Baroque Art – 1600-1750

1. Begins in Rome

-Renaissance artists did everything “perfectly”, so it was a time to change…

-Reaction to Mannerism

Baroque Art – 1600-1750

1. Begins in Rome

-Renaissance artists did everything “perfectly”, so it was a time to change…

-Reaction to Mannerism

2. Every country that develops it, adds its own “spin”

3. Most common element = Use of light to achieve maximum emotional impact.

Baroque Art – 1600-1750

1. Begins in Rome

-Renaissance artists did everything “perfectly”, so it was a time to change…

-Reaction to Mannerism

2. Every country that develops it, adds its own “spin”

3. Most common element = Use of light to achieve maximum emotional impact.

4. Patrons = wealthy & burghers looking for home improvements for living rooms…

5. Emphasis on emotion + dynamism rather than rationality + stasis

Baroque Art – 1600-1750

Two distinct “schools” of Baroque Art:

1. Catholic Countries: Italy, Flanders (Flemish), Spain, France

2. Protestant Countries: England & Holland (Dutch)

Baroque Art – 1600-1750

Catholic Countries: Italy, Flanders (Flemish), Spain, France

Common Traits that reflect the values of the time:

-Gigantic religious works to display their faith’s triumph and to over-whelm and attract new worshippers.

-Massive displays of wealth by absolute monarchs to enchant and impress visitors.

Baroque Art – 1600-1750

Catholic Countries: Italy, Flanders (Flemish), Spain, France

What to look for:

-Use of light – harsh light from single source to concentrate your eye (chiaroscuro but for focal point…).

-Saints and miracles looking like ordinary people and events

-dynamic explosion of energy – images captured at height of action

-VERY fat female nudes

-portraits – posed to show refinement but looked “real”

CaravaggioItalian

Conversion of St. Paul

Caravaggio Italian

The Supper at Emmaus

BerniniItalian

David

David

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa

BerniniItalian

This supreme example of Baroque art was the first masterpiece that the twenty-six year old genius, Gianlorenzo Bernini made for St. Peter's Basilica. It is impossible not to admire this fantastic, sumptuous bronze canopy supported by four spiral columns, richly decorated with gold, as it majestically rises upward. It is the largest known bronze artwork. He sent most of his life working on St. Peter’s Cathedral

Baldachin of St. Peter’s Cathedral

BerniniItalian

RubensFlemish

The Descent from the Cross

The Hippopotamus Hunt

RubensFlemish

Marie Arrives at Marseilles

RubensFlemish

The Three Graces

RubensFlemish

Van DyckFlemish

Charles I at the Hunt

Count of Ossuna

Van DyckFlemish

VelazquezSpanish

Portrait of Pope Innocent X

VelazquezSpanish

Las Meninas

This painting was voted in 1985 as “the greatest work of art by a human being.”

In the seventeenth century, France was the most powerful country in the world and Louis XIV tapped the finest talents to glorify his monarchy. France replaced Rome as the center of European art (a distinction it held until WWII) even though its art was modeled on Roman relics…

Poussin was the most famous French artist.

Painted antiquity – French Baroque art is often referred to as “Classicism” because it was copied so often during the next 200 years.

PoussinFrench

Burial of Phocion

PoussinFrench

Autumn or The Grapesbrought from thePromised Land.

The classic example of Baroque art/style

Baroque Art – 1600-1750

Protestant Countries: Holland (Dutch) & England

Common Traits that reflect the values of the time:

-Still lifes

-Landscapes

-Portraits

-Very little to no religious imagery

RuisdaelDutch

The Sunbeam

RuisdaelDutch

The Sunbeam

HalsDutch

The Jolly Toper

Jester with a Lute

HalsDutch

The Laughing Cavalier

RembrandtDutch

RembrandtDutch

Night Watch

RembrandtDutch

The Masters of the Cloth Guild

VermeerDutch

The Geographer

VermeerDutch

The Milkmaid

Girl with a Pearl Earring

VermeerDutch

VermeerDutch

The Artist’s Studio

HogarthEnglish

Breakfast Scene from Marriage a la Mode

HogarthEnglish

Gin Lane

GainsboroughEnglish

ReynoldsEnglish