As you read the article and follow the link to the video above, look at the works of art here and in Chapter 23 of Janson's.
What subjects appear to dominate this period of art making? What cultural concerns do the artists reveal in their works of art? The Rococo period of art making falls into the time frame of roughly 1710-1774; it coincides with the lifetime of the French king, Louis XV. The developments we see in the Baroque period, that of tenebristic composition, of drama and theatricality, mystical and religious expression on a grand scale throughout Europe continue into the early 18th century. However, it is with the development of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in the 17th century in France, under the control of the French monarchy, that we see the visual arts and training of French artists in the traditions of the Italian Renaissance produce a new style of art, one that becomes more focused on the aristocratic classes, about nature, and the private interests of both the upper and middle classes. In the 17th century, Nicolas Poussin became the arbiter of taste for the art curriculum at the Royal Academy in France. In the early 18th century, it was Jean-Antoine Watteau. Both of these artists and their work depict specific interests, not only in the subject matter of their works of art, but also in the manner in which they compose their works. By the end of the 17th century, two factions arose within the Academy- the Poussinistes and the Rubénistes. Poussin and Rubens were no longer living by the end of the 1600s but the issue for artists training at the Royal Academy was whether an artist should be placing greater importance on drawing or on color. The conservative Poussinistes defended Poussin's view that line, structuring a painting through fine draughtsmanship first, was superior, and it appealed to the mind, and to reason. This viewpoint was one that had perpetuated from the artistic innovations of the Florentine Renaissance painters, and very much influenced French artists working within this tradition and being trained as such at the Academy. The Rubénistes on the other hand, most of whom were from Northern Europe and the Netherlands, defended the developments of Peter Paul Rubens, and his expressive brushwork and expansive color and chiaroscuro technique, a tradition we find in Renaissance Venice with the work of Titian. Titian's work was known by Peter Paul Rubens and those who trained with Rubens, and by Flemish artists who came into contact with Titian in the collection of the Spanish/Hapsburg monarchy and its courts. To the Rubénistes, color, not drawing, was reflective of true nature and appealed more to the senses and to emotion. The Poussinistes supported the Renaissance notion that art could only be appreciated by the educated elite, whereas the Rubénistes challenged this notion, arguing that the layperson was just as qualified to appreciate and judge art. In which camp do you lie? Jean-Antoine Watteau
A Pilgrimage to Cythera 1717 Oil on canvas 4' 3" x 6' 4 1/2" Musée du Louvre, Paris https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/pilgrimage-cythera For more on Watteau: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/watteau-jean-antoine/#nav http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/361/jean-antoine-watteau-french-1684-1721/ Click on each slide above for links that bring you to more information on these works. As we fall into the week of Passover and Catholic Holy Week, our post today focuses on works of art that reflect on these long-standing and profoundly meaningful religious practices. The Passover seder is a ritual meal marking the beginning of Passover and the honoring of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. It also refers to the "passing over" of the houses of the Jews during the plague on the Egyptians. It is a celebration of spring, of rebirth, and of a journey from slavery into freedom. In the Christian tradition, the last supper took place on the first day of Passover, or the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As the apostles ate their dinner with Jesus, he explained to them that one of the twelve apostles would soon betray him. Jesus prayed and thanked God for the meal and then broke the bread and shared the wine with the disciples. Jesus explained to them how the bread was a symbol of his body, broken for them, as it would throughout his Passions as he was condemned, and the wine a symbol of his blood which would be poured out for their sins to be forgiven which ultimately led to his death but also his Resurrection, his rebirth. This is where the Church’s tradition of the Eucharist or communion is established.
When looking at the works of art above, and especially the paintings of the Last Supper, take note of the stylistic differences in depicting the subject, as we have been studying, throughout the 14th to the 17th centuries by Italian, Netherlandish, and French artists represented here. What is the importance in sharing a meal at these events in Judeo-Christian practice? How do you honor rebirth and renewal if you do not practice Judaism, Christianity or Islam? What is important for you when you share a meal with others? Click on each slide above for more information on each of these works.
Nicolas Poussin
The Death of Germanicus 1627-28 Oil on Canvas 4' 10 1/2" x 6' 6" Minneapolis Institute of Art https://collections.artsmia.org/art/1348/the-death-of-germanicus-nicolas-poussin https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-death-of-germanicus/GwE2xBeNbj-XTg?hl=en My husband, some years ago, had gifted me a pancake recipe book. I love to bake and I love breakfast! Did I mention I also love to eat? The three recipes here come from Kate Habershon's little cookbook, Pancakes and Waffles. I've been fortunate to be able to bake a little more at home these past couple of weeks, and to be fortunate to have my kids and husband bake for me. Perhaps you will all enjoy these really easy recipes that I've also adapted using gluten-free flours. Enjoy them and the links to the history of pancakes (just click on the slides above to National Geographic and Mental Floss). So from my family to yours, Cheers! Have a great weekend everyone!
Rembrandt van Rijn Bathsheba with King David’s Letter 1654 Oil on Canvas 7' 9" x 7' 9" Louvre Museum, Paris https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/bathsheba-her-bath Painting was the most important medium for artists in the Netherlands. Dutch artists, who lived in the Protestant Northern Netherlands, came to be influenced by the Utrecht School, a group of three Dutch painters who traveled to Rome and fell under the sway of Caravaggio's work.
The Dutch were interested in scenes depicting themselves and their country, mythology, science, and colonial exploration. Art was popular among merchants and working people and focused on portraiture, genre, still life and landscape. Religious ecstasies, great myths, and historical subjects were avoided in favor of contemplative expressions of nature and human beings surrounded by layers of symbolism. Visitors to the Netherlands in the 17th century made note of how popular art was among the merchants and working people living in the cities of the Dutch Republic. The desire to possess an original work of art created a free market for paintings where artists competed with one another to capture the interest of the public. Of these Dutch artists working in northern Europe, Rembrandt van Rijn became the most important painter working in the city of Amsterdam, the capital and largest city of the Netherlands in the 17th century. Through his teacher, Pieter Lastman, and the influence of the Utrecht School which introduced Caravaggio's techniques, Rembrandt developed a characteristic sensibility in his works of art. He was a painter, draughtsman, and a printmaker who was equally significant in each of these mediums. Rembrandt was in charge of an active workshop for four decades and trained many of the leading artists to follow him in his native cities of Lieden and Antwerp. He popularized the printmaking technique of etching, as well as drypoint, both of which are intaglio techniques, and art forms in which he was known for developing into a high art. View the video from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for an explanation of these processes: https://youtu.be/SNKn4PORGBI In his paintings, especially during his late period, Rembrandt used a wider range of textures in paint, creating a rich chiaroscuro ranging from thin glazes to impasto, or a thick application of paint to the canvas. The painting above is an example of this mature period whose commissioning we know nothing about. The subject depicted is of the biblical King David (yes, Donatello's, Michelangelo's and Bernini's David and the shepherd who became king of Israel) who noticed the beautiful but married Bathsheba at her bath, falling in love with her and summoning her to come to him. He summoned her with a letter, at least that became the visual tradition for representing this scene at this time (in the Bible she is not addressed through a letter-no paper like this in ancient times) before sending her husband, the general Uriah, to the front lines in battle to be killed. This led to her marriage to king David and the birth of her son, who would be King Solomon. Rembrandt chooses a particular perspective of the narrative to depict in his work and it's one that speaks to the Baroque period but also to the unique sensitivity that Northern European artists placed on such subjects. Rembrandt, specifically, creates a masterpiece that beautifully and poignantly captured something that went beyond visual representation of a narrative; he captured the workings of the mind. Taking a look at Rembrandt's painting, Bathsheba with King David's Letter, I'd like for you to consider what Baroque techniques Rembrandt presents here in this work-think of Caravaggio. Most of all, I'd like for you to take the position of Bathsheba above. If you were in this situation, what would you be considering? What would you do? Looking forward to your perspectives, so post something by tomorrow, November 4, 11:59 pm. |