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Introduction to Studying the Slides

  • Visual monument questions on exams are multiple choice questions.

  • Understand the style/period for every monument.

  • Anything in bold is essential for the exam.

  • Reflect on the significance of each monument.

Northern Renaissance

Overview

  • Encompasses pre-Reformation German art and Tudor England art.

Matthias Grünewald

  • Isenheim Altarpiece:

    • Represents pre-Reformation German religious art.

    • Notable for detailed, un-idealized figures.

    • Features a focus on death and vibrant colors, possibly indicating placement in liturgical context.

    • Church symbolizes Mary; foreshadows the purpose of baby Jesus.

Pieter Bruegel

  • Hunters in the Snow:

    • An example of genre painting, depicting rural life and activities.

  • The Triumph of Death:

    • Manifestation of Northern Renaissance characteristics:

    • Fascination with death, crowded compositions, detailed settings, vibrant coloring.

    • Includes civic pride but takes an apocalyptic view.

Albrecht Dürer

  • Self-Portrait (1500):

    • Embodies Humanism representing the artist as a creator.

    • Integrates the Latin caption "Albertus Durers Nonens…" indicating pride in his identity and profession.

  • Adam and Eve:

    • Melding of idealized Greco-Roman figures with Northern Renaissance references.

    • Caption includes “ALBERT DVRER TORICVS FACIEBAT,” highlighting the artist's authorship.

Caterina van Hemessen

  • Self Portrait:

    • Possibly the first known self-portrait of a female artist, symbolizing the emergence of female artist identity.

    • Contains subtle references to her artistic creativity—depicted through the included cross.

  • Portrait of a Lady:

    • Marked as one of the first signed paintings by a female artist.

Rogier van der Weyden

  • The Seven Sacraments:

    • Essential to identify the seven Catholic sacraments, critical for understanding Catholic doctrine.

Catholic Sacraments

  • Key sacraments include:

    • Confession

    • Confirmation

    • Infant Baptism

    • Eucharist

    • Marriage

    • Extreme Unction (Last Rites)

    • Ordination

Northern Renaissance - Tudor England

Hans Holbein

  • Henry VIII in Wedding Dress:

    • Illustrates un-idealized realism, portraying subjects authentically with a touch of flattery.

    • Encapsulates features of Northern Renaissance art.

  • Anne of Cleves:

    • A manifestation of modesty; subjects are painted realistically.

    • Retains characteristics of Northern Renaissance artists.

  • The Ambassadors:

    • Reflects Henry VIII's Humanist court.

    • Includes a memento mori with an anamorphic skull emphasizing mortality and realism.

Northern Renaissance - Elizabethan England

Nicholas Hilliard

  • Ermine Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I:

    • Demonstrates the cult of personality, contrasting with Holbein's realism.

  • Elizabeth I:

    • Emphasizes Elizabeth as a secular virgin goddess, intimate and detailed miniature art style.

Baroque

Overview

  • Encompasses Catholic, Spanish/Aristocratic, Northern, and American expressions.

Council of Trent Emphasis

  • Key elements emphasized:

    • Eucharist

    • Confession

    • Ordination

    • Purgatory & Letters of Indulgence

    • Transubstantiation

    • Veneration of saints, relics & the Virgin Mary

    • Clerical celibacy & residency

    • Prohibition of Simony

Francisco de Zurbarán

  • Agnus Dei:

    • Associated with the simplification of art as advocated by the Council of Trent.

Caravaggio

  • Supper at Emmaus:

    • Represents how Catholic themes were depicted; shocking due to its radical realism and invite to inclusivity within Catholicism.

Artemisia Gentileschi

  • Susanna and the Elders:

    • Challenges traditional representations of this apocryphal Old Testament narrative, asserting new perspectives.

  • Judith Beheading Holofernes:

    • A critical depiction redefining femininity and exploring female solidarity.

    • Dramatic portrayal highlights Catholic dominance over Protestant narratives.

Elisabetta Sirani

  • Timoclea Kills the Captain of Alexander the Great:

    • Reinforces women's presence in historical painting genres.

    • Reflects on female agency in art within a supportive educational context.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

  • The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa:

    • Creates a multi-media sensory experience, focusing on saintly themes and baroque exuberance.

  • David:

    • Captured in motion, instilling action and emotion in artwork while adhering to Council of Trent's censorship requirements.

Rembrandt van Rijn

  • Anatomy Lecture of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp:

    • Merging religious narratives with developments from the Scientific Revolution, creating a dramatic visual impact.

Diego Velázquez

  • Las Meninas:

    • An exploration of royal power and the expectations of art production, merging artist and subject identities.

Clara Peeters

  • Still Life with a Vase of Flowers, Goblets and Shells:

    • A representation of female excellence within traditionally accepted painting genres.

    • Clever self-portraits within still lives, reflecting identity subtly.

Judith Leyster

  • Self Portrait:

    • A statement of her success and recognition in the artistic community.

  • The Merry Drinker:

    • Despite the signature, many works attributed to her were misassigned to male artists.

Rachel Ruysch

  • Still Life with Flowers on a Marble Tabletop:

    • Reflects her father’s anatomical and botanical expertise, merging art with scientific exploration.

    • Noted for her success despite societal challenges of maintaining a family (10 children).

Maria Sibylla Merian

  • Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium:

    • Lauded as a founder of modern zoology, her work highlights the interplay of art and science during the Scientific Revolution.

    • Unique for travelling unescorted to South America for exploration.

Aristocratic Baroque

  • Versailles:

    • Represents the grandeur of absolute monarchy, associated with a strong central axis and systematic architecture.

  • Hall of Mirrors:

    • Expands space visually through the clever use of mirrors, engaging with the landscape view in the garden.

  • St. Paul’s Cathedral (Christopher Wren):

    • Restores Anglicanism and Limited Monarchy traditions through its design, featuring an innovative triple dome structure of 265 feet utilizing parabolic dome architecture.

Anthony van Dyck

  • Charles I at the Hunt:

    • Represents a swaggering portrait style, wherein subjects are portrayed in an idealized fashion.

Mary Beale

  • Self-Portrait:

    • A contrast to van Dyck, Beale aims for honest portraits rather than fantasy depictions.

    • Advocates for equality within domestic partnerships, coining terms of mutual respect with her husband, reflecting a unique personal approach in her work.

American Baroque

  • Thomas Smith, Self-Portrait:

    • Positioned within American Protestantism context, indicating the cultural and religious expression within art.