The Baroque WorldThe Baroque World1560 - 17741560 - 1774

The Baroque WorldThe Baroque World1560 - 17741560 - 1774

The Counter-Reformation SpiritThe Counter-Reformation SpiritThe Counter-Reformation SpiritThe Counter-Reformation Spirit

Council of Trent (1545-1563) Redefined doctrines, reaffirmed dogmas Assertion of discipline, education New artistic demands, purpose

Society of Jesus, Jesuits Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Missionaries, educational improvement

Council of Trent (1545-1563) Redefined doctrines, reaffirmed dogmas Assertion of discipline, education New artistic demands, purpose

Society of Jesus, Jesuits Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Missionaries, educational improvement

Seventeenth-Century BaroqueSeventeenth-Century BaroqueSeventeenth-Century BaroqueSeventeenth-Century Baroque Commitment to strong emotional statements Sense of psychological exploration Technical virtuosity Rich, ornate, elaborate, fanciful Strong emotionalism Invention of new and daring techniques

Commitment to strong emotional statements Sense of psychological exploration Technical virtuosity Rich, ornate, elaborate, fanciful Strong emotionalism Invention of new and daring techniques

Galileo GalileiGalileo GalileiGalileo GalileiGalileo Galilei• founder of modern physics and astronomyfounder of modern physics and astronomy• used the new technology of the telescope used the new technology of the telescope to prove Copernicus correct, as well as to to prove Copernicus correct, as well as to observe the inconstancy of the heavens observe the inconstancy of the heavens (craters of the moon, sunspots, phases of (craters of the moon, sunspots, phases of venus, moons of Jupiter)venus, moons of Jupiter)• convicted by the Church Inquisition for convicted by the Church Inquisition for heresy and forced to recant his heresy and forced to recant his scientifically accurate conclusions because scientifically accurate conclusions because the Church believed the heavens to be the Church believed the heavens to be unalterable and perfect, and the Earth to be unalterable and perfect, and the Earth to be the center of the universe. The Church was the center of the universe. The Church was wrong and the scientist was right—and wrong and the scientist was right—and Pope John Paul II finally exonerated Pope John Paul II finally exonerated Galileo in 1980.Galileo in 1980.

Rene Descartes, founder of modern Rene Descartes, founder of modern philosophyphilosophy Rene Descartes, founder of modern Rene Descartes, founder of modern philosophyphilosophy

Cogito ergo sum!

In books such as his Discourse on Method (1637) and Meditations (1641), he rejects received truths of Aristotle

Begins philosophical analysis of the condition of being by basing all claims on logical observations, not received truths.

After all, our perceptions may be misleading, and thus must also be subjected to rigorous analysis and fact checking.

John Donne, a “metaphysical” English Baroque poet. In his very clever and technical poems such as “The Flea” and “The Valediction” he sought to give new intellectual expression to emotional states, often using naturalistic and scientific imagery.

John Donne’s John Donne’s “The Flea”“The Flea”

A baroque “metaphysical” A baroque “metaphysical” poempoem

Note the poet’s use of Note the poet’s use of elaborate naturalistic and elaborate naturalistic and

scientific metaphors.scientific metaphors.

John Donne’s John Donne’s “The Flea”“The Flea”

A baroque “metaphysical” A baroque “metaphysical” poempoem

Note the poet’s use of Note the poet’s use of elaborate naturalistic and elaborate naturalistic and

scientific metaphors.scientific metaphors.

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,How little that which thou deniest me is ;It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.Thou know'st that this cannot be saidA sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead ;    Yet this enjoys before it woo,    And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two;    And this, alas ! is more than we would do.

O stay, three lives in one flea spare,Where we almost, yea, more than married are.This flea is you and I, and thisOur marriage bed, and marriage temple is.Though parents grudge, and you, we're met,And cloister'd in these living walls of jet.    Though use make you apt to kill me,    Let not to that self-murder added be,    And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou sincePurpled thy nail in blood of innocence?Wherein could this flea guilty be,Except in that drop which it suck'd from thee?Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thouFind'st not thyself nor me the weaker now.'Tis true ; then learn how false fears be ;Just so much honour, when thou yield'st to me,Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,How little that which thou deniest me is ;It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.Thou know'st that this cannot be saidA sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead ;    Yet this enjoys before it woo,    And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two;    And this, alas ! is more than we would do.

O stay, three lives in one flea spare,Where we almost, yea, more than married are.This flea is you and I, and thisOur marriage bed, and marriage temple is.Though parents grudge, and you, we're met,And cloister'd in these living walls of jet.    Though use make you apt to kill me,    Let not to that self-murder added be,    And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou sincePurpled thy nail in blood of innocence?Wherein could this flea guilty be,Except in that drop which it suck'd from thee?Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thouFind'st not thyself nor me the weaker now.'Tis true ; then learn how false fears be ;Just so much honour, when thou yield'st to me,Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.

John Milton John Milton John Milton John Milton in in Paradise Lost he Paradise Lost he combined a reformation combined a reformation sensibility with a Baroque interest in sensibility with a Baroque interest in psychological statespsychological states

Visual Arts in the Baroque Period

Painting in RomeRomeVisual Arts in the Baroque Period

Painting in RomeRomeCaravaggio (1573-1610)

Dramatic naturalism, realism Brutal, pessimistic Emotional, psychological

Chiaroscuro The Calling of St. Matthew (1597-1601) The Martyrdom of St. Matthew (c. 1602)

Caravaggio (1573-1610) Dramatic naturalism, realism

Brutal, pessimistic Emotional, psychological

Chiaroscuro The Calling of St. Matthew (1597-1601) The Martyrdom of St. Matthew (c. 1602)

As a point of contrast, here is Byzantine and Medieval Art: it is flat, iconic, not realistic, religiously symbolic. Contrast this with Caravaggio’s religious paintings in the following slides…

CaravaggioThe Calling of St. Matthew (1597-1601)

Carravagio, The Martyrdom of St. Matthew (c. 1602)

(you can see why Matthew wasn’t so eager to be called!)

Visual Arts in the Baroque PeriodVisual Arts in the Baroque PeriodRoman Baroque Sculpture and ArchitectureRoman Baroque Sculpture and Architecture

Visual Arts in the Baroque PeriodVisual Arts in the Baroque PeriodRoman Baroque Sculpture and ArchitectureRoman Baroque Sculpture and Architecture

Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) Chief architect of Counter-Reformation

Built fountains, palaces, churches for Vatican Religious-themed sculptures

David (1623) Saint Teresa in Ecstasy (1645-1652)

Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) Chief architect of Counter-Reformation

Built fountains, palaces, churches for Vatican Religious-themed sculptures

David (1623) Saint Teresa in Ecstasy (1645-1652)

BerniniDavid (1623)

Contrast with Donatello and Michelangelo

BerniniSaint Teresa in Ecstasy (1645-1652)

Baroque Art in FranceBaroque Art in FranceBaroque Art in FranceBaroque Art in France

The Palace of Versailles Louis XIV = the Sun King Grandiose symbolism of the palace Baroque extremes matched with Classical

simplicity

The Palace of Versailles Louis XIV = the Sun King Grandiose symbolism of the palace Baroque extremes matched with Classical

simplicity

Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743)

Portrait of Louis XIV (1701)

Baroque Art in SpainBaroque Art in SpainBaroque Art in SpainBaroque Art in Spain

Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) Vitality of scene Lives of ordinary people Las Meninas (1656)

Color Space Reality of detail

Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) Vitality of scene Lives of ordinary people Las Meninas (1656)

Color Space Reality of detail

Las Meninas (1656)

Baroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern Europe

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) Hélène Fourment and Her Children

Intimate, tender Personalized emotionality

The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus Restless energy, sense of action Female nudity, ample proportions

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) Hélène Fourment and Her Children

Intimate, tender Personalized emotionality

The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus Restless energy, sense of action Female nudity, ample proportions

Baroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern Europe Jan Vermeer (1632-1675)

Inner contemplation, repose Light, stillness

Jan Vermeer (1632-1675) Inner contemplation, repose Light, stillness

Baroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern EuropeBaroque Art in Northern Europe

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) Spiritual matters, problems of existence The Night Watch (1642) Self-understanding through self-portraits

Psychologically reflective Tragic nature of human destiny

Emotionality through virtuosity

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) Spiritual matters, problems of existence The Night Watch (1642) Self-understanding through self-portraits

Psychologically reflective Tragic nature of human destiny

Emotionality through virtuosity

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