Baroque Art and Architecture The art of Absolute Monarchs, Constitutional Monarchies and the Dutch Renaissance
Absolute Monarchs tried to show their wealth and power through their portraits-- Louis XIV and Charles I
Baroque artists used new techniques to make their paintings more realistic Chiaroscuro means “light and shadow” A light source from one side of the painting throws parts of the work into shadow while highlighting other parts Masters of chiaroscuro include Caravaggio of Italy, Georges de la Tour of France and Rembrandt van Rijn of the Netherlands
Caravaggio’s The Supper at Emmaus
A good example of Chiaroscuro
Catholic Counter Reformation Emphasis on Personal Relationship with the Divine
Georges de la Tour liked to use one candle as his light source. What do you think the skull, candle and mirror symbolize?
Catholic Baroque Painters The wealth and power of their patrons was shown by concentrating on their sumptuous clothing, gold and silver ornaments, lace and furs. Parties of the rich and famous were often subjects of artwork, as well as their palaces and beautiful gardens The discovery of new pigments such as lapis blue and techniques such as using touches of pure white to simulate the glint of glassware or the translucency of lace were often used. Floating baby angels or spirits are often seen in bright blue skies full of puffy white clouds.
Peter Paul Rubens
Rubens’ Samson and Delilah
Claude Lorrain– The Village Fete
Baroque paintings were often extremely violent, such as Judith and Holofernes by Artemesia Gentileschi
Protestant Baroque Painters Showed the wealth of their patrons in less ostentatious ways Painted scenes of middle class people working or interacting at home Rembrandt Vermeer Hals
Rembrandt van Rijn The Night Watch
Rembrandt did many self-portraits
Rembrandt was influenced by Orientalism and often used his neighbors in the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam as models.
Johannes Vermeer painted people at home and work.
The Girl With the Pearl Earring
More Vermeers
Frans Hals
Dutch Still Lifes
Flemish Painter Anthony Van Dyck painted for the royal houses of Stuart and Orange
Late Baroque Style is called “Rococo” and is very gaudy— Watteau and Fragonard
Baroque Architecture
The Hall of Mirrors and the Chapel
The Gardens of Versailles
A Small Drawing Room
Marie Antoinette’s Little Farm– built in the 18 th century– reflected the wish to get back to nature and folk ways