Question Much of Baroque art demonstrated a fascination with action, even outright violence. This quality can be seen from region to region, and irrespective of subject matter. What might explain the Baroque interest in action? How did that interest inform architectural styles and painterly techniques? How did it affect the use of color and light? How did Baroque artists use action and violence to convey religious themes? How did they use them to enhance Classical and secular subjects? Use at least two artworks as examples for your discussion.
The intense emotions that surround the Baroque period are considered to be parallel with how the period of Counter – Reformation sparked debates in Europe. In the pursuit of the church to bring back to the faith in Christianity, the religious institution has hired artists to create artworks that are filled with intense emotions.
This can be seen on how one of the premier painters, Michelangelo Caravaggio used diagonal lines and painterly techniques, especially the chiaroscuro, to provide depth, emotions and sensuality in his paintings. One of the noticeable paintings is the Supper at Emmaus. In this case, there is a realistic portrayal of the narrative of the last supper, which is a clear diversion from the traditional linear perspective presentation.
In the paintings, it can be seen that the image is taken as a complete whole. If one of the elements is taken away, it loses it the essence. Another common property of these artworks is to extend the artworks confinement beyond the canvas.
This can be seen also in the way sculpture and architecture interacted to convey the intensity of emotions that totally redefined views on art. Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s work Esctasy of St. Theresa is one the groundbreaking artworks of the said period that shows a religious subject matter that was conveyed in a highly emotional composition. In this sculpture, the light shows the angel’s role as messenger by carrying an arrow to be used as a piercer for St. Theresa’s heart. Inasmuch, the suspended emotions of St. Theresa, in a state of ecstasy creates awe because of her reclining form and expression of an intense emotion as a response to the angel’s gestures. At the same time, the sculpture interacts with the architecture because it can be seen as an altar.
It can be seen that flow or movement present in the artworks, together with the way they are situated posits intense emotionality. The traditional, religious images (having halos and other divine attributes) have been converted into human – like qualities by eradicating indicators but making the religious images closer to humans by making it more human in terms of presentation to aid one’s perception.
Question #2
The Rococo style celebrated aristocratic excess and earthly pleasures at the same time that new intellectual developments were undermining the basis of aristocratic rule. Examine Rococo in its broader social and political context. What values did Rococo art celebrate? What concerns did it display in its subject matter? What was its overall tone? What might Rococo art reveal about the nature of aristocratic rule in the eighteenth century? Does the art reveal a culture at its peak, or a culture well in decline? Use at least two artwork as examples for your discussion.
Regarding Rococo, the core values that it projected, as an art form is playfulness, ornamentation and design enhancement. In Rococo, the artworks have diverted from the religious imagery to more social realities or even lives of aristocrats. One the paintings that show playfulness and lavishness of aristocratic lives is the work of Jean Fragonard The Swing.
In this painting, the aristocrat’s perversion and cheerfulness are highlighted. However, the image can be considered a criticism of the social order since the aristocrats have been using art to supplement their lavish lives. At the same time, the subject matter is slowly diverting away from religion or classical themes and moving towards lives of people who consume art: the aristocrats. It can be seen that the aristocrats, to validate their class and status and to make them the arbiters of taste, have used art.
Another painting under this period is by William Hogarth Marriage a la Mode series. This painting is a series of images working on the theme of marriage under aristocratic dimensions. This painting can be considered a criticism of the way lifestyle for the aristocrats are being done, especially through marriages where money is involved. This is also a challenge to the way the aristocrats have lived a life of pleasure and overconsumption, which in turn, can become an avenue and reason for their downfall.
On an overall level, Rococo has been diverting away from the religious image and is engaging the social realities that beset society. In this way, art becomes a tool to interrogate the way things are structured and society and can be an avenue to open one’s view of the world in a totally different perspective.
