Reformation to Baroque part 1 de Beaufort

1. 1
The Baroque Era (part 1)

2. 2
Europe in the 17th Century

3. Protestant Reformation
By the early 1500s, many people
in Western Europe were growing
increasingly dissatisfied with the
Christian Church. Many found the
Pope too involved with secular
(worldly) matters, rather than with
his flocks spiritual well-being.
Lower church officials were
poorly educated and broke vows
by living richly and keeping
mistresses. Some officials
practiced simony, or passing
down their title as priest or bishop
to their illegitimate sons. In
keeping with the many social
changes of the Renaissance
people began to boldly challenge
the authority of the Christian
Church.
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4. Martin Luther and his
95 Theses
A German monk by the name of
Martin Luther was particularly
bothered by the selling of
indulgences. An indulgence, a
religious pardon that released a
sinner from performing specific
penalties, could be bought from
a church official for various fees.
Martin Luther was especially
troubled because some church
officials gave people the
impression that they could buy
their way into heaven. To
express his growing concern of
church corruption, Martin Luther
wrote his famous 95 Theses,
which called for a full reform of
the Christian Church. In it, he
stressed the following points:
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5. • The Pope is a false authority.
(“The Whore of Babylon”)
• The bible was the one true
authority.
• All people with faith in Christ
were equal.
• People did not need priest
and bishops to interpret the
bible for them. They could
read it themselves and make
up their own minds.
• People could only win
salvation by faith in God's
forgiveness.
• The Church taught that faith,
along with good works was
needed for salvation.
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6. ICONOCLASM- Protestants criticize the cult of
images to the point of destruction.
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7. St. Bartholomew’s
Day Massacre
1572
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9. Thirty Years’ War
The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648)
was fought primarily in what is now
Germany, and at various points
involved most countries in Europe.
It was one of the longest and most
destructive conflicts in European
history. The conflict lasted,
unceasing, for 30 years, making it
the longest continuous war in
modern history.
1648- Treaty of Westphalia grants
religious freedom in Europe,
conflicts subside.
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10. The Thirty Years War
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13. The Counter
Reformation
Attempts by the Catholic church
and secular Catholic authorities to
stem the flow of Protestantism and
reform some of the worst excesses
of medieval Catholicism.
Art was used as a tool of
persuasion.
Council of Trent
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14. The Counter
Reformation
Art was used as a tool of
persuasion.
Catholic Church vs.
Presbyterian Church
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15. What is Baroque?
Art produced from the end of the
16th to early 18th centuries
Stresses emotional, rather than
intellectual responses; dramatic
light and shade, turbulent
composition, and exaggerated
expression.
Used by “absolute” rulers (popes
and kings) to overwhelm and awe

16. What is Baroque?
The word “baroque” derives from
the Portuguese and Spanish
words for a large, irregularly-
shaped pearl (“barroco” and
“barrueco,” respectively).
Eighteenth century critics were
the first to apply the term to the
art of the 17th century. It was not
a term of praise.
To the eyes of these critics, who
favored the restraint and order of
Neoclassicism, the works of the
previous century appeared
bizarre, absurd, even diseased—
in other words, misshapen, like
an imperfect pearl.

17. Culture of Baroque Era
Science begins to challenge
religion, Earth is not center of
the universe (Copernicus)
Workshops begin to churn out
copies of popular themes
Value on the original work is a
modern notion
Still lifes and genre paintings
(everyday life) emerge
(Northern Europe)

19. Bernini
A child prodigy who the pope
demanded an audience of
Deemed the “Michelangelo” of
his generation
Master of stone-ability to
transform into flesh, and
dramatic action-decisive
moments
First sculpture to “freeze”
moments in time.

20. GIANLORENZO BERNINI, Scala
Regia (Royal Stairway), Vatican
City, Rome, Italy, 1663–1666.
The role of light as a symbol and
design element in the Italian
Baroque cannot be understated.
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21. Divine Light
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GIANLORENZO BERNINI,
baldacchino, Saint Peter’s, Vatican
City, Rome, Italy, 1624–1633. Gilded
bronze, 100’ high.

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24. GIANLORENZO BERNINI,
baldacchino, Saint Peter’s,
Vatican City.
Baldacco-italian for “silk from
baghdad”-for a cloth canopy
100 ft high (8 story building)
High altar and tomb of St. Peter
Bridges human scale to the lofty
vaults and dome.
Dramatic presence at the crossing
of the nave.
Decorative elements symbolize the
power of the church. Spiral columns
invoke Old St. Peters.
4 angels stand guard on canopy.
Orb of the earth and cross rise from
the top (symbol of Christian
triumph).
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26. Tremendous amount of bronze
(much of it taken from the portico of
the Pantheon)-ideologically
appropriate.
Bernini contracted much of the
project out-but took all the credit.

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Solomonic column

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31. GIANLORENZO BERNINI, Apollo
and Daphne, 1623–1624. Marble,
8’ high. Galleria Borghese, Rome.
Bernini
Master of Dramatic action-decisive
moments
First sculpture to “freeze” moments
in time.
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34. Transformed into Laurel tree
Metaphor for sculpture-taking
one material and turning it into
another.
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36. GIANLORENZO BERNINI, Pluto
and Prosperina
Terror, power, brutishness
Emotional sensitivity
Stone like skin
Another “decisive moment”
captured in a 3-d snapshot.
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37. Intense emotion, highly dramatic,
theatrical
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GIANLORENZO BERNINI, David, 1623. Marble, 5’
7” high. Galleria Borghese, Rome.

40. GIANLORENZO BERNINI, David
Modeled features after own face.
Expression of intense concentration.
Different from earlier versions-
incorporates action and time.
Most dramatic of an implied sequence of
poses.
Time and space are united in an artistic
theater.
Dynamic energy, cannot be confined in
a niche-must be freestanding.
Baroque=theatricality and element of
time.
After the Renaissance, an
understanding of Progress and a new
embrace of change began. Thus art
began to demonstrate transience, rather
than permanence and timeless ideals.
(Similar to the transition from High Classical to
Hellenistic in Ancient Greece)
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47. GIANLORENZO BERNINI, interior of
the Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria
della vittoria, Rome, Italy, 1645-1652.
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GIANLORENZO BERNINI, Ecstasy of Saint
Teresa, Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della
Vittoria, Rome, Italy, 1645–1652. Marble, height
of group 11’ 6”.

49. GIANLORENZO BERNINI, Ecstasy
of Saint Teresa.
• Makes use of theatrical
techniques-architecture, sculpture,
lighting.
• St. Teresa-nun of Carmelite order,
“mystic”.
• Fell into a series of trances,
visions, voices. Felt a persistent
pain, attributed it to fire-tipped
arrow of divine love an angel thrust
repeatedly into her heart.
• Mingling of physical and spiritual
passion.
• Differentiation in texture among the
clouds, cloth, skin, and wings.
• Light from a hidden window with
yellow glass shines down. Golden
light of Heaven.
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GIANLORENZO BERNINI, Ecstasy of Saint
Teresa, Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della
Vittoria, Rome, Italy, 1645–1652. Marble, height
of group 11’ 6”.

51. Teresa of Ávila
In the cloister, she suffered greatly from
illness. Early in her sickness, she
experienced periods of religious
ecstasy.
"... Beside me, on the left hand,
appeared an angel in bodily form... He
was not tall but short, and very
beautiful; and his face was so aflame
that he appeared to be one of the
highest rank of angels, who seem to be
all on fire... In his hands I saw a great
golden spear, and at the iron tip there
appeared to be a point of fire. This he
plunged into my heart several times ...
and left me utterly consumed by the
great love of God. The pain was so
severe that it made me utter several
moans. The sweetness caused by this
intense pain is so extreme that one
cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is
one's soul then content with anything
but God. This is not a physical, but a
spiritual pain, though the body has
some share in it-even a considerable
share ...”
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52. Highly Suggestive
eroticism
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58. Cornaro family looks on from above.
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61. Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi di Caravaggio
Outspoken disdain for Classical
masters- the “anti-christ” of painting.
Recast biblical scenes or themes in new
light
Used naturalism -did not idealize the
narratives. Characters were common
folk not idealized and angelic.
Accentuates the “sinner” or the lower
classes in his works-harsh dingy
settings. Figures that were relatable.
Strong use of light with deep pockets of
shadow - tenebrism
Action very close to surface of painting-
like a “shop window”.
Strong personality violent criminal-,
thrived in Roman underground scene.
Enormous influence on subsequent
generation of painters (Caravaggista)

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63. Early work for Cardinal del
Monte (Caravaggio was given
residence and sponsorship by
the wealthy patron for an
unspecified number of
paintings)
Often homo-erotic undertones.

64. CARAVAGGIO, Musicians, ca. 1595. Oil on canvas, 3’ 1/4" X 3’ 10 5/8”. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
(Rogers Fund, 1952).
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65. Self portrait as Dionysus
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66. Tenebrism
From the Italian tenebroso
("murky"), (also called dramatic
illumination) is a style of
painting using very pronounced
chiaroscuro, where there are
violent contrasts of light and
dark, and darkness becomes a
dominating feature of the
image. Spanish painters in the
early seventeenth century who
were influenced by the work of
Caravaggio have been called
Tenebrists, although they did
not form a distinct group.
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CARAVAGGIO, Calling of Saint Matthew, ca. 1597–1601. Oil on canvas, 11’ 1” x 11’ 5”. Contarelli Chapel,
San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome

68. CARAVAGGIO, Calling of Saint
Matthew.
One of 2 paintings honoring St, Mathew
for the Contarelli Chapel.
Commonplace setting (dingy tavern).
Group of tax collectors. Shady
characters. No idealization-brings the
Spiritual down to an everyday level.
Christ barely identifiable. Gestures Levi
(later Mathew) with hand reminiscent of
Michelangelo “Creation of Adam”
(Christ is 2nd Adam).
Light is used to dramatic effect- shines
from behind Christ towards Levi who
gazes upwards.
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71. ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI, Self-
Portrait as the Allegory of Painting,
ca. 1638–1639.
Most celebrated female artist of the
era.
Taught by her father Orazio.
Both strongly influenced by
Caravaggio.
Used tenebrism and combined with
“dark” subject matter-often scenes
of female empowerment.
Herself a victim of rape. Struggled
with unequal treatment as a painter
due to her gender.
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ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI, Judith
Slaying Holofernes, ca. 1614–1620.
Oil on canvas, 6’ 6 1/3” x 5’ 4”.
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.

73. ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI, Judith
Slaying Holofernes.
Story from book of Judith (apocryphal
text).
Judith seduces Assyrian general
Holofernes, and then cuts his head of
when he is sleeping, thus saving the
Israelites.
Lots of blood, realistic spurts.
Tenebrism and shallow space of
Caravaggio
Holofernes body foreshortened
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76. Spurts of blood less realistic.
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77. The Habsburgs
Charles V abdicates Holy
Roman Empire throne in 1556
The Western portion
(Spain, American
colonies, Netherlands,
Burgundy,Milan, Naples
and Sicily) go to his son
Phillip II
The Eastern portion
(Germany and Austria)
go to his brother
Ferdinand

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79. Spain: Hapsburg Empire
16th century: Hapsburg Empire is the
dominant power in Europe.
The Golden Age of Spain
However…Spain’s gold imports lessen from
New World, and eventual bankruptcy in
1692.
17th Century: 1660 Hapsburg Empire has
fallen
Costly wars=higher taxes=revolts
failure to capitalize on trade
Catholic and repressive
King Philip
The artwork tends to support heavily the
Catholic Church and the Habsburgs liked
the use of strong dramatic effect and
lighting
Religious scenes of death and Martyrdom
Religious fanaticism
Realistic details and tenebrism
DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, King Philip IV of
Spain (Fraga Philip),
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80. Diego Velazquez
Leading artist in the court of
King Phillip IV
Because of Velasquez' great
skill in merging color, light,
space, rhythm of line, and mass
in such a way that all have
equal value, he was known as
"the painter's painter.”
Master realist, and few painters
have surpassed him in the
ability to seize essential features
and fix them on canvas with a
few broad, sure strokes.
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DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, Water Carrier of
Seville, ca. 1619. Oil on canvas, 3’ 5 1/2”
x 2’ 7 1/2”. Victoria & Albert Museum,
London.

82. DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, Water Carrier
of Seville.
Velazquez painted at age 20
Genre scene- a painting of mundane
activities of everyday life (no religious
purpose)
Influence of Caravaggio visible in
plebian figures and deep shadow
3 ages of man
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DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, King Philip IV of
Spain (Fraga Philip), 1644. Oil on
canvas, 4’ 3 1/8” x 3’ 3 1/8”. The Frick
Collection, New York.

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89. Court Life
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DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, Las Meninas
(The Maids of Honor), 1656. Oil on
canvas, approx. 10’ 5” x 9’. Museo
del Prado, Madrid.

91. DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, Las Meninas
(The Maids of Honor).
Set in artists studio in palace
Hung in the kings private quarters
The Mystery of the visual world, several
layers of visual reality
Canvas image ?
Mirror image ?
Open door in background
Dual theme
Family portrait
Genre scene
Self portrait-The Artists studio
Wearing illustrious order of
Santiago
Artist elevates status (paints himself as
intimate with royal family)
Paintings by Rubens in background
A painting about painting
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