Painting of the Day Painting of the Day #4#4

‘‘The BaroqueThe Baroque’’

aka: screw the maid, lets get another chandelier in this bitch!aka: screw the maid, lets get another chandelier in this bitch!

So, quick review...So, quick review...

The Middle Ages showed stiff alien-looking biblical The Middle Ages showed stiff alien-looking biblical characters b/c they weren’t supposed to create anything that characters b/c they weren’t supposed to create anything that looks realistically human. That’s the Big Playa’s job.looks realistically human. That’s the Big Playa’s job.

The Early Renaissance was emphasized by the study of The Early Renaissance was emphasized by the study of Roman and Greek philosophies. Part of this consisted of Roman and Greek philosophies. Part of this consisted of making calculated, correct proportions. In art, this was making calculated, correct proportions. In art, this was applied to the figure. The stiffness was still there- a sacrifice applied to the figure. The stiffness was still there- a sacrifice for the calculated methods that were being used.for the calculated methods that were being used.

The high and late Renaissance featured artists that didn’t need The high and late Renaissance featured artists that didn’t need that crap. They were awesome drafts-people and began to that crap. They were awesome drafts-people and began to loosen up and show more dynamic movements in their figures. loosen up and show more dynamic movements in their figures.

Baroque continued with this evolution of dynamism and got Baroque continued with this evolution of dynamism and got all jiggy with it. all jiggy with it.

It’s because of paintings like this that I went over composition It’s because of paintings like this that I went over composition on Friday. Look at the strong diagonal of this piece, coupled on Friday. Look at the strong diagonal of this piece, coupled with contrasting and assisting focal lines to accentuate the with contrasting and assisting focal lines to accentuate the subject and strengthen the diagonals presence. Got it? Good!subject and strengthen the diagonals presence. Got it? Good!

Peter Paul RubensPeter Paul Rubens The Raising of the Cross (1610)The Raising of the Cross (1610) Some Cathedral in AntwerpSome Cathedral in Antwerp

Bernini Bernini ‘‘It pleased our Lord that I should see the following vision a number of times. It pleased our Lord that I should see the following vision a number of times.

I saw an angel near me, on the left side, in bodily form. This I am not wont to I saw an angel near me, on the left side, in bodily form. This I am not wont to see, save very rarely.... In this vision it pleased the Lord that I should see it see, save very rarely.... In this vision it pleased the Lord that I should see it thus. He was not tall, but short, marvellously beautiful, with a face which thus. He was not tall, but short, marvellously beautiful, with a face which shone as though he were one of the highest of the angels, who seem to be shone as though he were one of the highest of the angels, who seem to be all of fire: they must be those whom we call Seraphim.... I saw in his hands a all of fire: they must be those whom we call Seraphim.... I saw in his hands a long golden spear, and at the point of the iron there seemed to be a little long golden spear, and at the point of the iron there seemed to be a little fire. This I thought that he thrust several times into my heart, and that it fire. This I thought that he thrust several times into my heart, and that it penetrated to my entrails. When he drew out the spear he seemed to be penetrated to my entrails. When he drew out the spear he seemed to be drawing them with it, leaving me all on fire with a wondrous love for God. drawing them with it, leaving me all on fire with a wondrous love for God. The pain was so great that it caused me to utter several moans; and yet so The pain was so great that it caused me to utter several moans; and yet so exceeding sweet is this greatest of pains that it is impossible to desire to be exceeding sweet is this greatest of pains that it is impossible to desire to be rid of it, or for the soul to be content with less than God. rid of it, or for the soul to be content with less than God.

(Peers, 197) -From St Teresas autobiography(Peers, 197) -From St Teresas autobiography

Kinky eh? Bernini did sculputre all around Rome.Kinky eh? Bernini did sculputre all around Rome.

The Ecstacy of St. TeresaThe Ecstacy of St. Teresa 1645-1652 1645-1652 Rome, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Cornaro Chapel Rome, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Cornaro Chapel

CaravaggioCaravaggio "In this painting there are but vulgarity, sacrilege, impiousness and "In this painting there are but vulgarity, sacrilege, impiousness and

disgust...One would say it is a work made by a painter that can paint disgust...One would say it is a work made by a painter that can paint well, but of a dark spirit, and who has been for a lot of time far from well, but of a dark spirit, and who has been for a lot of time far from God, from His adoration, and from any good thought..." God, from His adoration, and from any good thought..."

-quote from commissioning Cardinals secretary about “Death of a -quote from commissioning Cardinals secretary about “Death of a Virgin”Virgin”

Caravaggio was quite a card. He brought random people in Caravaggio was quite a card. He brought random people in from off the street and painted them, realistically, as from off the street and painted them, realistically, as biblical characters. This has gotten him in trouble though, biblical characters. This has gotten him in trouble though, ‘Death of a Virgin’ got him in some hot water for showing ‘Death of a Virgin’ got him in some hot water for showing Mary’s bare ‘legs’, having her completely dressed in red Mary’s bare ‘legs’, having her completely dressed in red (like a whore) and the model who portrayed her here (like a whore) and the model who portrayed her here was...well, a pretty well known whore. Whoops!was...well, a pretty well known whore. Whoops!

Caravaggio burst onto the scene w/ three paintings (this is Caravaggio burst onto the scene w/ three paintings (this is one of those) that were very expressive and showed one of those) that were very expressive and showed dramatic lighting (he usually painted by candle light). dramatic lighting (he usually painted by candle light). During this time he had quite a few run-ins with the Johnny During this time he had quite a few run-ins with the Johnny Law. He was arrested for assaulting quite a few other Law. He was arrested for assaulting quite a few other painters, for throwing rocks at Roman soldiers and for painters, for throwing rocks at Roman soldiers and for basically brawling all the time. Shortly after going on the basically brawling all the time. Shortly after going on the lam for multiple assaults, he killed a man in a fight. He hid lam for multiple assaults, he killed a man in a fight. He hid out in Naples, Malta (where he beat down a knights door out in Naples, Malta (where he beat down a knights door and kicked the shit out of him), Sicily (where he was and kicked the shit out of him), Sicily (where he was caught and escaped from prison) and finally Palermo. He caught and escaped from prison) and finally Palermo. He had a pretty large body of work at the time of his death, an had a pretty large body of work at the time of his death, an impressive amount for someone was was running from the impressive amount for someone was was running from the law for most of his professional career.law for most of his professional career.

Death of the VirginDeath of the Virgin. 1601 - 1606. Oil on canvas, 396 x 245 cm. . 1601 - 1606. Oil on canvas, 396 x 245 cm. Louvre, Paris. Louvre, Paris.

““But Saul, still breathing threats and murder But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’”will be told what you are to do.’”

The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9, verses 1-6, The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9, verses 1-6, ESV ESV

This is a good example of illustration of Biblical This is a good example of illustration of Biblical passages so that the illiterate tards of the day passages so that the illiterate tards of the day could “read”.could “read”.

By Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1600-1601)By Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1600-1601) Oil on canvas. Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome.Oil on canvas. Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome.

The EndThe End Rococo came after this. It was a major French art movement that was Rococo came after this. It was a major French art movement that was

mainly gaudy interiors and decorative paintings. Rococo took the evolution mainly gaudy interiors and decorative paintings. Rococo took the evolution of fine art...the recent accentuation on dynamism in the human form, the of fine art...the recent accentuation on dynamism in the human form, the intense subject matter, the dramatic presentation and turned it into boring intense subject matter, the dramatic presentation and turned it into boring pretty-picture bullshit for stupid rich people. That’s all I have to say about pretty-picture bullshit for stupid rich people. That’s all I have to say about that.that.

Have a great MondayHave a great Monday