Art History Art Information- Exam 2

Pontomo, Entombment, 1528

• The style of this painting is mannerism. Paintings were moving away from the High Renaissance and naturalism to distortion. The figures are moving away from the ideal body build proportions. The colors are vibrant and brighter, but do not have the same saturation as past paintings, such as those by Jan Van Eyke.

• The body is not accurately represented. The figures are painted as if they are light and float compared to past paintings, making the figures have weight. Space is not clearly defined. One-point linear perspective is not being used because there is nothing in the middle. In the blue robe, there is a representation of Mary. Christ is being carried by two figures. Mary and Christ are not in the middle of the painting and are not the focal point of the painting.

• Usually, there is a use of movement in the eyes or hands to direct you to the focal point, but there isn’t in this painting. There are exaggerated gestures of hands and emotional eyes, but they are not pointing in the direction for the viewer to look. They wanted to create an ambiguous subject for the viewer. They decided not to apply one-point linear perspective and dissort the figures to create an unclear narrative and to create a confusing sense of space.

• There are symbols in paintings to help the viewer identify what they are looking at, but in this painting, there are not. The figures have an exaggerated sense of emotion compared to the High Renaissance, where there is usually no emotion.  They don’t have physical proportions. They are bending in ways they wouldn’t be able to do. They look uncomfortable, and it’s not ideal. The painting’s subject matter plays off the representation of the lamitations, the descent from the cross, and the pieta without the classical ideals. The figures are roles, and the purpose is not identifiable in the painting. Florentine saw this as elagant and stylized with the distorted figures.

Parmigianino, Madonna with the Long Neck, 1535

• The style of this painting is Mannerism. The neck stretching up is elegant. The baby is really big. The image is asymmetrical. The woman is positioned in the center of the image. Her fingers are drawn out, which shows elegance. In her lap is the Christ child. Typically, the Christ child is usually seated upright, looks wise, a little man, and looks at the viewer and makes the sign of the blessing.

• This painting does not showcase that. In this painting, Christ seems to be lounging in Mom’s lap. His body is elongated and larger than normal. Madonna’s lap is angled. She is not seated, but her lap is down. It gives the viewer a tilted perspective so that you can see her child. It also creates a sense of unsteadiness in the figure. He tiny head and long neck are out of proportion compared to the large scale of her hips. Her feet are narrow, which creates the idea that the body is not firmly in its space.

• The column in the background looks unfinished. The top portion of the painting is incomplete. There are lines that suggest there is a running colonnade, but they were never completed. If Madonna stood up, she would be towering over the other woman. The long leg belongs to the woman in the left corner. Croping bodies. A person in the back corner has the suggestion of the wing, which is a reference to the angels.                                                        

• You can see an eye and a nose peeking through, which is cramped into this space. This is what happens when you crop the body. At the bottom, there is a little guy who is out of proportion. He has a scroll, and he represents the Old Testament prophets. The light source is not very clear. The baby doesn't have any hair; he is lighter/brighter compared to everyone else, and the baby looks dead.                                                                             

• The artist has intentionally rendered the child to look dead, which is a curious element. The work of art that is similar to the placement of the baby is Micheangelos’s Pieta. You can tell because of the sash on Madonna. This painting refers to the end, rather than the beginning and the end.

Venice ( Not on list but known it.)

• Venice participated in the High Renaissance but in a different way. It draws influence and inspiration from many different cultures. Venice was one of the major trade hubs. Goods like oil paint, prints, and artists from the north would travel first. It is a major trade route and a connector to the east. It is also a city that doesn’t have a classical past.

• The ancient Romans never built anything in Venice. The reason is that they are near water, so eventually they would build on top of a swamp. Venice develops a style of its own. They pulled inspiration from the north and southeast.

• They desperately want an element of the classical past. They would steal the remains of Roman buildings and bring them back and reassemble them. Venice is a place where we see the development of theatre and opera.

• There is a tradition of artist who are part of the Venetian school that paint stage sets, and then their paintings respond to the idea of creating an erotic stage set. They also celebrate carnival. Venice has a strong tradition of courtesans.

Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1528

• The style of this painting is Mannerism. Courtesans were very popular during this time. There were paintings that spoke to this culture of eroticism, and this painting is an example. 

• It is a painting of a young woman reclining on the bed. She is in the interior of a contemporary fannician palazzo or villa. Tapestries are hanging on the back wall. Elaborate trunks are lying on the back walls. There are two ladies retrieving clothes from those trunks. Tile or inset stone floor. There is a swag that pulls back. This is an element that is increasingly used in the Baroque period. The use of swag or fabric gives visual balance to the painting. It is also a theatrical element. There was also a swag in Madonna and the long neck.

• In the immediate foreground, we have the naked woman. She is lying down on a bed with a white ruffled sheet that covers the mattress. The way that the woman is pulled up. The flowers are detailed on the saturated red cushions. She lounges on a pile of pillows. She is wearing pearls, earrings, a bracelet, and a ring on one of her pinkie fingers. In her hand, she has a little bouquet of flowers. Her hair is loose and falls around her. She also has a little braid. She is looking directly out at the viewer. This is a representation of a contemporary woman. This is not a classical representation of the goddess Venus. Similar to the birth of Venus by Bonachelli, but not representing it.

• She is looking at you, but the way her body is laid out is important. Her body is important. The gesture of placing the hand over the genitals is usually a gesture of modesty. In this painting, it is not a gesture of modesty but a gesture of eroticism. There is nothing subtle about it. The artist (Titian) kind of divides the painting in half. The placement of the line is not accidental. The focal point of the painting is her special area. The commission of this painting could have been by her patron as a celebration of her.

• It is a private painting. The way that it would be displayed is that there would be a curtain rod and a curtain, and you would reveal or conceal the painting. It is a celebration of her sexuality and her beauty. She is a prized object. 

• The painting is painted in oil. As paint came into Italy, it would go to Venice first, so Titian was ahead of artists who were further south. The contour lines are not sharp and crisp. One of the things Titian did as an oil painter was that he could contain the vibrancy of oil paint, but also get the chiaroscuro. Instead of using a varnish, he used 30 to 40 layers of glaze, which stopped those harsh lines. We see chiaroscuro with the shadows, but not to the typical extreme. 

• It uses one-point linear perspective to create depth in the back. There is a balance. The dog in the immediate foreground represents fidelity and loyalty. Visually, the dog also creates balance. 

• Titian is opening up his brushwork, which is very important. Work. He starts leading in a new direction. The usual idea is that you don’t see the brush work, but you don’t see the for Titian.

Bosch, Garden of Eathly Delights,1505 (Doors Closed)

• (Doors Open) This style of painting is Northern High Renaissance. We are leaving Venice and going back North into the Netherlands. Bosch creates a painting smaller in scale so it is portable. It is small enough to have in a private residence or chapel. It was a private commission by the Duke of Nassau.

• At this time, artists are not concerned with the classical idea of the figure or classical proportions. There is a reference to religious figures. This painting is a triptych similar to the Maorone altar piece. The doors close, and we have a representation of Earth. We read the painting from left to right. At the bottom of the left panel, we have Adam and Eve.

• This painting was painted at the same time as Michealangel’s painting of the Sistine Chapel. When the door is closed, you can see the grey tones. The use of limited color reflects the medieval tradition of draping an altar piece in cloth or closing the doors so that on a noble holiday, you open those doors to see a spectacular image that uses brighter colors.

• It references Earth. When the doors are opened, you read the painting from left to right. You read it as one cohesive narrative. In the South, they focus more on the muscular body, while in the North, they don’t. The North focuses on small details and hidden symbolism. On the right of the left panel, we have the Garden of Paradise. In the center, there is a representation of God. He represents God as a slender figure dressed in a red robe, making the sign of blessing. Adam is sitting down, waiting for Eve to be created. Eve is on the side. They almost look like dolls because they are stiff. You can tell that the artist did not dedicate their life to learning about the body. We don’t see them making gestures or covering themselves. There isn’t a gesture of God giving life to Adam.

• The animals at the bottom are hybrid creatures that come out of one’s imagination. One animal is reading a book. The cat and the rat are a well-known symbol because it is a reference to sin. The events are upholding. Bunnies represent multiplying. We see that there is this idea of knowledge of critters and creatures of different lands. At the top of the panel, you see mountains, flowers, plants, architecture, and birds soaring. There is a large fountain because Bosch was fascinated with fountains. There are elements of violence because a bear is tearing up another animal. Bosch has most likely never seen an elephant or a giraffe in real life, so the reason for him being able to paint them was that he most likely saw them in an illustration.

• The beginning of the Garden of Earthly Delights is the left panel, and the middle/ center panel we see deboturary. Man is giving in to sin, greed, lust. Instead of seeing two figures, you see hundreds populating the garden. The landscape has imaginary, organic, and man-made structures. There is a fountain in the center. There is a pool that is big pool filled with figures that are mostly female. All around them are men and goats parading around them like in a ritual ceremony. There are orchids in the distance with ripe fruit. 

• In the immediate foreground, figures are plucking different kinds of fruits. The fruits are in different scales, and there is no proportion. Fruit in all its forms is a symbol of sexuality, lust, and sin. The figures are coupled up regardless of gender. The owl is looking out at the audience. An owl traditionally was a symbol of folly (foolishness).  There are multiple global animals. 

• The right/final panel shows what happens when we give in to our vices. It shows the downfall of men. The image is apocalyptic (the complete destruction of the world).  Fire is being lit in society. Bosch's work would become an inspiration for the surrealist artist. Figures are coming out of the cracked egg or torso.  Instruments that were used for the Garden of Earthly Delights are now being used for torture. The music notes on the behind of one of the people are real, and it is referred to as the butt song. There is a demon beating a man in the drum. There is a keatle that is a vessel that is referenced as the Virgin Mary.

• It has been questioned if this is an altar piece. Did Bosch make this painting to question faith?

Durer, Adam and Eve, 1504

• The style of this print is Northern High Renaissance. Dürer is a painter who is often associated with printmaking. Prints were some of his most successful works. This painting was in Spain. He was fascinated with what was going on in Southern Europe. Instead of relying on prints, he traveled to Italy.

• He had an uncle who worked with engraving and a family member who was a publisher, so he understood how it worked. He created prints on broadsheets, which are just one sheet of paper. 

• His art had text. The text would describe the subject matter of the broadsheet. The languages he would use would be Latin and German. He is making his art accessible to a larger audience. 

• Adam and Eve are placed in a generic landscape. Dense Black forest/woods. He studied classical sculptures. He is more concerned with representing the figures more naturally. The figures are in contrapposto(naturalistic pose in art where a figure stands with most of its weight on one leg). The hand goes out into the serpent instead of covering the body. The serpent is a reference to sin. They are surrounded by recongsable animals.

• The sign has Durer's name, which is his way of signing the piece. The parrot to the side is considered exotic. The cat is often associated with the humors/ 4 humors of the body. The belief that if you are not well off of your humors are out of balance. If you are an angry human being, then you have too much yellow bile in your system, which is represented as the cat. Excessive blood is associated with the rabbit. If you are depressed, you might suffer from melancholia. That means you have too much black bile in your system, which is represented as the elk. If you are too tired, you have much flem, which is represented as the oc.

• This is a folk tradition in Northern Europe. It is combined with biblical study. The skull is always a reference to death.

Holbein, The Ambassadors,1533

• The style of this painting is Northern High Renaissance. He was a German-born artist. He was brought to England by Henry the 8th. Henry the 8th realized that England was behind stylistically because there was a different style in Italy, and they were still working in a medieval style. The paintings would have that same stiff, flat quality to them. Henry wanted to bring up the game of art so which is why he brought Holbein to England. Holbein was fired because of the painting he made of Anne of Cleves. The portrait Holbein painted did not look like Anne of Cleves to Henry 8th, so he married and divorced her because she did not like her portrait.

• His task was to be a court painter. This is a life-sized double portrait of the French ambassadors. He is working with oil paints. The ambassadors are dressed in the style of the time period. The painting was made to commemorate their visit/made to be a gift.

• The objects included are a symbol that gives us insight into those individuals. The floor has inlaid marble work. The floor is what the West minister had. Creating a very specific context with the ambassadors. Being on the marble, it shows that they are on English soil. You can see every stitch, and it is all polished and smooth. 

• The fur is an indicator of wealth, power, and authority. There is a woven rug, and it is Middle Eastern. Rugs like that were highly prized objects, and they were typically hung on the wall, tables, and kept places warm. The rug, being Middle Eastern, represents trade and colonization. The globe is used to calculate stars. Devices that helped them with travel. 29 is on the sheath (cover for a blade). One of the ambassadors was 29 years old at the time. Their age and where they are from are woven into the painting.

• The book that is slightly closed has legible words. There is a music book. There is a lute, which is a gesture/symbol of love. The details are so fine that it invites you to look closer. One of the strings on the lute is broken, and it is in teh immediate foreground. There is a suggestion of Harmy, but there is a discord. The arts and sciences are separated in the painting. 

• The skull is skewed. When looking at the skull from a different angle, it looks like a skull while the rest of teh painting looks skewed. Anamorphosis is the distortion of an element. Everything appears to be in harmony, but in reality, something seems to be off. The skull is also in the foreground.

• Henry the 8th, during 1533, was married to Catherine of Aragon but was having an affair with Anne Boleyn. He was trying to divorce her and marry Anne Boleyn, but the Catholic church didn’t want to grant the divorce. Henry teh 8th then left the Catholic church to create teh English church. At the top left corner is a figure that represents the crucifixion. A reference to Catholic followers. Balance appreciation for Arts and Science. 

Southern Vs. Northern Baroque

It was Southern Vs. Northern Baroque art. Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Council of Trent (1545-1560). Nudity/Mythology/ Orthodoxy. During this time, they were making changes to respond to the reformation. In the meeting, they were discussing reforming art with nudity and mythology.

The solution was censorship, especially for art commissioned for chapels. They didn’t want any classical mythology. Remembering orthodox catholic and christian subjects.

When God is represented, he is not represented in human form but is represented as light. 

St. Peters

St. Peter is believed to be buried directly under the dome. Necropolis is a large designed cemetery. The red wall is believed to hold the remains of St.Peter.

There was a black market where relics would be sold off to notable individuals and would be collected and shown in churches. The pilgrimage route is teh earliest known thing of tourism. 

Bernini, Baldacchino, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Italy, 1624

• The style of this artwork is Southern Baroque.

• A Baldacchino/ Baldican is a sight that is referred to as sacred or important. It is the size of a 10-story building. It is made out of bronze. So much bronze was used to the point where they had to strip bronze from older buildings, which they melted down and cast. The desire to inspire people and direct people back to the church.

• How to make it come to life, be theatrical, and exciting. They are trying to create a theater. Baroque art is dynamic. Reimagining those simple classical design elements. Giving it energy or movement so they twisted it. Solomonic or Sugar-Barley Column. Based on the columns associated with King Salum’s temple. 

• They twist and cast on bines that ride and grow on the columns. There are cherifs on the columns. They are cast on the edge. It is supposed to be a tiny detail that brings you into the experience. Baroque art wants you to be drawn in and engage with the art. As you are walking up to it is supposed to be engaging. 

• On each medallion, there are faces of Pope Abrun the 8th. He is the patron. He wants to make sure that his legacy is associated with the works of art. There are bees everywhere, which was Pope Aburns’ Symbol. There is are winged angle. Controposto pose/ relaxed and poze. A foot strides forward. The fabric pushes back as if there is wind.

• The angels have some action with a sense that they are moving forward. The angles are going to spread Christianity, which is why they are in the corner. 

Bernini,David,1623

• The style of this sculpture is Southern Baroque. This sculpture is carved out of marble. It was commissioned by a cardinal in Rome. This David is not represented as a defender in Florence. He is a defender of heresy (a belief that goes against an established set of views). He is a defender of the Catholic church.

• There is a dramatic facial expression and movement that represent Baroque art. As he is twisting, it creates this diagonal line. Bernini represents David as energized, and his body is twisted like the columns in the Baldacchino. Common elements is baroque art are diagonals, spirals/twists, horizontal, or vertical.

• In Baroque art and in this piece, there is dramatic lighting, which is a characteristic. The type of light that this is called is chiaroscuro.  The lighting changes when we get to the Baroque period. The use of light to create a strong dynamic, which is kind of like a spotlight.

• You see the response to the Council of Trent because David is covered up and not nude. He has been swagged. Something that is different from past Davids is that Bernini's David is in the action. He selected David in the middle, which represents the heretic and twisting. 

• The sculpture is life-sized. It was meant to be seen at eye level. Goliath would be behind the viewer ad bringing you into the moment of the action.

• Heretic- A subject of art that depicts individuals’ beliefs outside orthodoxy. You have to create a wide, heavy base. Its body armor is stabilizing the piece, and it is off-center. Bernini studied his own expressions in the mirror. Trying to create that theater and drama.

Bernini, St. Teresa of Avila in Ecstasy, Santa
Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy 1645

• The style of this sculpture is Southern Baroque. He designed the entire chapel to create an experience for the viewer.

• St.Teresa was a 16th-century nun. When her biography was published, she talked about her direct experience with God. Through deep prayer, you will be able to reconnect with God. It was adapted by Bernin to capture her moment of that experience. The Coranaro Chapel was located in Rome. 

• On the back walls, he uses multi-color marble. He used marble with a lot of patterns. There are two engaged columns. The pediment is not a basic triangle, but it gives it momentum and breaks it so it swoops forward to come to a point. The center portion is not flat but curves forward. Above there is a painted arch above the chapel. There is the dove of the holy spirit. 

• It has been painted to create the illusion of 3 three-dimensional form. When you look up at the ceiling, it creates teh illusion that the arch is opening up. Uses built-up plaster to create a relief. The leg was created to spill out of the space. Bernini wanted to make it look like the arch is opening up above you. Not contained in the space. The forms and the figures are escaping the canvas and teh wall. Trying to engage you to break teh boundary between you and the art. If you turn to your side and look up.

• The marble continues, but he has carved balcony boxes out of black stone to make it look like fabric. He has carved it and opened it up to suggest a room. He also carved a velvet cushion. Carved sculptures of members of the Carvaboli family. None of them is static. He has carved them as if they were engaged in an activity. The shadows fall with a room opening up. The carving is flat. The box is creating movement as if they are talking to each other 

• On the other side, there is another balcony box with 4 figures. They are all members of the Carvanora family. He carved it as if one of the people’s arms was pushing on the pillow.

• The centerpiece of St. Teresa and the angel is a singular block of white marble. The two figures are carved as if they are on a large marble cloud. The sculpture is stabilized because it is anchored to the back. He wants it to look as if they are floating with light. He wants it to look like it is rising upwards. His facial expression is dramatic. The idea that a nun was in deep meditation, that an angel would come, draws an arrow, and the nun feels ecstasy of heat throughout her body.

• It is very sexual or erotic because of the feeling of good. The clothing/ fabric she is wearing is carved deeply, and it creates a wonderful play of light.

• God is represented as light. God is no longer represented as a man but as a mysterious light source, which is shown as the gold hanging down. They were using natural light and not electrical light, but today they do. The sculpture was never meant to be lit all the time. He wanted to create a theater moment for whoever was walking in at the time. As you sit there with a candle, the sculpture would start to illuminate.

• As the sun is moving up, it strikes the window and starts illuminating the sculpture. As the sun begins to move, it goes back to darkness. On the outside of the building, Bernini built a window that you can only see from the outside of the church. There is a mirror, and it becomes concentrated and reflects light down on the sculpture. As you are kneeling, you become a part of the audience. 

Borromini, San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (San Carlo), Rome,
Italy 1665

• The style of this building is Southern Baroque. Borromini was a rival of Bernini, which increased competition. San Carlo is a tall vertical/ parish church. This is more of a neighborhood chapel. The church is part of the city block. It was built into existing stone architecture. 

• Facade- Front of the building/ Face of it

• There are botanical flat walls. The facade is very sculptural. The columns rise to the second level, and there is a sense of grid or order. It feels very Renaissance, but he tweaked it to give it a moment of energy. He breaks up that regular order. It curves. There is pushing and pulling. On the second level, he reimagines a triangular pediment. He takes the balistrad and breaks it to give it a point. He creates an open form with two figures underneath.

• Elliptical-The shape is an ellipse. 

• The ellipse is a new shape for the Baroque period. It is seen in New St.Peters. Eliptical flow. Ellipse in the architecture. Eliptical plan church. The angels have rendered as if they are holding it up. It tilts downward because teh idea is that the angels are struggling to hold it up. It’s tilted when looking at it as an udicnae, so that teh ellipse doesn’t fall on you, so you go into the church.

• There aren’t any flat surfaces, but they are all curved, which has columns advancing and ridges receding. It isn’t a round or a tall dome. The dome is very low to create teh illusion of height. So that ot is wide at the base and deep, but they become smaller as you reach the center of the dome. The light is coming from hidden windows. Gailieo Eliptical Orbit. We revolve around teh light, it doesn’t revolve around us (humans).

Caravaggio, Calling of St. Matthew, 1600

• The style of this painting is Southern Baroque. The window is not the light source, but it creates that mysterious light of God. There is a halo on Christ and St.Peter, and they are gesturing forward. He is gesturing to the Scene of Adam and the Cysteine Chapel. The men at the table are greedy tax collectors. 

• They don’t know who St.Matthew is. Two figures are believed to be St.Matthew. The figure is not looking up because he is more interested in counting money and the man in the beard next to him.

• Caravaggio’s paintings were very realistic, which made things more relatable.

• Characteristics

• Formal elements

• Tenibrisim light- Dramatic lighting to create drama

• God is represented as light

• There might be more dramatic expressions

• Everything is breaking that frontal plane and making the viewer feel included, breaking the space.

Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1620

• The style of this painting is Southern Baroque. Womans names were forgotten. Women aren’t cared for as much as men. Gentileschi's father was an artist. That is very common for a womans family member to teach them art. The style of this painting is Southern Baroque. Women's names were forgotten. Women aren’t cared for as much as men.

• Gentileschi's father was an artist, which was common for a woman’s family to teach them art. Gentileschi began taking lessons from Tassi. She accused Tassi of rape, but he claimed he did not do it. He was then put on trial and found guilty, but not much was done.

• Beheading was popular during this time. Gentileschi paints a strong woman from the Bible, and there is a lot of violence. This painting depicts the biblical scene of a heroic Jewish widow beheading the Assyrian general to save her city.

• The use of the red swag is important because it adds drama and theater.

Velasquez, Water Carrier of Seville, 1619

• The style of this painting is Southern Baroque. Velasquez would become the court artist of Spain. The water painting of Salvia. 

• Water was sold to customers and clients in a caritarta (or terracota, couldn’t hear what she said) jug. Sometimes, fruit would be in there to kill the bacteria in the water. He is in the process of handing him a crystalized goblet.

• The shorter man is in velvet and has a satin collar. Behind him is a man taking a sip of water. 

• You have to have money to buy a painting. 

• The vase is terracotta matte. A marketing technique for his emphasis on textures. Similar to Van Ike showcasing his talent and ability.

•  It was never meant to be sold to a wealthy client. It was a demo piece.

• During this time period, art is supposed to be uplifting.

Velasquez,Maids of Honor, 1656

• The style of this painting is Southern Baroque. The king and queen are on both sides of this painting when seen in a museum. Like usual, a Baroque portrait is going to have movement to it. Velasquez uses tenibristic light (a technique that uses extreme contrast between light and dark to create a dramatic theatrical effect). There is light in teh back and a person on the stairs who is looking back at us, the viewer.

• Margarita is the princess, and she is placed in the middle. There are people attentive to the young princesses’ needs. To the right, there are members of the court.  Little people were common. You only see half of one of the little people’s faces because you might mistake him for a child. 

• The dog positioned in the immediate foreground represents loyalty. In the far side of the image, we see a canvas and an artist, Davis Valasquez. He had a good relationship. A mall stick is something you rest your hand on while doing like work. Valasquez is looking out to the viewer.

• The princess, the little woman, and the gentleman at the door are looking out at you. There is a mirror that reflects the light in the room. In the mirror, the king and queen are there, and they are standing where you (the viewer) are. He gets this idea from John Van Ike. He is creating a new interpretation of the mirror in teh back wall.

• Valasquez is known for putting down paint that is looser and more gestural. He allows the loose brush work to exist. It adds the motion of the painting. There is a lot of use of red. They are not looking in the same direction. 

Northern Baroque- Flanders Vs. Dutch Provinces

• Flanders and the Dutch provinces practice two different religions.

• Flanders deals with portraiture, still life, and their religion is Catholic, and they are still employed by the King’s era. 

• The Dutch Provinces deal with landscapes, portraiture, genre, and still life, and their religion is Protestant. The art is more for the middle class. Paintings were biblical or classical. We see very little of that when we move towards the North.

Marie De Medici

• Marie de Medici married King Henry. She was brought in to unite two political powers. There are many theories on how King Henry died.

• She couldn’t be queen, but she could rule until her son came of age. She commissioned paintings by Rubens to glorify her birth to death. 21 paintings were 20 feet in scale. They celebrate her birth, education, the meeting between Henry the 4th marriage, and her reincarnation of death. 

Rubens, Henry IV (4) Receiving the Portrait of Marie De
Medici, 1625

• The style of this painting is Northern Baroque. He was a Flander/Flemish. Rubens was a successful court painter during this time. His main patron was the aristocracy. Flanders was still under Catholic control. He painted a series of paintings of the Honored Marie de Medici. 

• Ruben had skilled assistants who knew how to create certain textures and carry out his vision, so we don’t know how much of his paintings he actually painted. That would cause the value of the paintings to drop.

• Henry the Fourth is dressed in full armor. He has stepped off the battlefield because Cupid has brought him the portrait of Marie de Medici. He is love-struck upon seeing her.

• Marie de Medici’s eyes are not looking at Henry, but looking out to the viewer. Henry is disarmed by love. He has dropped his armor and weapons because he was fond of her. The woman in blue in the right corner is a representation of France because of the Fédérale, and she is whispering in his ear, encouraging him. 

• Dramatic clouds are hovering about, and two figures are sitting on top of them. There is a man dressed in a red cloak who is Zeus, and a woman who is Hera. Each figure has an animal that represents each figure. Leaving Flanders to go to the Dutch Provinces. 

• You do not have the catholic church as a main patron of the arts. Landscape paintings did not exist until the 1700s in the Dutch provinces. 

Hals, Malle Babbe, 1633

• The style of this painting is Northern Baroque. Dutch Provicence. The hair is tousled, which gives it that sense of lightness. There is dramatic light, expressions on her face, and a turned/ twisted pose. She is in the act of doing something. They are pushing the subject matter into the immediate foreground because they want the pitcher to interact with the viewer.

• Malle Babbe means crazy Babbe. It refers to a specific woman, Barbra Claes, who was most likely suffering from a mental illness or psychological disorder. Malle is the Dutch word for mad or crazy. 

• Ruban doesn’t follow the rule of moving something into the foreground. There are brush strokes that exist without being allowed to be rendered in. She has an owl on her shoulder and looks like she is having a really good time. People with big grins were perceived as idiots or fools. An owl represents folly (foolishness/ lack of sense).

• He captures her sense of an unusual persona.

Rembrandt, Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, 1632

• The style of this painting is Northern Baroque. Dutch Provinence.

• One of Rembrandt's favorite things to do was to make self-portraits. In his earlier work, he played around with costumes and expression. He studied himself as he ages and plays around with his expression. He works with a brush, but also works with a palette knife.

• This painting is a group portrait that represents individual citizens in their association with a club or an organization. The group portrait is more dynamic. They are not stiffly posed, and they are doing something.

• He is showing a lesson on dissection and anatomy. The painting showcases science. It starts to overlap with the age of enlightenment. It is no longer paintings about biblical subject matter, but knowledge that is being obtained. 

• During this time science or any other knowledge was frowned upon. It breaks the rule of art that it was supposed to be ideal. The figures are stacked upwards. Their necks are in different directions to give teh sense of diagonal movement. The eyes are looking at you, the viewer, to engage in the anatomy lesson.

• As Dr. Tulp is performing this anatomy lesson, he is using triceps and pulling up on the tendace is pulling on the fingers. The dead man does not look like he is fully lying down. The body is more diagonal. We have a slight view down to him. Whatever is in teh foreground space, the viewer is brought in. 

• Due to the strange angles, his torso is very deep. The head was positioned upwards so that you can see his face, but because of that, everything feels out of proportion. 

Ruisdael, View of Haarlem, 1670

• The style of this painting is Northern Baroque. Landscape paintings must be the focal point of the main painting and not the background. Where land is the primary subject and not the background. The idea of landscape merges from the Dutch idea to showcase the land or make a map. It emerges from teh idea of map-making. 

• Landscape paintings, as they developed in the 17th century, focused on creating a painting of a space that is inhabited and focused on the activities that are going on in that area. They are documenting what you do and what you own with the connection to the land. It characterizes the connection of that community. 

• We are looking at it from a distance, and we are on the outskirts, maybe standing on a rock. There isn’t tenavisitc light, and this is when we see baroque start to fall apart since we are outside.

• The paintings are vertical, opposed to horizontal. Low horizon line . The horizon line is not in the middle, but drops to the bottom third of the painting, making sure you mostly see the sky.

• We have this balance of natural terrain. We see open fields. You get a sense of activites while you see little figures doing their chores. There is a sense of energy because of teh different clouds. The sky is never a perfect blue or lighting or tornadoes coming in.

• Atmospheric perspective- In the distance, things are blurry but have a blue haze. 

• Maddonna on the Rocks. We do not have that in this painting because there is clarity. They were using a telescope, so that’s why it is clear. 

Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance, 1664

• The style of this painting is Northern Baroque. Dutch Baroque art. Vermeer is a bit of a mystery. We don’t know what he looks like. Veneer painted all his paintings himself and made only about 30 small paintings, compared to Rubens. The Dutch introduced the gallery market. Before that, patrons had to go to the artist's studio.

• Vermeer's primary occupation wasn’t painting, but he was an innkeeper. His works are mostly interiors. Vermeer’s painting is controlled, quiet, and light. The light in these paintings does not represent God. As you move north, the work is blue tone and is softer. Vermeer's brushwork is very tight. The composition is very carefully controlled.

• There is a blue fabric in teh immediate foreground. Geometrical composition. You won’t be seeing curves, swill, and diagonals. The woman is pregnant, and in past paintings, usually fabric was scrunched up to show a womans purpose, which was being pregnant.

• One of the things in Dutch art is that there is a love of putting paintings within paintings. Paintings within paintings always carry an additional meaning. The last judgement. Being judged for your sins. You either go up or go down. Balancing scale.

• The woman is wearing blue, which represents Mary. Her head is covered. She is covered with what appears to be a veil, which is associated with the Virgin Mary. Weighing out and contemplating her wealth.

• A genre scene is just a painting of everyday life.

• There is a mirror that represents the contemplation of reflection. It is a catholic representation. We are in a time where things are protestant. Vermeer's wife was Catholic. Catholic practice was something done in private. 

• When Henry the 9th was king, Catholicism was outlawed in the 19th century. He is using one-point linear perspective. Vermeer never left any sketches or drawings, or unfinished works.

• Camera Obscura- Lenses and Light to use as a tool to craft a composition. You might be using candlelight or natural sunlight. Reflected off the mirror. 

• The light and shadows would be reflected onto a canvas that the artist can reposition, and the artist can trace teh line of the shadows. Vemeer also signed his paintings.

Ruysch, Flower Still Life, 1700

• The style of this painting is Northern Baroque. Still lifes become popular. There is tenivrisitc light. Bold, dramatic colors. She uses insects and fruit. She signs her work. This is when artwork was being sold at the art market.

• Some of the leaves are showing brown spots. We’re looking at flowers that are not all Dutch flowers. Tulips are Dutch, but peonies are not. Collecting Specimens like plants from around the world.

• The Dutch had a big thing with tulips that which is referred to as Tulip Mania. The Dutch became obsessed with Tulip bulbs, collecting them and hyphenating them. The fancier and rarer the the more expensive tulip bulb would be. Tulip bulbs were starting to be worth more than gold. 

• In this painting, some flowers grow at different times of the year. Maria Merian, Dutch Botanicals. They would use botanical sketches/ illustrations for paintings. The plant is part of a larger ecosystem.

• Paintings would not be owned by Kings and Queens but by wealthy people for their homes.

Rococo

• Rococo is French and German, and the end of the Baroque era.

• Louis the 14th would establish Versailles, France. It started as a modest hinting lodge. Then it expanded as part of the castle. The Rococo style happened because Louis the 14th died. We got Rococo from Louis the 15th.

• The court moves back to Paris. What they brought back with them was this floral art from teh country. The mirrors reflect that sunlight. It inspired the painters to incorporate the furniture into their paintings. 

Watteau, The Signboard of Gersaint, 1721

• The style of this painting is Rococo and the Enlightenment. Watteau is a celebrated French painter. It was painted to be for a signboard to advertise what the shop was selling. It was originally arched. It was a gallery. It is the airastrocarty in France.

• It would eventually lead to the French Revolution. In the immediate foreground, we see the cobblestones of the street and a sidewalk. He creates separation between teh common streets of Paris and the shop.

• Pink was a signature color during this time, and it was Louis the 15th's favorite color. During this time, pink was associated with masculinity and power. The woman in teh pink dress in the corner is young, fashionable, and represents the new. She turns and looks to the left. A man in shabby clothes is stepping outside the gallery while two men are doing something.

• There is a movement of objects going in and going out. Louis the 14th is being put away, and a mirror is being put up. A mirror could be an element of reflection, but it is also a symbol of vanity and narcissism. 

• The Rococo was all about you. The clocks are always a symbol of changing time. Salan style floor to ceiling. Packing paintings from bottom to the top, no space of the wall is being seen.  

• A favorite subject of Rococo is flesh, nudity, and sexuality. They would have no moral message. The woman in black is more aged and wearing black, representing the past, compared to the woman in pink, who is new and represents the present. Next to the woman in black, there is a man on the gou.rnd looking closer at the womans chest. There is a difference in taste that is notable. There is a dog in the immediate foreground.

• There is a woman behind the counter wearing a smock over her clothes, so that you know she works there and is not shopping. There is a vanity set on the counter. The woman who works there shows them a mirror. There is a mirror that the men are looking at, which shows them.

• Rococo shows peasants frolicking and lounging with romantic Venus and Cupid everywhere. There isn’t a moral message. Paintings of behides are quite popular during this time. 

Fragonard, The Swing, 1767

• The style of this painting is Rococo and the Enlighnemtent. We have the rperesentation of a garden scene. The trees are like a dream. There is a representation of a young girl in pink. Swings were a childs toy.

• The womans lover is crouched down in the brushes but the man pushing who is her husband has no idea. As the woman swings toward her lover he is able to see her privates because during this time they were not wearing under garments. 

• Above he lover is cupid making a shh sign showing that he is keeping the secret. There is dog that reprresents loyalty and fidelity. 

• (She did not say this) This was a private commison but gentlman of the court. Baron Louis-Guillaume Baillet de Saint-Julien wanted a portait of his mistress specifically showing himself secretly admiring her as she swung. The first painter he asked refused his request. Frafonard tool this commuson and depicted the scene with playful, erotic understoons.