Baroque Art and Architecture The art of Absolute Monarchs, Constitutional Monarchies and the Dutch Renaissance Use of light Monarchs showing power Cath/protestant baroque Use of art in counter/cath reformation Blue light/ puffy clouds floaty angels

Baroque 1600 – 1750. From a Portuguese word “barocca”, meaning “a pearl of irregular shape.” Implies strangeness, irregularity, and extravagance. The more dramatic, the better!

Baroque Style of Art & Architecture Dramatic, emotional. Colors were brighter than bright; darks were darker than dark. Counter-Reformation art. Paintings & sculptures in church contexts should speak to the illiterate rather than to the well-informed. Ecclesiastical art --> appeal to emotions. Holland --> Real people portrayed as the primary subjects.

Absolute Monarchs tried to show their wealth and power through their portraits--Louis XIV and Charles I Use of light Monarchs showing power Cath/protestant baroque Use of art in counter/cath reformation

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

Georges de la Tour liked to use one candle as his light source Georges de la Tour liked to use one candle as his light source. What do you think the skull, candle and mirror symbolize? ‘master of the candle” Jesus and joseph Mary magdalene Symbol light of life Mirror is vanity

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 Elizabethan collar

Claude Lorrain– The Village Fete Village party Wealthy and peasants together Secular Divide /juxtaposition of rich/poor

Rubens’ Samson and Delilah Cutting his hair

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 Youtube – recreation of nightwatch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uswltlxoRJU

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. Painted a lot in own house Right one has anachronisms photoshopped in Used camera obscura https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jruwMMT_bc8

The Girl With the Pearl Earring Based on a book by chevalier

More Vermeers

Frans Hals About to burst out laughing People often had bad teeth Considered improper to laugh in public

Dutch Still Lifes Still lifes unique to netherlands in this time Secular Reflects protestant value of plain ness Often contrasted life/dead

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 Centers attention around king

The Hall of Mirrors and the Chapel

The Gardens of Versailles

A Small Drawing Room

Marie Antoinette’s Little Farm– built in the 18th century– reflected the wish to get back to nature and folk ways