BAROQUE The Baroque period began in Italy around
BAROQUE The Baroque period began in Italy around 1600 by the Catholic Church. The church wanted its religious paintings to become more emotional and dramatic in hopes that it would attract new worshippers during the Counter-Reformation.
Baroque then spread to France where absolute monarchs like Louis XIII and Louis XIV spend vast sums of money to glorify themselves and impress visitors to their palaces. Palace of Versailles - Paris, France
While styles ranged from Italian realism to French flamboyance, the most common element throughout was an absolute mastery of light to achieve maximum emotional impact. • Permanent split between Roman Catholics and Protestants. • Northern Europe (England Holland) – Protestant - religious imagery was forbidden – focus on still life's, portraits and landscapes. • Southern Europe – Catholicism - Italian and Flemish baroque – religious imagery – campaign for Catholic church to lure patrons
Key Players of Baroque BAROQUE Caravaggio Characteristics of Baroque • mastery of light and shadow to achieve maximum emotional impact • ornate - made in an intricate shape or decorated with complex patterns Borromini Bernini
Title: The Conversion of St. Paul Artist: Caravaggio Period: Baroque Date: 1601 • oil on canvas • located in Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome • Caravaggio was often criticized for depicting religious figures as ‘regular’ people (this expressed the Counter Reformation’s belief that faith was open to all) • chiarascuro – contrast of dark and light (intensifies emotion and the scenes impact)
Title: The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa Artist: Bernini Period: Baroque Date: 1645 -52 • located in Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome • marble • Portrays her overpowering sense of spiritual pleasure in serving Christ • her face shows ecstasy and exhaustion (Saint Theresa reportedly saw visions and heard voices, believing herself to have been pierced by an angel’s dart infusing her with divine love) • Bernini tried to induce an intense religious experience in worshippers as part of the Counter Reformation campaign • Illuminated natural light – a He Bernini was morebythan a great sculptor. hidden window in the dome was also an architect, painter, playwright, composer and theatre designer.
Title: Judith and the Maidservant with the head of holofernes Artist: Artemisia Gentileschi Period: Baroque Date: 1625 • oil on canvas • located in the Detroit Institute of Arts • dramatic use of light and shadow - chiarascuro • she was the first woman painter to be widely known and appreciated • Gentileschi and her father who first trained her were huge followers of Caravaggio Lord God, to whom all strength belongs, prosper what my hands are now to do for the greater glory of Jerusalem; for now is the time to recover your heritage and to further my plans to crush the enemies arrayed against us. — Judith’s prayer before beheading Holofernes (Judith 13: 4 -5)
Title: The Night Watch Artist: Rembrandt Period: Baroque Date: 1642 • oil on canvas • located in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Holland • dramatic use of light and shadow (chiarascuro) • Group portrait of a militia company (they also commissioned it)
Title: The Love Letter Artist: Jan Vermeer Period: Baroque Date: 1666 • located in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Holland • dramatic use of light and shadow • oil on canvas
Title: Las Meninas Artist: Velazquez Period: Baroque Date: 1656 • oil on canvas • located in the Prado, Madrid, Spain • dramatic use of light and shadow (chiarascuro) • title translates to ‘maids of honour’ • artist shows himself painting at the easel • great use of space successfully moves your eye throughout painting (composition – including open door in background)
Title: San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (façade) Artist: Borromini Period: Baroque Date: 1665 -1667 • illusion of movement (ripples) through convex and concave surfaces • the push and pull that results from the curved shape, creates a startling pattern of light and shadow across the building. • located in Rome, Italy
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