1. Baroque – Dutch Flemish
The popularity and success of the "Baroque" was encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church. They realized that artists' dramatic style could show religious themes with elaborate artistic styles
The secular (nonreligious) aristocracy also saw the dramatic style of architecture and art as a means of impressing visitors and competitors
This period used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce emotions such as drama, tension, exuberance, and excellence in sculpture, painting, literature, and music
The style started around 1600 in Rome, and spread to most of Europe
For the first time, Baroque sculpture often had multiple ideal viewing angles
Primary Artists:
Caravaggio Peter Paul Rubens Diego Velasquez
Bernini Rembrandt Vermeer

2. Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi – successful artist but his turbulent lifestyle led to fights, drunkenness, murder and he spent years fleeing Rome and the police
He used live models such as street people
Claimed he didn’t need to study past masters
He created realistic and “lived in” natural emotions
His use of intense, unseen light sources cast extreme contrasts of light and dark on the scene, called chiaroscuro influenced generations to come
The Calling of St. Matthew – oil on canvas, 1600
The Conversion of St. Paul –
oil on canvas, 1600
The Crucifixion of St. Peter –
oil on canvas, 1601

3. Peter Paul Rubens A famous Flemish artist
His work is in France, Italy, and the Netherlands, very famous throughout all of Europe
At an auction in 2002, Rubens' painting Massacre of the Innocents sold for $75 million
The Adoration of the Magi
1624 Oil on canvas
The Raising of the Cross 1610 Oil on wood

4. Diego Velasquez The crown jewel of Spain’s golden age of painting
Inspired by Caravaggio, with a naturalistic style; everyday activities and ordinary people as models
Many paintings include royals of Spain, who was his primary commissioner
His masterpiece, Las Meninas is a play: is the family royal? (the king and queen entering) or is it picture of the royal family on a commoners wall?
His paintings have been recreated by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali
Friend of Peter Paul Rubens, who convinced him to use Oil painting
Las meninas
Las meninas 1957– by Picasso

5. Apollo and Daphne marble, 1625
Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was undoubtedly the most important sculptor of the Baroque period
He excelled in marble sculptures and busts, with overly dramatic movement and emotions
Inspired by Greco-Roman sculpture and form
Believed Italian art was better than any other, which offended the French
Designed the Piazza and colonnades of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City)
The Ecstasy of St. Theresa
marble sculpture, 1652
The Piazza of St. Peter’s Basilica
Vatican, 1652

6. Rembrandt
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn - The greatest artist of the Dutch school, lived primarily in Amsterdam
His paintings are characterized by luxuriant brushwork, rich color, and a mastery of chiaroscuro
He was a master of light and shadow; his paintings, drawings, and etchings made him a master
He was successful, but died poor, he couldn’t afford his living style
He produced approximately 600 paintings, 300 etchings, and 1,400 drawings. (60 self-portraits)
The Little Children Being Brought to Jesus 1649 Etching
The Night Watch, Rijksmuseum 1642

7. Vermeer Johannes Vermeer was a Delft painter
Girl with a Pearl Earring 1666 Oil on canvas
Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer was a Delft painter
He completed less than 40 works of art
He produced carefully detailed interiors with just one or two figures - usually women – bringing beauty to everyday life
His style used light softly and subtly, like natural daylight, with highlights to focus
His paintings were full of symbolism, as if they were like poetry
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher Oil on canvas

8. Activity Time
Choose one artist from the Baroque time period and create your own replica
You can copy the style, the subject, shadowing effects, the exact paintings – YOUR INTERPRETATION
For examples:
If you copy Caravaggio, create unique light sources, casting shadows
If you copy Rubens, create obvious emotions and physical movement
For Velasquez, create your interpretation of Las Meninas
For Bernini, draw a marble sculpture (Greek-style)
For Rembrandt, paint a self-portrait
For Vermeer, paint a woman doing an everyday task