Spanish, Flemish, Dutch, French, and English Baroque Art

Spanish, Flemish, Dutch, French, and English Baroque Art Part 1 ● ● ● 17th century europe Terms ○ Painterly (vs linear) ○ Monumental ○ Genre scene (and interior genre scene) ○ Gradation ○ Group portraiture ○ Asymmetrical ○ Impasto ○ Etching ○ Burin ○ Land reclamation project ○ Allegorical ○ Pictorial light ○ Camera obscura ○ Motif ○ Still life ○ Vanitas ○ Vanitas still life ○ French academic art ○ Neoclassicism ○ Classicism ○ Grand manner (history painting) ○ Absolutism ○ Classical baroque ○ Aristocratic portrait ○ Objects d’art ○ Nave, side aisles, clerestory ○ Flanking towers ○ Crossing Spanish Baroque art ○ 16th century - height of international power ○ Empire struggling to maintain power met its demise in 1660 ■ Economic woes ■ Spain’s reluctance to trade ○ Velasquez considered greatest painter of this period in spain ■ Patron: king philip 4th ■ Lived in madrid ○ Diego velasquez, surrender of breda ■ Commemorate spanish victory over dutch in 1625 ■ ○ ○ ○ ○ Spain controlled netherlands in 16th century but tried hard to break away many times, depicted in this painting ■ Commissioned by king philip iv of spain to commemorate spanish victory over the dutch in 1625 ■ Glorifies the strength of the spanish military as well as the benevolence of the general ■ Propagandistic image: useful to philip iv to bolster his diminishing power ● Meant to work as propaganda; he was also known to have many portraits of himself Diego velasquez, las meninas ■ Greatest artwork in history of art ■ Painting shows mastery of form and content; his greatest masterpiece ■ Commentary on mysteries of visual world ■ About seeing and being seen ■ Royal escorts in middle; man in lit doorway in background ■ Extended pictorial depth in both directions ● Further back into the doorway and ● With the mirror, extended into our space as viewers ● Informal group portrait of the royal family and visit to artist’s studio ■ Converted into a studio for velasquez ■ May have been about the king visiting his studio ■ Velasquez placed among the royal family as an equal, which elevates his status; this was the personal office of philip iv ■ Comments on relationship between perceived and perceiver ■ King views it as a subject of painting and object of figures’ gazes ■ Typical of baroque period for artists to achieve optimum visual truth and detail in paintings ● Also typical: expands spatial field to allow viewer to enter space ● Painting becomes an event for visual dialogue between viewer and viewed ● Real spaces, mirrored spaces, spaces not shown, and our space as viewers Flemish baroque art ■ 16th c netherlands under rule of hapsburg spain ■ Philip iv repressive against protestants ■ Formed dutch republic, remained catholic, under spanish control (flanders) Peter paul rubens, elevation of the cross, antwerp cathedral ■ Combined italian renaissance (michelangelo, titian) and italian baroque (carracci and caravaggio) to create a new style Comparison: rubens/caravaggio/titian ■ Calling of saint matthew, and madonna of the pesaro family ■ He was well liked and trusted, so he became a diplomat and a rich man ○ ○ Rubens, elevation of the cross ■ Painterly technique (edges are blurred rather than sharply defined) and broad masses of light and dark (linear - when edges are sharply defined, line is very evident) ● Dynamic composition; triptych showing long study of art ■ Wings extend action of central scene so there is one continuous narrative, as opposed to most triptychs prior to this ● Like michelangelo’s figures; body of christ on cross as diagonal that cuts across picture; followers are mourning and indifferent soldiers supervise execution ● Painting shows power; exertion and muscle strain ● emotional/physical tension seen in christ’s face and followers in wings ● Strong use of light and dark to make figures seem sculptural and 3-dimensional ■ References both italian and flemish art in different ways ● Strong use of light and dark ● Heroic nudes ● Dramatic lighting ● Dynamic diagonal composition ● Intense emotions seen on figure’s faces ● Flemish: ○ Rich colors ○ Minute attention to varied textures/forms ■ Rubens, allegory of outbreak of war ● Expresses his attitude toward war ; always fighting for peace ● Finished during 30 years war, showing drama, energy, movement, chaotic scene ● Mars at center (god of war) left temple open; ancient roman custom, closed in time of peace ● Venus, nude woman, is his lover; trying to stop him with embraces ● He is pulled forward by fury with torch in his hand ● Monsters rep pain and famine, come with war ● Broken lute; symbolize no harmony during war ● Woman with child symbolizes no procreation or tenderness ○ War destroys everything ● Architect fallen with tool symbolizes cities are ruined by war ● Woman in black represents unhappy europe, which suffered for years bc of war Anthony van dyck, charles i dismounted ■ Rubens most famous assistant ■ Van dyck became court portraitist; set standard for portraiture for future english painters ○ ○ ○ ○ ■ Commemorates 10 years ruling england as absolute monarch ■ Depicts charles in tradition of equestrian portraiture Comparison: van dyck/marcus aurelius/donatello ■ Ancient rome; equestrian statues Van dyck ■ Creates image of imperial power ■ Creates painterly texture ■ He is absolute authority by way he is portrayed ■ Turns his back on attending ■ Standing off center, but still balanced with glance toward viewer, looking down bc he was short ■ Imperial power image created with monumental horse, shiny armor/baton, showing king looking over his lands ■ Like rubens, he uses painterly style with atmospheric sky ■ “Charles i, king of great britain” inscription ● Reflects how much he was out of touch with his people ● They were largely dissatisfied and rebellious Dutch baroque art ■ Northern provinces of netherlands gained independence from spain in late 16th c ■ 1648, they were officially recognized as dutch republic; later called holland ■ Later became important bc of economic success ■ Amsterdam, financial center of europe ■ Heavily involved in trading ;major port in trade route ■ Protestant and rejected art in churches, so little religious art produced at this time ■ Tolerant people, so occasional religious picture, but no single ruler; political power rested in hands of urban upper class merchants and manufacturers ● They didn’t want religious scenes, but preferred secular scenes like genre scenes: depicting everyday life ● Especially interior genre scenes ● Landscapes, portraits, still lifes ● 17th c holland; first telescopes and microscopes ● New style of painting reflected obsession with natural world ● Art of describing Rembrandt van rijn, the company of captain frans banning cocq (night watch) ■ Most famous dutch painter of his time ■ Known for his use of light ■ Refined light and shade until they blended with each other (gradation) ■ Sharp chiaroscuro, but closer to reality bc eyes perceive light and dark not as static/unmoving, but as always subtly changing ■ ■ ● Delving deeply into sight and sitters/portraits Painting is a group portrait (most lucrative bc they were large and dramatic - baroque) and genre scene ■ Men are portrayed differently from other group militia portraits they are not shown at rest but moving around trying to organize themselves ■ Title is not quite right bc this isn’t a night scene - darkness is due to varnish he used, which darkened over time ■ He was commissioned by this militia group to paint officers/members ■ narrative : men preparing for parade, excited; portrayed differently from other militia portraits, shown moving around, giving it life and movement ■ Cropped so we don’t know exactly how original looked ○ Rembrandt, return of the prodigal son ■ “Open” composition, asymmetrical - when one side of composition does not reflect other side; balance where one side differs from other without destroying composition’s overall harmony (not closed and symmetrical like high renaissance) ■ Paintings were source of 17th c moral knowledge and instruction ● Old testament esp popular bc they were god’s chosen people to triumph over spain ● He painted many biblical subjects uncommon in catholic art ● Form off center triangle ■ Employs rich contrasts bt bright impasto (building up of thick layers of paint) areas and dark brooding passages - to increase the drama, like caravaggio - theatrical staging ● Pulls figures out of shadowy depths ● Explores psychological depths of subjects ■ He also explores the psychological depths of his subjects here Dutch portraiture ○ Rise in portraiture at time in dutch republic; became popular and fashionable for rising middle class ■ Immortalized worldly self, similar to renaissance aristocrats portraitures ● But these weren’t idealized and dutch portraits were often unflattering ■ These artists dominated portraiture at time ○ Rembrandt - Studies of inner life of his sitters, not flattering accounts and grandiose settings; keen observer of behavior; leading portrait painter in amsterdam ■ They follow his life, showing his changing moods and events in life along way - compare old to newer images ○ Rembrandt, self portrait ■ Studies of inner life of sitters ■ Depicts himself with dignity and strength ■ Light shining, distinctive use of light ■ ○ ○ Focus on expressive face demonstrates interest in revealing human soul through portraiture ● Presents self as working artist ● Artistic virtuosity - ability to draw perfect circle freehand ● Use of light and dark to highlight face ● Nonspecific setting to draw attention to face ● X-rays reveal he originally depicted himself painting, but he changed it ● About him as an artist and as a man ● Left dark surrounding space from which figure emerges ● He was good at manipulating light/dark, similar to caravaggio ● Example of probing individualism Rembrandt, christ with the sick around him, receiving the children (hundred guilder print) ■ Etching ■ Uniquely protestant ■ Anabaptist upbringing with fundamentalist scripture and attention to individual conflict in daily life ■ Biblical events in literal, human terms ■ Talented draftsman, famous as printmaker than a painter ■ Etchings popular among middle class patrons who wanted private devotional images, which were less expensive ■ Etching: engraving in which design is incised in layer of wax/varnish in metal plate; parts of plate left exposed are then etched/eaten away by acid in which the plate is immersed after incising ■ He used burin: steel cutting tool (to produce dramatic, rich darks, and emphatic lights) Etching process ■ Artist draws with needle onto copper, zinc, steel plate that has been covered with acid resistant wax ■ Intaglio printing process ■ When plate is immersed in acid, bare metal, exposed by lines of drawing is eroded. Depth of the etch is controlled by amount of time the acid is allowed to bite the metal ■ The longer in acid, the deeper the line and the darker it will print ■ In order to obtain a print, a viscous greasy ink is pushed into the etched grooves, then surface is wiped clean with muslin, leaving only the etched areas retaining ink. The actual impression is made with a copper or bed between the rollers. The plate is then placed on the bed, covered with dampened paper and backed with three or four felt blankets ■ These are then passed through the press under high pressure, the malleable paper is forced into the cuts and ridges in the plate and thus picks up the ink. When the paper is finally peeled off, it reveals a faithful ○ mirror image of the etched drawing. This inking procedure is then repeated for each print ■ When the etching is complete a limited number of prints are made (limited edition). Then using the pencil, the artist signs each print with the title, a signature and a fraction showing its position in the edition. For example 25/100 is the twenty fifth print out of an edition of one hundred. The artist is also allowed to make an extra 10% for personal use. Therefore, in an edition of one hundred, one hundred and ten prints are made. The extra ten are marked a/p (artist’s proof) instead of the fraction. They are valued above numbered prints by collectors bc of their association with the artist ■ Finally, the plate is cancelled by scratching a line through the image. A print made from a scratched plate is called a cancellation print. It ensures that further prints cannot be made and the numbered impression can be trusted. ■ ‘Original’ prints are images made by the artist from beginning to end directly in or on the plate, stone, wood, block and other matrix. Each print is a work of art, one of a limited edition and signed by the artist. The photo mechanical reproduction of paintings and drawings are often described as “fine art prints” but this term is misleading as they are not works of art, even if they have an artist’s signature. Rembrandt van rijn, hundred guilder print ■ Members of jewish community; sick and lame in foreground, children in middle left, ill on right, and assembly at far left ■ Few strokes of the pen to create a powerful image ■ Convincingly brings to life, the woes of the downtrodden and the aged ■ Seems like it takes place at his time (17th c) and not in biblical times Part 2 ● Baroque art ● Judith leyster, self portrait ○ Immediacy, spontaneity, and impulsive movement, and features typical of her work ○ Portrait is a personal comment on the role of the artist as the muse and artisan ○ Until 20th c, her paintings were attributed to a male colleague, frans hall ○ Typical of baroque art ○ Elected to painters guild of harlem, unusual for a woman ○ She achieves sense of informality thru casual manner in which she turns away from her canvas as if to greet the viewer ○ Laughing violinist is her painting within the painting to provide exuberant counterpoint to her robust face; self confidence in middle class woman ■ Confidence to train students and turn her art to profit ● Jacob van ruisdael, view of haarlem from the dunes at overveen ○ Landscape scenes popular bc of dutch’s particular relationship to their land ■ ● ● ● Included that after gaining independence from spain, they overtook extensive land reclamation project taking 100 yrs building dykes and drainage systems ■ Typical to dutch landscape paintings is the horizon line is very low - sky fills the majority of the composition ○ Most families owned and worked their own farms - closeness to land ○ Rendering of dutch landscape; specific detailing of land ○ Typography: character, natural features, configuration of land ○ Reclamation efforts shown in windmills ○ People very small so they blend into landscape ○ Sky takes up ¾ of picture’s space ○ Tranquil serenity, almost spiritual Jan vermeer, allegory of the art of painting ○ Painting is example of interior genre scene (scenes of domestic light taking place inside home - household tasks and recreation); only 35 paintings can be positively attributed to him ■ He received most income from inkeeping and art dealing ○ Allegorical scene (allegory is expression of generalized moral statement using symbolic actions or figures; most genre scenes have allegorical meanings); painting inspired by history ○ He was master of pictorial light ○ 15th c flemish artists also painted interiors, but they often used religious themes/figures ○ Wreath symbolizes everlasting life ○ Map of dutch propheces (another reference to history) ○ We are placed outside action, peering in on scene; curtain pulled back allows us visual access ○ Seems as if the picture’s surface is plane of glass so we are looking into constructed illusion ○ He was ahead of his time in color science; true to reality colors ■ Shadows are not colorless and dark, but adjoining colors affect each other and light is made up of spectrum of colors Vermeer, view of delft ○ Moved buildings around to meet his own idea of ideal composition ○ Quietness, stillness, clear, even light ○ He may have used a camera obscura ○ Rearranged scene to give composition desired mood/organization ○ Common motif: dominant cloud filled expanses of sky, low horizon line Camera obscura ○ Vermeer may have used this ○ Darkened box with lens on one side, light comes thru lens, projects upside down image of scene on outside of box; artist can trace image onto their painting/sketch ■ ● ● By 17th c a small portable version became standard equipment for many landscape painters; later photography developed as a way to fix or make permanent; images produced on light sensitive material Rachel ruysch, flower still life ○ Still life: arrangement of objects (here, inanimate objects like flowers/fruit); the finished work itself ○ Example of baroque vanitas still life: (vanitas: category of painting, often still life, whose theme is temporary nature of earthly things, corrupt bility of worldly goods, fertility of riches, and inevitability of death) ○ Careful compositional construction ○ As a vanitas still life, this painting gives insights into dutch life and history ○ Addressed larger world or the big picture (macro), but dutch still lifes addressed little things or microcosms in life ○ Baroque vanitas still life - flowers are living that soon will die ○ Ruysch leading floral painter at time; lavish floral arrangement spilling out of its space; diagonal from lower left to upper right balanced by opposing diagonal of table edge to create a large X ○ Moralizing image holds meaning to 17th c dutch people French baroque art ○ Consolidation of french power with king louis the 14th, ruled for 72 years ■ He was an absolute monarch and he wanted total control ; he was very obsessive ■ At this time, protestants were being driven away from france bc they were very catholic at time ○ Louis le nain, family of country people ■ Genre scene; depicts peasants of country people; serious/somber ■ Form reinforces content ■ People seen here are pious, docile, calm peasants despite the current hardships for peasants ■ Probably made for wealthy urban patron to reassure them ■ Led to violent revolts; severely suppressed, but people seen here still calm, probably not how the peasants really were at this time ■ Some scholars believe this was to please wealthy patrons ○ Nicolas poussin, et in arcadio ego (arcadian shepards) ■ Example of french academic art ● Academies (of painting and sculpture, dance, sciences, music, architecture) ○ Original purpose to bring glory to the king, but set standards for art following classical rules following rome legacy ■ Neoclassicism - revival of classical subject matter became accepted style of academic art ● Elements of classicism here ○ ○ ○ ● Moral allegory that instructs us that death is universal ● Both in form and content this work is intellectual ■ Classicism - principles or style embodied in art/architecture of ancient greek/rome; simplicity, restraint, proportion ■ Poussin revered raphael bc he was a master in high renaissance ■ He thought raphael was leading proponent of classical style Comparison: poussin/raphael ■ He references raphael with order and stability of compositions Poussin ■ Three shepherds ■ Looking at inscription on tomb “I too in arcadia” ■ Statuesque female figure placing her hand on shoulder of one figure, muse of history reminding him that death is found even in arcadia (supposedly perfect place) ■ Serves as moral allegory that instructs us that death is universal ■ Cool, bright colors, and lighting to enhance the peaceful mood ■ Line provides absolute clarity of design ■ Power of painting is in composition bc it is very balanced; arranged and rearranged miniature waxed models of figures within a small rectangular box; every gesture narrated the story ■ Grand theatricality (baroque characteristic) order dominates over spontaneity ■ Appeal to the mind rather than to the senses; in contrast to italian baroque painters ■ He thought all art must portray great, serious, elevated subjects (promote religious themes) thought it should reject crude, bizarre, and ordinary subject matter ● Characterizes grand manner/history painting ● Form of this dictated that subjects should be presented clearly and evenly; harmonious compositions, no irrelevant details ● Restraint, moderation, decorum/propriety should guide artists ● Essence of classical doctrine in baroque period Hyacinthe rigaud, louis xiv ■ Image of king in absolute control and example of aristocratic portrait ■ Age of absolutism - political theory asserting that unlimited power be vested in one or more rules (during 17th-18th c divine right of kings was predominant) ● Unlimited power within nation states ● Centralized bureaucracy, standing army, maximize wealth of state ● Art and architecture to glorify his power ■ Seems confident/arrogant; he claimed authority bc of divine right (god’s will that he be king) ■ Everything underscores his glory as the “sun king” ■ ■ ○ ○ Polished dignity and dominated 17th c french art/architecture Center of artistic patronage shifted from italy to french (french dominated european) ■ He was center of the universe ■ He used art as political propaganda to glorify himself ■ Aristocratic portrait -outward appearance of sitter and not personalities/psychology ■ He looks at viewer directly; royal paraphernalia, scepter, crown, sword of state ■ Fashionable upper class clothing ■ Composition; king is focal point and he looks down on viewer, but he was actually very short ■ Grandiose background, stately elements enhancing themes of authority and regality; satin curtains to dignify king, lone column underscore his glory ■ European/american standard elements of portraits Palace at versailles, france ■ Begun in 1669, louis xiv converted royal hunting lodge built by his father, to a grand palace ■ 12 miles outside paris; he moved his entire courts (government) ■ Took 36,000 workers to build and almost 20 years ■ Considered greatest architectural project of the age, defining example of french baroque style ■ Symbol of king’s power and ambition ● Plan of park, palace, and town of versailles ○ He enlarged it to accommodate over 20,000 people ○ Courts, gov officials, servants, etc. for louis to keep close watch on them Jules hardouin-mansart and charles le brun, hall of mirrors / galerie des glaces ■ Decoration, wall paintings, designed to show splendor of versailles ■ 700 rooms within palace; this is most famous ■ Lavish interior, typical of versailles; many rooms house extremely lavish ● Object d’art - objects of art ○ Vases, silver bowls ● 240 feet long room ■ Once connected royale apartments with chapel ■ Overlooked grounds on second floor ■ Still has many frescoes, marble pilasters, ornate candelabra, 17 mirrored arcades ● Creates illusion to extend width of room, multiply sunlight; literally/figuratively reflect splendor of louis and his court ● Just one of many allusions to the sun ● ● Changing light in unbounded space; mirror was fav element of french baroque interiors ● Salons of war and peace decorated with relevant symbols ● Louis’s political intentions ● Salon - elegant apartment or drawing room; or gathering of literary figures, artists, statesmen held regularly ■ Versailles is the symbol of power of absolutism; expresses belief of its age based on rationalism and mathematical philosophies; all knowledge must be systematic and orderly ● Shows mastery of louis xiv over disorderliness of nature English baroque art ○ Popular style in england in 17th c ○ Greatest architect - sir christopher wren ○ Sir christopher wren, new saint paul’s cathedral ■ Fire destroyed ¾ of city and many buildings ■ He was put in charge of rebuilding 51 churches, but this was most important bc was first cathedral to be built for protestant church of england ○ Plan of st. paul’s was latin cross basilica ○ Plan blended many styles - interior is early christian ○ Comparative images - interior was looking back to interior of early christian churches, similar nave, side aisles, clear story ■ Nave - long central area where congregation sits ■ Side aisles - on either side of nave ■ Clear story - upper part of main outer wall of church often with row of windows ■ Western facade inspired by classical baroque from france ■ Paired columns and central pediment that look like the louvre ○ Sir christopher wren, st. paul’s ■ Italian baroque elements ● Dramatic, elaborate facade ● Twin clock towers are ornate ● Strong surface contrasts of light and dark ● Styles blended together ■ Comparison: st. paul’s / reims ● French gothic elements ○ Flanking towers - flank central portion of facade ○ Triangular pediments ○ Curved walls at bases of spires ○ Takes elements from french gothic cathedral ■ Its basic plan is a latin-cross basilica ■ Plan blended styles : early christian, french baroque, italian baroque, and gothic ■ ● Synthesis of the french and italian baroque styles with elements of renaissance, gothic, and early christian architectural styles ■ Majestic synthesis of classical and christian traditions as well as baroque drama and scale ■ Crossing: space in cruciform church formed by intersection of nave and transept ■ Took 40 yrs to complete ■ Dramatic exterior, light filled interior are baroque in conception and effect Major ideas covered ○ Velasquez was master of form and content ○ Rubens painting was powerful and dramatic ○ Both rubens and van dyck’s works are painterly ○ Rembrandt’s works characterized by distinctive use of light and probing individualism ○ Dutch baroque art included portraits, group portraits, landscapes, vanitas still lifes, and interior genre scenes ○ Poussin typifies french academic art ○ Louis xiv established french classical baroque style ○ Wren’s architecture is a blend of many different architectural styles