Baroque Ch. 24-25
Still Life with Flowers Clara Peeters
A pioneer of still life painting, this Flemish artist laid the groundwork for many Dutch artists. The still life is accurately depicted, coloured well, and set against a dark background.
Calling of Saint Matthew Hendrick Ter Brugghen
A religious scene with a distinct individualistic style of portraiture. The naturalistic style echoes Caravaggio's work. However, the piece is not tenebrous, but rather colourful and set against a light background.
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa Bernini
A very theatrical piece that utilises light, an especial focus of the Baroque period, to make the piece more dramatic. The piece was controversial because it carries sexual connotations.
East Facade of Saint Peter's Carlo Maderno,
Aims for verticality, but Saint Peter's enormous breadth counterbalanced the verticality Maderno desired. The facade's two outer bays with bell towers were not part of Maderno's original design, and also take away from the vertical emphasis.
Surrender of Breda Diego Velazquez
As Phillip IV'S court artist, Velazquez produced many history paintings, including fictional representations such as this one depicting the Dutch mayor of Breda surrendering to the Spanish general.
Interior of the Royal Chapel Jules Hardoun-Mansart
Because the apse is as high as the nave, the central space of the Royal Chapel at Versailles has a curved Baroque quality. Louis XIV could reach the royal pew directly from his apartments.
Scala Regia Bernini
Bernini's mastery of perspective is even more evident in the contemporaneous design of the Scala Regia.
Facade of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane Francesco Borromini
Borromini rejected the notion that a church should have a flat frontispiece. The facade is set in undulating motion, creating a dynamic counterpoint of concave and convex elements.
Glorification of Saint Ignatius Fra Andrea Pozzo
By merging real and painted architecture, Pozzo created the illusion the vaulted ceiling of Sant'Ignazio has been lifted off and the nave opens to the Heaven above the worshiper's heads.
Conversion of Saint Paul Caravaggio
Caravaggio used perspective, chiaroscuro, and dramatic light to bring viewers into this painting's space and action, almost as if they were participants in Saint Paul's conversion to Christianity.
Loves of the Gods Annibale Carracci
Carracci arranged the scenes in a format resembling framed easel paintings on a wall. but in the Farnese gallery the paintings cover a shallow curved vault (this style is called quadro riportato). This is a mythological painting.
Flight into Egypt Annibale Carracci
Carracci's landscapes idealise antiquity and the idyllic life. Here, the pastoral setting takes precedence over the narrative of Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph wending their way slowly to Egypt. It is a regularity of Carracci to paint trees in the foreground, dark against the sky's even light. He did not utilise linear perspective, but rather creates depth by varying light and shadow - a growing interest in the Baroque period.
Las Meninas Diego Velazquez
Cunning contrasts of real, mirrored and picture spaces to elevate both himself and the profession of painting in the eyes of Philip IV. The painting is brutally realistic, has motion and incredible detail.
Allegory of the Art of Painting Jan Vermeer
Dutch painters often specialised in domestic scenes. The light ushering in from the window on the left may symbolise the light that illuminates artistic inspiration.
David Bernini
Emotional tension and vivacious motion characterise the Baroque-ness of Bernini's David. In comparison to previous depictions of David, this is incredibly expansive and theatrical, and shows David on the cusp of attack, rather than before or after.
Flower Still Life Rachel Ruysch
Flower paintings were very popular in the Dutch Republic. Ruysch achieved international renown for her lush paintings of floral arrangements, noted also for their careful compositions.
Supper Party Gerrit Van Honthorst
Genre scenes were popular subjects among middle-class Dutch patrons. It may have served as a Calvinist warning against the sins of gluttony and lust. Unidealised figures are depicted, and echoes Caravaggio's work by having light shine on the faces of the individuals. It is slightly tenebrous.
Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting Artemisia Gentileschi
Gentileschi here portrayed herself in the guise of La Pittura with brush and palette. To paint a self-portrait from the side, Gentileschi had to set up a pair of mirrors to record her features.
Chapel of Saint Ivo Francesco Borromini
In characteristic fashion, Borromini played concave against convex forms on the upper level of the Chapel of Saint Ivo. Pilasters restrain the forces that seem to push the bulging forms outward.
San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane Dome Francesco Borromini
In place of a traditional round dome, Borromini capped the interior of San Carlo with a deeply coffered oval dome that seems to float on the light entering through windows hidden in its base.
Triumph of the Name of Jesus Giovanni Battista Gaulli
In the nave of II Gesu, gilded architecture opens up to offer the faithful a glimpse of Heaven. To heighten the illusion, Gaulli painted figures on stucco extensions that project outside the painting's frame.
West Facade of Saint Paul's Cathedral Sir Christopher Wren
In the splendid skyline composition, two foreground towers act effectively as foils to the great dome. The influence of Borromini is evident in the upper levels and lanterns of the towers. The lower levels owe a debt to Palladio and the superposed paired columnar porticos recall the Louvre's east facade. It recalls Saint Peter's in Rome.
Archers of Saint Hadrian Frans Hals
In this brilliant composition, Hals succeeded in solving the problem of portraying each individual in a group portrait while retaining action and variety in the painting as a whole. Each figure has a distinct physiognomy. Set against a dark background.
Triumph of the Barberini Pietro da Cortona
In this dramatic ceiling fresco, Divine Providence appears in a halo of radiant light directing Immortality, holding a crown of starts, to bestow etenal life on the family of Pope Urban VIII.
Water Carrier of Seville Diego Velazquez
In this early work - a genre scene that seems to convey a deeper significance - the contrast of darks and lights and the plebeian nature of the figures, reveal Velazquez's debt to Caravaggio.
Self Portrait Rembrandt
In this late self portrait, Rembrandt's interest in revealing the soul is evident in the attention given to his expressive face. The controlled use of light and the nonspecific setting contribute to this focus.
View of Haarlem from the Dunes at Overveen Jacob Van Ruisdael
In this painting, this artist succeeded in capturing a specific, realistic view of Haarlem, its windmills, and Saint Bavo church, but he also imbud the landscape with a quiet serenity approaching the spiritual.
Louis XIV Hyacinthe Rigaud
In this portrait set against a stately backdrop, this artist portrayed the Sun King wearing red high-heeled shoes and with his ermine-lined coronation robes thrown over his left shoulder. It is a grandiose depiction of a grandiose king.
Elevation of the Cross Peter Paul Rubens
In this triptych, Rubens explored foreshortened anatomy and violent action, as well as using the diagonal style. The whole composition seethes with a power that comes from heroic exertion. The tension is emotional as well as physical. The colours are reminiscent of Titian.
Self Portrait Judith Leyster
It is detailed, precise, and accurate but also imbued with spontaneity. Leyster's quick smile and relaxed pose as she stops her work to meet the viewer's gaze reveals her self-assurance.
Aerial View of Versailles Palace Jules Hardoun-Mansart
Louis XIV ordered his architects to convert a royal hunting lodge at Versailles into a gigantic palace and park with a satellite city whose three radial avenues intersect in the King's bedroom.
Martyrdom of Saint Phillip Jose de Ribera
Martyrdom scenes were popular in Counter-Reformation Spain. Scorning idealisation of any kind, Ribera presented Philip's executioners hoisting him into position to die on a cross.
Judith Slaying Holofernes Artemisia Gentileschi
Narratives involving heroic women were a favourite theme of Gentileschi. In Judith Slaying Holofernes, the dramatic lighting of the action in the foreground emulates Caravaggio's tenebrism.
Facade of Santa Susanna Carlo Maderno
One of the earliest manifestations of the Baroque spirit. The rhythm of the columns and pilasters mounts dramatically toward the emphatically stressed vertical axis.
Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp Rembrandt
Rembrandt evenly spreads his subjects across the panel, but enlivens each one individually nonetheless. Triangular composition of subjects. Incredibly accurate, and stark contrasts of light and dark.
Night Watch Rembrandt
Rembrandt's dramatic use of light contributes to the animation of this militia group portrait in which the artist showed the company members rushing to organise themselves for a parade. Captures frenetic excitement.
Christ with the Sick Around Him Rembrandt
Rembrandt's mastery of the newly perfected medium of etching is evident in his expert use of light and dark to draw attention to Christ as he preaches compassionately to the blind and lame.
Arrival of Marie de' Medici at Marseilles Peter Paul Rubens
Rubens painted 21 large canvases glorifying Marie de' Medici's career. In this historical-allegorical picture of robust figures in an opulent setting, the sea and sky rejoice at the queen's arrival in France.
Baldacchino Bernini
Serves for both functional and symbolic purposes. it marks the high altar and the tomb of Saint Peter, and it visually bridges human scale to the lofty vaults and dome above. It is a dramatic and compelling presence. The four spiral columns are Baroque versions of the previous, comparable columns of the ancient Baldacchino.
Woman Holding a Balance Jan Vermeer
The woman holding empty scales in perfect balance, ignoring pearls and gold on the table, is probably an allegory of the temperate life. On the wall behind her is a Last Judgement painting. Light shines in from the window, illuminating her face. The mirror on the wall may refer to self-knowledge, but it may also symbolise, as do the pearls and gold, the sin of vanity. This artist, like Rembrandt, was a master of pictorial light and used it with immense virtuosity. It is believed that this painting was used with a camera obscura.
Banqueting House Inigo Jones
This architect was a great admirer of the classical architecture of Palladio, and he adopted motifs from the Italian architect's villas and palaces for the buildings he designed for his royal patrons.
Eglise du Dome Jules Hardouin-Mansart
This architect's church marries the Italian and French architectural styles. The grouping of the orders is similar to the Italian Baroque manner but without the dramatic play of curved surfaces.
Still Life with Game Fowl Juan Sanchez Cotán
This artist established still life as an important genre in Spain. His compositions feature brightly illuminated fruits, vegetables and birds, hanging or on a ledge, against a dark background.
Landscape with Saint John on Patmos Nicolas Poussin
This artist placed Saint John in a classical landscape amid broken columns, an obelisk, and a ruined temple, suggesting the decay of great civilisations and the coming of the new Christian era.
Landscape with Cattle and Peasants Claude Lorrain
This artist used atmospheric and linear perspective to transform the rustic Roman countryside filled with peasants and animals into an ideal classical landscape bathed in sunlight in infinite space.
Et in Arcadia Ego Nicolas Poussin
This artist was the leading proponent of classicism in 17th century Rome. His "grand manner" paintings are models of "arrangement and measure" and incorporate figures inspired by ancient statuary.
Hanging Tree Jacques Callot
This artist's Miseries of War etchings were among the first realistic pictorial records of the human disaster of military conflict. Hanging Tree depicts a mass execution of thieves in the presence of an army.
Family of Country People Louis Le Nain
This artist's painting expresses the grave dignity of a peasant family made stoic by hardship. It reflects 17th century French social theory, which celebrated the natural virtue of those who worked the soil.
Apollo Attended by the Nymphs Francois Girardon and Thomas Regnaudin
This artist's study of ancient sculpture and Poussin's figure compositions influenced the design of this mythological group in a grotto above a dramatic waterfall in the gardens of Versailles.
Hall of Mirrors, Versailles Palace Jules Hardoun-Mansart and Charles le Brun
This hall overlooks the Versailles park from the second floor of Louis XIV's palace. Hundreds of mirrors illusionistically extend the room's width and once reflected gilded and jewelled furnishings.
Feast of Saint Nicholas Jan Steen
This lively scene of Dutch children discovering their Christmas gifts may also have an allegorical dimension. Feast of Saint Nicholas probably alludes to selfishness, pettiness, and jealousy.
Chapel of Saint Ivo Dome Francesco Borromini
Unlike Renaissance domes, Borromini's Baroque dome is an organic part that evolves out of and shares the qualities of the supporting walls, and it cannot be separated from them.
Distant View of Dordrecht, with a Milkmaid and Four Cows, and Other Figures Albert Cuyp
Unlike idealised Italian Renaissance landscapes , Cuyp's painting portrays a particular locale. It renders each detail perfectly.
The Women Regents of the Old Men's Home at Haarlem Frans Hals
Unlike the more relaxed seemingly informal character of his other group portraits, a stern, puritanical, and composed sensibility suffuses Hals' portrayal of these regents. Somber and virtually monochromatic palette contributes to the painting's restraint.
Charles I Dismounted Anthony Van Dyck
Van Dyck specialised in court portraiture. In this portrait, he depicted Charles I at a sharp angle so the king, a short man, appears to be looking down at the viewer. The regal poise of the King is depicted carefully.
Fountain of the Four Rivers Bernini
Water flows from a travertine grotto supporting an ancient Egyptian obelisk, Bernini's marble personifications of major rivers of four continents twist and gesticulate emphatically.
Adoration of the Shepherds Georges de la Tour
Without the aid of the title, this candlelit nighttime scene could be a genre piece instead of a biblical narrative. La Tour did not even paint halos around the heads of the holy figures.
Aurora Guido Reni
The "divine Guido" conceived Aurora as a quadro riportato, reflecting his training in the Bolognese art academy. The scene of Dawn leading Apollo;s chariot derives from ancient Roman reliefs.
Cornaro Chapel Bernini
The Cornaro chapel represents the full capabilities of Baroque style. Bernini infuses architecture, sculpture and painitng to create an intensely emotional experience for worshipers, with the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa as the centrepiece.
Aerial View of Saint Peter's Bernini
The circularity of the piazza, designed by Bernini, was an attempt by the Catholic church during the Counter-Reformation to welcome people.
East Facade of the Louvre Claude Perrault
The design of this facade is a brilliant synthesis of French and Italian classical elements, including a central pavilion resembling an ancient temple front with a pediment. The facade has a central and two corner projecting columnar pavilions resting on a stately podium.
Consequences of War Peter Paul Rubens
The fluid articulation of human forms in this work and the energy emanating from the chaotic scene are hallmarks of Ruben's mature style. Diagonal style.
Plan of the Chapel of Saint Ivo Francesco Borromini
The interior elevation of Borromini's Saint Ivo chapel fully reflects all the elements of its highly complex plan, which is star-shaped with rounded points and apses on all sides.
Saint Serapion Francisco de Zurbaran
The light shining on Serapion calls attention to his tragic death and increases the painting's dramatic impact. The monk's coarse features label him as a common, evoking empathy from a wide audience. Set against a dark background and heavily realistic.
Still Life with a Late Ming Ginger Jar Willem Kalf
The opulent objects, especially the Indian carpet and Chinese jar, attest to the prosperous Dutch maritime trade. Kalf's inclusion of a watch suggests this painting may be a vanitas still life.
Plan of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane Francesco Borromini
The plan of San Carlo is a hybrid of a Greek cross and an oval. The walls pulsate in a way that reverses the facade's movement. The moulded, dramatically lit space flows from entrance to altar.
Return of the Prodigal Son Rembrandt
The spiritual stillness of Rembrandt's religious paintings is that of inward-turning contemplation, in vivid contrast to the heavenly tumult of Italian Baroque Counter-Reformation works.
Calling of Saint Matthew Caravaggio
The stark contrast of light and dark was a key feature of Caravaggio's style. Here, Christ, cloaked in mysterious shadow, summons Levi the tax collector to a higher calling.
