Baroque Art

TIME PERIOD: 1690-1700
  • DEPARTED FROM THE RENAISSANCE
  • ITALY USED TO BE THE ARTISTIC CENTER OF EUROPE: NOW IT WAS FRANCE; MODERN ART AND INNOVATION, POSITION KEPT UNCHALLENGED
  • THIRTY YEAR WAR (CAUSED BY PROTESTANT REFORMATION, DEVASTATED CENTRAL EUROPE) 
  • ECONOMIC AND ARTISTIC PRODUCTION FOUND AT A HALT; ICONOCLASTS 
  • CATHOLIC CHURCH REMAINED THE GREATEST SOURCE OF ARTISTIC COMMISSIONS IN THE 17TH CENTURY, FOLLOWED BY ROYALTY 
  • HUGE CHURCHES, MASSIVE PALACES; ARTISTS WERE INTENSELY RELIGIOUS 
  • POPES SPONSORED WORKS 
ARCHITECTURE
  • GARDENS ENHANCED LANDSCAPE BUILDINGS; SUGGEST MAN'S CONTROL OVER HIS ENVIRONMENT; PURPOSE TO IMPRESS VIEWER WITH A SENSE OF LIMITLESSNESS
  • BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE RELIES ON MOVEMENT; UNDULATING FACADES; WAVELIKE FORMS; INTERIORS RICHLY DESIGNED TO COMBINE THE ARTS; PAINTING AND SCULPTURE INSIDE; DRAMATICALLY UNIFIED EFFECT 
  • SEEKS TO IMPRESS W/ SIZE AND ORNAMENTATION; PROCLAIM POWER AND WEALTH
PAINTING/SCULPTURE
  • STILL LIFE/GENRE/LANDSCAPE FLOURISHED 
  • RELIGIOUS AND HISTORICAL PAINTINGS HIGHEST FORM OF EXPRESSION 
  • THESE PAINTINGS EXPRESS HIGHER MEANING: STRESSES BREVITY OF LIFE; HUMAN VANITY; ALLEGORICAL COMMENTARIES; CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL ISSUES 
  • LANDSCAPE PAINTERS TOOK MANY ELEMENTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS 
  • HANDLING OF LIGHT AND SHADOW; VIBRANT USE OF VISIBLE BRUSHWORK; SPONTANEITY 
  • PAINTINGS W/ EXPRESSIVE SENSE OF MOVEMENT; SCULPTORS ANIMATED THE TEXTURE OF SURFACES; COLORS DESCRIPTIVE AND EVOCATIVE; REJECT THE ARTIFICIALITY OF MANNERISM 
  • SCULPTURE STRESSED MOVEMENT; EMPLOY NEGATIVE SPACE; MULTIPLICITY OF ANGLES; HUMAN SKIN GIVEN POLISH; DRAW INSP. FROM THE GREEK HELLENISTIC PERIOD. 
SPANISH, FLEMISH, DUTCH, ITALIAN BAROQUE ART. 

DUTCH BAROQUE ART: 
  • BAROQUE FLOURISHED IN MERCANTILE HOLLAND 
  • LANDSCAPES, PORTRAITS, GENRE PAINTINGS 
  • MODERN THINKING: RELIGION, MYTH, HISTORY SUBJECTS AVOIDED
  • INTIMATE SETTINGS; PAINTINGS MEANT FOR THE HOME
  • COMMERCE AND TRADE BOOMED; DID NOT WANT INDUSTRY PORTRAYED IN THEIR WORKS
  • TRADE SHIPS SAILBOATS; SHEEP GRAZING, RATHER THAN USED FOR WOOL
  • POWERFUL AND EVOCATIVE SKIES IN LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS 
  • MANY LAYERS OF SYMBOLISM; INTELLECTUAL; STILL LIFES ARE NOT A MERE ARRANGEMENT OF INANIMATE OBJECTS CAUSE TO PONDER THE PASSING AND FLEETNESS OF LIFE
  • SYMBOLIZED TRIUMPH OF PROTESTANTISM AGAINST CHRISTIANITY 
VOCABULARY: 
  • IMPASTO: THICK AND VERY VISIBLE APPLICATION OF PAINT 
  • TENEBROSO: DRAMATIC DARK/LIGHT CONTRAST IN PAINTING 
  • VANITAS: THEME IN STILL LIFE PAINTING; BREVITY OF LIFE/FOLLY OF VANITY; INTRIGUING AND SYMBOLIC (EX. LAS MENINAS) 
 SUMMARY
  • SYMBOLISED THE GRAND, THE MAJESTIC, THE COLOURFUL
  • SMALL DUTCH PAINTINGS FOCUSED ON PSYCHOLOGICAL INTENSITY; PLAYS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW
  • ILLUSION KEY ELEMENT OF BAROQUE ART; TEASES OUR IMAGINATION
  • CHARACTERISED BY SENSE OF CEASELESS MOVEMENT; BUILDINGS AND FACADES UNDULATE; PORTRAITS SHOW SPEAKERS READY TO SPEAK/INTERACT WITH SURROUNDINGS
  • NATURALIST PAINTERS USE DRAMATIC CONTRASTS OF LIGHT/DARK TO HIGHLIGHT MOVEMENT 
  • REMINISCENT OF HELLENISTIC GREEK ART
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