BAROQUE in the North – Flanders, Dutch Republic, France & England“If it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it!”

Peter Paul Rubens, Elevation of the Cross, 1610. Oil on wood, 15’1.8’’ x 11’1.5’ (center panel) 15’1.8’’ x 4’11’’ (each wing)

Patron: Church of Saint Walburga in AntwerpSubject: the elevation of the cross with ChristKey Facts:

Italian art influences- influence from Michelangelo &

Caravaggio- foreshortened anatomy & violent

swirling motion- diagonals- chiaroscuro- vividly colored drapery/ornament

Classical influences

Baroque Flemish

Peter Paul Rubens, Marie Arrives at Marseilles, 1621-1625, oil on canvas

Baroque Flanders

Patron: Marie de ‘Medici, Queen of FranceKey Facts: Part of a series of paintings celebrating the

queen of Franceo She was remembered for quarreling

with her husband and spending large amounts of money on elaborate commissions after his death

o Immortalize her "heroic" exploits SCENE: Goddess of Fame heralds her landing in France with golden trumpets, personification of France welcomes her Diplomatically removed Marie's double chin Focused on the three voluptuous

women in the lower foregroundo Ideal of feminine beauty:

buxom, plump womenwith golden hair and luminous skin (like his wives!)

What’s BAROQUE? POMP - exuberant colors, rich costumes, gold, drama, decorative splendor

Peter Paul Rubens, 1638-1639, oil on canvas

Baroque Flanders

Anthony Van Dyck, Charles I dismounted, 1635, oil on canvas, 8’11” x 6’ 11.5”

Gerrit van Honthorst, Supper Party, 1620, Oil on Canvas

DUTCH BAROQUE

Patron:NA Subject: Genre Scene or Companions of a Prodigal sonKey Facts: Influenced By Caravaggio

Hidden light source and put in a dingy pub Used as a pretext to work with dramatic and

starkly contrasting light Informal group of non-idealized human

figures Can be read as signs of gluttony (man on the

right) and lust (prostitute and her older procuress) to satisfy strict Dutch Calvinists

Hendrick Ter Brugghen, Calling of Saint Matthew, 1621, Oil on canvas, 3’4’’x4’6’’, Baroque Dutch

Patron: Unspecified

Subject: Biblical narrative depicting Saint Peter being called upon.

1. Similar, yet differenta. Echoes Caravaggio through use of

naturalistic figure presentation.b. Conveys a feeling of motion; very “in the

midst of action.”c. Deviates from Caravaggio’s use of

Tenebrism by instead using a varied palette of soft hues and color.

d. Figures are within a defined and well-lit setting and pressed into compact space, effectively placing the viewer within the room.

Hals, Archers of St. Hadrian, 1633, oil on canvasDUTCH BAROQUE

PATRON: Archers guild Hals – produced lively, relaxed portraits

- Spontaneity, conveyed personalities of sitters

SCENE: group portrait of Dutch civic militia group – claimed credit for liberation of Dutch Republic from Spain (see: Velazquez)

- They met on their saint’s feast day in uniform for a great feast, an appropriate event for a group portrait

- Each man is both troop member + individual with personality

- Some look at viewer, some look away, COMPOSITION: different poses, relaxed, unlike earlier more formal portraits

- White ruffs and sashes create lively rhythm, energizes portrait

- Brushstrokes are light and energetic

Hals, The Women Regents of the Old Men’s Home at Haarlem, 1664, oil on canvas

DUTCH BAROQUE

PATRON: Women Regents of Old Men’s Home in Haarlem

- Dutch women worked in labor force in cities and were often educated

- Regents of charitable institutions (orphanages, old age homes, etc)

SCENE: take responsibilities very seriously - stern, composed, puritanical, dour- reflects Calvinist temperament- Monochromatic palette with white accents

adds to painting’s restraint

Judith Leyster, Self-Portrait, 1630, oil on canvas, 2’5 x 2’1

Patron: N/ASubject: Judith LeysterKey Facts: The picture is very detailed, precise, and accurate but also imbued with the spontaneity found in Hal’s (she was his student) works. In this piece she communicates a great deal about herself. She depicted herself as an artist, seated in front of a painting resting on an easel. The palette in her left hand and brush in her right announce that the painting is her creation. She thus allows the viewer to evaluate her skill, which both the fiddler on the canvas and the image of herself demonstrate as considerable. Her self self-assurance is reflected in her quick smile and her relaxed pose as she stops her work to meet the viewer’s gaze. Although she is not wearing an artist’s smock in this piece, her elegant attire distinguished her socially as a member of a well-to-do family, another important aspect of Leyster’s identity.

Rembrandt, Anatomy Lesson of Dr. TulpOil on Canvas, 85.2 in x 66.7 in

Patron: Dr. Nicolaes TulpSubject: Dr. Tulp examines a cadaver, teaching students about the workings of the arm. The arm is sliced open to reveal bones, ligaments and muscle.Key Facts:

Only one public autopsy allowed per year, had to be the body of a criminal, and only in the winter as the stench would be unbearable at any other time

One of a series of portraits made for the Guild of Surgeons

Tulp performed the public autopsy for the Surgeons Guild two years in a row, the painting commemorates the 2nd.

Diagonal of the corpse disrupts the linear plane normally found in portraiture.

Scarred Sebastian for life when he was 8.

Rembrandt, Night Watch, 1642,Oil on Canvas, 11’11*14’4

Patron: Commissioned for the Musketeers HallSubject: Two officers, Captain Francis Cocq and Lieutenant William van Ruytenburch, and 16 other menKey Facts: That the displayed were thought to of contributed to Rembrandt fee

He managed to record the three most important stages of using a musket (loading, readying, firing a musket)

Painting is not a nocturnal but rather appears this way because of tenebrism and the varnish that Rembrandt used.

That the piece was cropped in 1715, and was moved to Amsterdam’s town hall.

LIGHT!!

Rembrandt, The Return of the Prodigal Son, c. 1661–1669. Oil. 262 cm × 205 cm

Baroque Dutch

Depicting the moment of the prodigal son's return to his father in the Biblical parableo The son has returned home in a wretched

state, kneeling before his father in repentance

o Father’s hands seem to suggest mothering and fathering at once

o Older brother objects to the father's compassion for the sinful son

o The woman at top left, barely visible, is likely the mother

o The seated man, whose dress implies wealth, may be an advisor to the estate or a tax collector

o The standing man at center is likely a servant.

Evocation of religious mood and human sympathy and parable's message of forgiveness.

Interpreting the Christian idea of mercy with extraordinary solemnity.

Realism increased by psychological insight and spirituality

Rembrandt van Rijn, Self-Portrait, 1659-1660, Oil on canvas, 3’8¾’’ x 3’1’’

Patron: N/ASubject: Rembrandt as a working artist

In this late self-portrait (he had almost 70), Rembrandt wanted to express the soul rather than just the body. He appears in a working smock with painter’s tools and creates an overall mood of tranquil meditation and quiet self-assurance. This is achieved through hazy brushstrokes and subtle blending of light.

Rembrandt's "psychology of light" = light and dark are blended softly and subtly so that they do not appear harsh, creates a calmer mood. Renaissance artists played with the idea of light, while Rembrandt made it natural, often playing with intensity, distance, and direction to express different emotions.

like this not this What’s BAROQUE? Not much. It’s basically the opposite of tenebrism. Much more subtle blending of light (no “conflict” between light and dark).Fun Fact! The circles in the background may be alluding to a sign of artistic virtuosity: the ability to draw a

Rembrandt van Rijn, Christ with the Stick around Him, Receiving the Children, ca. 1649, Etching, 11”X 1’ 3 1/4” Key Facts:

Demonstrates mastery of engraving and etching while depicting the figures and setting

Humanity and humility of Jesus Christ in the center

-preaching,-blessing the blind, lame, and young

Young man w/ elegant clothes -has head down in hands -lamenting Christ’s insistence for the wealth to give to the poor for entrance into heaven

Deep shadows on the left by city gate Bright Light on the right

-light is the radiation from Christ Second light from the right

-casts the shadow of the praying man’s arm on Christ tunic

Aelbert Cuyp, Distant View of Dordrecbt with a Milkmaid, Four Cows and Other Figures, 1640s, oil on canvas

CONTEXT:- Dutch had unique relationship w/ terrain- Took on great land reclamation project after

gaining independence from Spain- Most Dutch families owned and worked

farms = feeling closeness w/ the terrainSCENE: Title indicates important location for artist = specific, no idealized or invented

- Church identified- Dairy cows, shepherds and milkmaid =

cornerstones of Dutch agriculture- Detail = GREAT skill

Jacob van Ruisdael, View of Haarlem from the Dunes at Overveen, 1670, Oil on Canvas, 1’10” X 2’1”

Baroque Holland

Patron: UnknownSubject: Scenic View of Haarlem with an emphasis on its windmills and churchKey Facts: Indicative of Dutch patriotism and pride in the beauty of their homeland.

Sky is the main focus of the painting, taking the majority of the space.

Peace and serenity emanate from the painting. It is secular.

Jan Vermeer, Allegory of the Art of Painting, 1670-1675, Oil on canvas, 4’4’’ x 3’8’’

Patron: N/ASubject: The painting depicts an artist (Vermeer) with his back to the viewer as he paints a model.

The work is clearly a celebration of the craft of painting. It is an allegory – a reference to painting inspired by history. The model is dressed and holds objects identifying her as Clio, the muse of history. The map on the wall shows the Dutch provinces, another reference to history.

Some historians have suggested that the light coming in though the window is symbolism for artistic inspiration.What’s BAROQUE? Lots of symbolism, realism, space/clothes are very ornate and detailed, subtle behind from light to shadow (not harsh, more natural looking).

Fun Fact! Many different people throughout history have bought/stolen the painting because it is (arguably) Vermeer’s greatest work. It was actually taken by Adolf Hitler during WWII and stored in his private collection!

Jan Vermeer, The Letter, 1666, Oil on canvas

Vermeer derived most of his income as innkeeper and art dealt

- 35 paintings knownVermeer + others composed near, opulent interiors of Dutch middle-class

- Dwellings with men, women and children- Engage in household tasks or little

recreation = reflect their valuesSCENE: drawn curtain and open doorway through which viewer peers

- Viewer = outsider looking in, looking in at a “normal” everyday scene

- Woman of the house (elegant attire) playing a lute

- Maid comes to deliver a love letter lute = symbol of music and love, seascape in background is symbol of love requited

**reveal much about Dutch life and culture**

Pieter Claesz – Vanitas Still Life – 1630s – Oil on panel – 1’2’’ x 1’11 ½’’

Subject: Celebrates material possessions strewn across a tabletop or dresser

Key Facts: References to death remind the viewer of

life’s transience ‘Vanitas’ refer to vanity paintings, and each

feature is referred to as a momento mori (reminder of death)

References to mortality:o Skullo Timepieceo Tipped glasso Cracked walnut

All suggest passage of time or a presence that has disappeared

Self-portrait included in glass ballo Serves to immortalize the subject—

in this case, the artist himself

WILLEM KALF, Still Life with a Late Ming Ginger Jar, 1669, oil on canvas, 2’ 6” x 2’ 2”

RACHEL RUYSCH, Flower Still Life, after 1700, oil on canvas, 2’ 5” x 1’ 11”

Dutch Baroque

Patron: N/A, Dutch patrons interested in still lifes.Subject:

Reflects wealth and international culture that Dutch citizens had accrued during this time.

Kalf: Indian floral carpet, Chinese jar used to store ginger, emulation of reflective surfaces. Inclusion of watch, Med. Peach, and peeled lemon suggest Calvinist values as a vanitas painting.

Ruysch: Soon-to-die objects, i.e. cut flowers, frequented vanitas ptgs. But use of floral pts as genre common in Dutch Republic. Almost spilling out of vase, lavish arrangement. Diagonal – offset of opposing diagonal of table edge.

Key Facts: As Dutch society prospered, still-life paintings

started featuring luxury items. Kalf: technical and aesthetic painting style.

Highlighted breadth of Dutch maritime trade through illustration.

Ruych: court painter to elector Palatine in Germany. Father was professor of botany/ anatomy – interest in accuracy/form/beauty of flowers.

NICOLAS POUSSIN, Et in Arcadia Ego, 1637-1638, oil on canvas, 34.25 in x 47.24 in

French Baroque

Patron: N/ASubject:

Landscape (Poussin’s favorite) is setting However, 3 shepherds dominate

foreground, living in the idyllic land of Arcadia (utopia); studying inscription on tomb as statuesque female fig places hand on shoulder of one of the sheps.

She may be spirit of death – painting’s title is memento mori – death exists even in Arcadia.

Key Facts: Poussin draws on rational order/stability of

Raphael’s paintings and on antique statuary Modeling according to draped Roman

female statues, Neptune leaning on trident as posture of one of the shepherd youths.

Compact and balanced grouping of figures, even light, thoughtful/reserved mood comply with Classicism, but also note theatrics of Baroque.

Poussin, Burial of Phocion, 1648, oil on canvasFRENCH BAROQUE

Lorrain, Landscape with Cattle and Peasants, 1629, oil on canvas

Burial of PhocionSUBJECT: from literature of antiquity (Plutarch’s Life of Phocion)

- Athenian general whom his compatriots unjustly put to death for treason

- Eventually state gave him public funeral and memorial on Athenian ground

SCENE: not intended to represent a particular place and time

- Constructed idea of a noble landscape to frame noble scene

- Compare to Carracci’s classical landscapes- Everything in comp. is carefully arranged

o Rational planTrees like curtains reveal land

Lorrain, Landscape with Cattle and Peasants - Lorrain <3 one theme: beauty of the broad sky

suffused with golden light of dawn or sunset- Hazy atmospheres- Reflections off water

SUBJECT: grounded in classical antiquity- Idealized classical world, formalized nature

COMPOSITION: atmospheric perspective - Like Dutch, he studied actual light and the

atmospheric nuances of nature - Placed tiny value gradations in his work, limited

actual range of values of outdoor light and dark Matched mood of nature with those of human subjects

Jacques Callot, Miseries of War

83 mm x 180 mm

Baroque French

Georges de La Tour, 1645-1650. Oil on canvas, 3’6’’ x 4’6’’.

Hyacinth Rigaud, Louis XIV, 1701, oil on canvas

FRENCH BAROQUE

PATRON: Louis XIV – Sun King – Center of the Universe

- Master of political strategy and propaganda - Anchored rule in divine right - His desire for control extended to all realms

of French life - Art organized art and architecture in the

service of the state = foundation of Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1648

o Accelerated establishment of French classical style

SCENE: image of absolute power, monarch in control

- Age 63, looks directly at viewer- Pose = air of haughtiness, hand on hip, robe

over shoulder- Focal point in composition- Looks down on viewer - Shows off legs, was a ballet dancer - Louis XIV was short (5’4”), invented some

fancy red heels for himselfKept a workshop of artists each with a specialization: faces, fur, armor, fabric

Claude Perrault, Louis Le Vau, Charles Le Brun, 1667

Baroque, Paris

Patron: Louis XIVSubject: a museum

Key Facts: It was left incomplete by Pierre Lescot and when Bernini attempted to submit architectural plans he was rejected and left France.

It is a combination of French and Italian architecture.

It has a temple-like pavilion flanked by a giant colonnade.

Charles Le Brun, Palace of Versailles, 1669 Patron: Louis XIV Key Facts: Louis XIV decided to convert a royal hunting lodge at Versailles, into a great palace. He assembled a veritable army of architects decorators, sculptors, painters, and landscape architects under the general management of Charles Le Brun. Planned on a gigantic scale, the project called not only for large palace flanking a vast park but also for the construction of a satellite city to house court and government officials, military and guard detachments, courtiers and servants. Le Brun laid out this town to the east of the palace along three radial avenues that converge on the palace structure. The palace itself, more than a quarter mile long, is perpendicular to the dominant east-west axis that runs through the associated city and park. Every detail of the extremely rich decoration of the palace interior received careful attention. The architects and decorators designed everything from wall paintings to doorknobs in order to reinforce the splendor of Versailles and to exhibit the very finest sense of artisanship.

Constructed under management of Charles Le Brun and Andre Le Notre - Palace and Gardens – Versailles, France – begun 1669

Patron: Louis XIV

Subject: Palace and park with a satellite city whose three radical avenues intersect in the king’s bedroom

Key Facts: Everything from wall paintings to doorknobs

were designed in the palaceo Reinforced the splendor of Versailles

Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors) is most famous room in palace

o Overlooks the parko Hundreds of mirrors, set into the wall

opposite the windows, alleviate the hall’s tunnel-like quality and seem to extend width of hallway

Illusion is element of Baroque interior design

Notre used not only the multiplicity of natural forms but also the terrain’s slightly rolling countour with stunning effectiveness

o Elegant shapes of trimmed shrubs All vistas were composed differently

o Temporal artwork Its aspects change with time of

day, seasons, and position of observer

Inigo Jones, Banqueting House at Whitehall, London, England, 1619-1622

Period and Location

Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Eglise du Dome, Church of the Invalides, Paris, France, 1676-1706

Things to Look for in Baroque Art:

Direct, obvious, and dramatic images Tries to draw the viewer in to participate in the scene, breaks down barriers REALISM - Depictions feel physically and psychologically real. Emotional

intensity Extravagant settings and ornamentation, ostentatious at times Dramatic use of color. Dramatic contrasts between light and dark, light and shadow. (TENEBRISM) Baroque art has continuous overlapping of figures and elements, contrary to

Renaissance art with its clearly defined planes, with each figure placed in isolation from each other.

Common themes: grandiose visions, ecstasies and conversions (transformation), martyrdom and death, intense light, intense psychological moments.

Wren, St. Paul’s Cathedral, 1675-1710, London, England

Patron: Charles IISubject: CathedralKey Facts:

Owes much of its design to Palladio and Borromini

Great Dome similar to that of Saint Peter’s in Rome

Designed by England’s Christopher Wren, a math genius and skilled engineer.

Towers in foreground act as foils for the dome, solved issue of relation between towers and dome similarly to Saint Peter’s.

Wren’s skill brings foreign features of Saint Peter’s and similar porticos to the façade of the Louvre together into unity.