for private palace on ceiling, original purpose for wedding. Painted fresco. Couples favored by the gods. Heart is large painting of Bacchus. Reflects things typical of high renaissance art, balanced, even clear colors, nothing is distorted, clean looking image.

Italian Baroque

Caravaggio, Calling of St. Matthew, c. 1597-1601

Designed for church, meant to be religious subject. Story of when Christ calls St. Matthew to be his apostle. Christ is far right of the picture, very faint halo. Placed in what was then present times. Many people think he was making religious subjects more relevant to contemporary audiences. Doesn’t over-glorify the subjects. Draws inspiration from lower class. Uses dramatic spotlight effects, light/dark contrasts(common to Baroque art; Chiaroscuro technique, means light/dark). Light follows arm gesture of Christ, acting almost as god’s spotlight onto Matthew. 

Italian Baroque

Caravaggio, Entombment, 1603

Religious theme, dead Christ down from cross to be entombed. Followers carrying him, about to put him in tomb. Everyday characters. Lighting used in symbolic way, light source coming up above straight down to subject. Designed to be seen from a lower level, eyes are supposed to be near level with stone. Trying to make art a participant event. 

Italian Baroque

Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, c. 1614-20

Jewish, wants to save Israelites. Story is she went into enemy camp, managed to seduce and get him drunk, then slices his head off. Intense light source, again. Gruesome. Most intense element of story, she is standing back, maid covers up face. 

Italian Baroque

da Cortona, Triumph of the Barberini, Ceiling of Palazzo Barberini, Rome, 1639

Ceiling fresco overwhelms the viewer with a feeling of awe. Divine providence, in a halo of radiant light, directs Immortality to bestow eternal life on the Barberini. Faith, Hope, and Charity hold a laurel wreath, which frames three bees, the family's symbol.

Italian Baroque

Pozzo, Glorification of St. Ignatius (Ceiling of Sant’Ignazio, Rome), 1691-94

Ceiling painting at St. Ignatius church. Artist was a specialist in ceiling paintings. Understood how to use illusionism and perspective. Insured that everybody saw the proper view, put a marker block on floor to see the perfect perspective on his art. Four corners of the world, Jesuit missions. 

Spanish Baroque

Ribera, Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew, c. 1639

Simplistic looking average people. Light focuses on saint, object of purity contrasting with darkness around him. Looking straight up, aware of what’s coming, but aware he will be granted sainthood. Not struggling, fighting, begging, knows he is going to heaven. 

Spanish Baroque

Zurbaran, St. Serapion, 1628

Quiet, calm, one character with plain back backdrop. Gave up his life to save a larger group of Christians, chained up as he’s about to die. Willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. 

Spanish Baroque

Velazquez, Las Meninas, 1656

Portrait painter for Spanish royal family. Maids of honor, focus is young women in front. Focal point in princess in front in white. All of her ladies in waiting are tending to her. Face painted with a lot of care, given more attention than her dress. King and Queen in square in the back, looks as though there is a mirror and they are the ones being painted on the large canvas in the left. Distinctive red cross is symbol of knightly order in Spain, very prestigious, appointed by king or queen. Valasquez wasn’t a member in life, but was posthumously made a member, cross wasn’t originally there, another artist was hired to paint it in. 

End of Baroque Spain

Flanders Baroque

Rubens, Raising of the Cross, 1610

This painting made his career, very large altarpiece. Made for a church in hometown. Showing off history of art. Sharp diagonal of the cross. Body of Christ has lighting of Caravaggio. Loves fleshy women, full figured women, considered to be ideal women. 

Flanders Baroque

Rubens, Arrival of Marie de’Medici at Marseilles, 1622-25

Disembarks in France after visit to Italy. Personification of France in fleur de lis cape greets Marie. Sea and Sky greet her happily. The captain of the ship in black and silver is the only immobile character, under the Medici coat of arms.

Flanders Baroque

van Dyck, Charles I Dismounted, c. 1635

Moves to England, works for King Charles the First. Produces portraits of king and his family. Paints fabric well. Clearly supposed to look natural, but definitely posed. His sword is in full view, as is his scepter. His horse bows to him. 

Netherlands Baroque

van Honthorst, Supper Party, 1620

Informal gathering of nonidealized figures. Musician serenades, companions laugh as a young woman feed a man chicken, as his hands are busy with a jug and a glass. Influenced by Caravaggio, evidenced by plain tavern and people. Could be interpreted as a moral lesson, with the man representing gluttony and the woman representing lust, as she could very well be a prostitute with her aging aide by her side, or as the friends of the Prodigal Son.

Netherlands Baroque

Hals, Archers of St. Hadrian, c. 1633

Painted at the saint's day feast of a Dutch militia. Using varied expression between the troop members, Hals brings a sense of spontaneity to the protrait.

Netherlands Baroque

Leyster, Self Portrait, 1630

Self-consciously showing herself as an artist, seeming to suggest her validity as an artist. Seems to be acting as though surprised, trained with franz holz, so similar techniques. Successful, painted quite a bit, did it all when she was single. Stopped when she was married. 

Netherlands Baroque

Rembrandt, Night Watch, 1642

Not actually of a night scene, but the varish the artist used darkened over time. Another civic guard group photo. The girl to the left is currently unknown. Originally commissioned for Amsterdam's Musketeers Hall, it was cropped on the sides when brought to town hall. Capturing activity of preparing for parade. Shows three most important parts of using a musket- loading, firing, readying. 

Netherlands Baroque

Rembrandt, Return of the Prodigal Son, c. 1665

Based on biblical story, inherits health early from father. Irresponsibly, wastes money on having a good time, ends up broke. Scene where father accepts son back into home. Other sons are judgmental, untrusting, supposed to be message of god’s forgiveness. Live righteously and you will be welcomed back into the church. Thought to be possibly biographical, wasn’t sold. Had led a worldly lifestyle, had everything, lost it all. Family died of diseases; he didn’t.

Netherlands Baroque

Rembrandt, Self-Portrait, c. 1659

Showing the downside of his life. Includes artist’s tools, showing his profession, shows wrinkles and cheaper clothes. 

Netherlands Baroque

Rembrandt, 100 Guilder Print (Christ Among the Sick), 1649

Uses both etching and engraving in this piece. Show's Rembrandt's piety, presenting the celestial triumph of the Catholic Church with the humility and humanity of Christ. Present is a young man in elegant clothing with his head in his hand, showing Christ's statement that the rich shoudl give their wealth to the poor in order to gain entrance to Heaven. Some characters are completely in shadow but others are an outline, bathed in the light emanating from Christ. 

Netherlands Baroque

Ruisdael, View of Haarlem from the Dunes at Overveen, c. 1670

Artist is a more successful landscape painting. Church is dominant feature. Love of landscapes in Netherlands stems from local pride. Bleaching field in front, dutch were renowned for ability to create best bleach. Nations would ship rough materials to them, Dutch would bleach them. Present also are windmills, referring to the land reclamation efforts.  

Netherlands Baroque

Vermeer, The Letter, c. 1666

Odd painter for this time period, only painted about 32-33 that exist today, didn’t paint a lot. Painted slowly, up to a year to paint some. Thought that he had a patron who bought most of his works. One guy seemed to own most of his paintings, so Vermeer was allowed to paint slowly. Vermeer primarily known for domestic art. Reflect Dutch lifestyle at the time. Liked to take odd vantage points. Kind of voyeuristic atmosphere. A woman, seated, playing instrument, receiving letter from maid. Playing instrument by herself, proper image. Maid seems to have knowing look, woman looks confused. Probably a love letter from husband. Generic home in Netherlands, paintings symbolic, man is at sea. Paintings subtly tell what will happen. Ship on ocean behind maid’s head can be interpreted as good or bad message. Calm sea, clear skies, implies everything is good, love letter is positive. 

Netherlands Baroque

Steen, Feast of St. Nicholas, c. 1665

Stane specializes in genres, like Vermeer. Uses comedy in painting. Paints images of comical humor. Christmas morning in Dutch household. Girl in foreground refuses to share her stuff. Son who received toy golf club behind, older brother crying to left. Maid is holding shoe which holds branch from tree which he received as a bad boy. Younger brother appears to be teasing older. Kids acting like kids. Uses children to symbolize follies of adults. 

Netherlands Baroque

Claesz, Vanitas Still Life, 1630's

Made to remind you of death. Still life representing worldly pursuits that will not do anything for you in the long run. Watch is also allusion to time, goblet fallen and broken shows fragility. Mirror is ultimate symbol of vanity.

Netherlands Baroque

Kalf, Still Life with Chinese Vase, 1669

Value of art based on how much you had to focus, still life was not valued highly. Everything on table was imported, showing wealth of the Netherlands. Fruit represents transient nature, you can’t take it with you, peeled lemon shows off succulent nature of fruit, but if that fruit is left unattended, it will rot. Fragile, temporal pleasure

French Baroque

Poussin, Et in Arcadia, c. 1655

Spends most of his life in Italy for French clients who live there. Much more classical mode. Reflects stability, calmness, clarity of high renaissance artists. Image uses right angles. Becomes role model for French painters. King of France likes him. Shepards are looking at stone, woman is meant to be death in this case. Clear lighting and colors. "Even in Arcadia I [am there]," "I" being death, and "Arcadia" being understood as a utopian land.

French Baroque

de la Tour, Adoration of the Shepherds, 1645-50

Biblical story. Ordinary figures, like Caravaggio. Dress contemporary. Light Dark contrast. Candle is light source behind hand, but light source seems to be baby. French painters work in Baroque spectrum. Most French artists were followers of Pussain. 

French Baroque

Rigaud, Louis XIV, 1701

Mammoth figure in French history, comes to power in early 1640s when he is very young. Example of absolute monarchy (one man who sees himself as divinely appointed, he can do no wrong, no one questions him.) Sees himself as France. Able to suppress all who opposed him. Creates first art school in France, creates many first schools. Controls all national academies, controls what people learn. Around 1700, in his 60s when painted. Symbolism in powerful posture, staring at viewer. Crown, sword, scepter, outfit of fur covered with blue and gold fleur de lis, has enveloped himself in France. Curtains in background are bunched up, gives impression that curtain has been opened and the king is the show. In the latest fashions, likes his legs, heels make him look taller, but were also part of a group he started, given to special individuals. High status symbol.

French Baroque

Perrault, Le Vau, and Le Brun, East facade of the Louvre, Paris, 1667-70

Represents state, King and his monarchy. Spoke to Bernini, sent several designs over several years, chose French designer finally.

French Baroque

Mansart, Le Brun, and Le Notre, Versailles Palace, 1669-80

LaBrune: architect, LeNottre: gardener. Previously Father’s hunting lodge. hunting lodge, Louis expands and creates massive palace, wants Versailles as his permanent residence. Left Paris, was fed up, moved to Versailles, moved capital to Versailles, was fed up, built another castle. Versailles was the capital of France, represents him, monarchy, nation. May not have come to be without Vaux le Vicomte. Used same people who built this building to build Versailles. Had smaller palaces on his land in case he didn’t want to walk back to his original palace.

French Baroque

Girardon, Apollo Attended by the Nymphs, c. 1666-72

Hundreds of sculptures in garden. Central theme Louis was drawn to was Apollo, the sun god. Louis nicknamed “The Sun King” so saw himself as almost a god. Refers to Louis’s obsession with himself as “The Sun King.” In aftermath of Louis’ death, chaos, end of Baroque movement.

Rococco

Fragonard, The Swing, 1766

A soft and sensuous painting of a young woman kicking off her shoe at a statue of Cupid while her lover watches from below. The painting depicts a young man hidden in the bushes, watching a woman on a swing, being pushed by her elderly husband, almost hidden in the shadows, and unaware of the lover. As the lady goes high on the swing, she lets the young man take a furtive peep under her dress, all while flicking her own shoe off in the direction of a Cupid and turning her back to two angelic cherubim on the side of her husband. She is wearing a shepard's hat, which is ironic because shepards are usually associated with virtue.

Rococco

Boffrand, Salon de la Princesse, Hotel de Soubise, Paris, 1737-40

Parisian salons were the center of Rococco social life. References the Galerie des Glaces in Versailles, but much softer. Curling tendrils and leave suggest that the room is always decked out for a festival, giving the idea of freely growing nature. 

Rococco

Watteau, Return from Cythera, 1717-19

In the fete galante (amorous festival) genre, it shows the outdoor activities of the French elite. Portrays luxuriously costumed lovers making a pilgrimage to Cythera, the island of love and eternal youth, sacred to Aphrodite.

Rococco

Boucher, Cupid a Captive, 1754

End of Rococco

Presents a rosy pyramid of female and infant flesh, with fluttering draperies both hiding and revealing their bodies. Uses Baroque and Rococco methods, allowing Baroque drama to blend into the Rococco sensual playfulness. 

The Enlightenment

Wright of Derby, Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery, 1763

Wright specialized in dramatically lit scenes. A scholar demostrates a model of the universe called an orrery, which provides a pointed light source for the painting. Awed children crowd close, while an earnest listener takes down notes. Others look on, clearly enraptured. Reflects the interest in science held at the time. Composed image in a circular fashion, mimicking the orrery. 

The Enlightenment

Greuze, The Village Bride, 1761

Sentimental narrative. Unadorned room in rustic setting. Picture portrays a father giving away his daughter, while the mother gives her daughter's arm a gentle, sad caress and the younger sister cries on her shoulder. The elder sister, seated behind the father, looks on angrily, as she is most likely not married and is jealous. Happy children are laced throughout the scene. 

The Enlightenment

Chardin, Grace at Table, 1740

Shows a mother and her two young daughters about to sit down for a meal. The older daughter and the mother are about to teach the younger daughter the ritual of saying grace before a meal. Subdued charm reinforced by simplicity of the composition, while the dark background brings the light characters to the forefront. 

The Enlightenment

Hogarth, Breakfast Scene, from Marriage a la Mode, c. 1745

The marriage of the young viscount has begun  to founder. the husband and wife are tired from a night of separate pursuits. she stayed home for music and cards, he went out for shady business. Woman's cap in his pocket. Steward has handful of unpaid bills, raises eyes to heavens in despair. Row of pictures shows saints with one curtained picture, of an erotic subject. 

The Enlightenment

West, The Death of General Wolf, 1771

Young English commander just after his defeat of the French army in Quebec. Painted in contemporary clothes, but with some errors in the military uniform. Painted in the spirit of the death of a saint, the dead man surrounded by his grieving officers. Presented as a martyrdom in the name of religious emotions. 

Neo Classicism

Kauffmann, Cornelia Pointing to Her Children, c. 1785

Founder of the British Royal Academy of Arts. Exemplum virtutis (model of virtue). Wearing ancient roman garb posed in statuesque attitudes in roman settings. Mother of two leaders, tiberius and gaius, who tried to reform rome. When a visitor showed Cornelia her jewels, she asked Cornelia to then show hers. She instead brought forward her sons, saying they were her jewels. 

Neo Classicism

David, Oath of the Horatii, 1784

Story told in a play right before it was painted. Painting shows Horatius brothers, representatives of Rome, swearing on their swords, oblivious to sorrow of their female relatives. Painting was representative of the French Revolution. 

Neo Classicism

David, Death of Marat, 1793

Jean-Paul Marat, friend of David, was assassinated in the bath because of his revolutionary thoughts. Painting included the knife, blood, and letter the assassin used to get in. Based on Christ in Michelangelo's painting.

Neo Classicism

Jefferson, Monticello, Charlottesville, 1770-1806

Remodeled after Roman temple, Cilla Rotonda and Chiswick House, materials of local origin however. 

Neo Classicism

David, Coronation of Napoleon, 1808

Painting documented the pomp and pageantry of Napolean's rule. Faithfully portrayed the actual event, but added details like the pope raising his hand in blessing and Napoleon's mother is present, she refused to attend in real life. Used composition central to Neoclassical style. Painting separates church and state, as was an issue in this period. Napolean crowned himself as emporer, traditionally done by the pope, and underscored his authority by having himself portrayed crowning his wife in the portrait. 

Neo Classicism

Vignon, La Madeleine, Paris, 1807-42

End of Neo Classicism

Church's construction had halted, Napolean restarted it and built it as a "temple of glory" for France. After Napolean's defeat, it was a church again. High podium and broad stairs. Recalls Roman architecture, forging a link between Napolean and Roman empires. Interior has three domes, a feature found in Byzantine and Roman churches.