The Rococo Period: Jean-Antoine Watteau

            After the death of Louis XIV in 1715, a new artistic style known as Rococo emerged among the wealthy aristocrats of France. Nobles abandoned the lavish palace of Versailles for city life and the pleasures of Paris. During this period, France experienced a rise in aristocratic power. According to Henri See, Professor at the University of Rennes, “many members of the high nobility led a very pompous, ruinous life. (See 55)” This incredibly extravagant lifestyle can be depicted in the artwork of French painter Jean-Antoine Watteau. Although Watteau’s artistic style was not accepted by the French Academy, he was extremely popular among his aristocratic patrons. His paintings depicted and celebrated the aristocratic lifestyle, usually in organic, outdoor settings. His artwork often stressed natural landscapes unlike earlier artwork, which contained unnatural and controlled depictions of the outdoors. Watteau used loose brush strokes and a pastel color palette to create playful but elegant artwork.

            Jean-Antoine Watteau moved to Paris in 1702, where he student paintings by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens as well as the paintings and drawings of sixteenth century venetians. During his time in Paris, “Watteau perfected a graceful personal style informed by the fluent brushwork and rich colors of Rubens and the Venetians. (Stokstad 906)” Before gaining popularity with the aristocracy, Watteau supported himself by selling religious pictures and copying the works of popular Dutch artists. In 1719, Watteau painted The Champs-Elysees, which depicts a group of aristocrats in a beautiful fall landscape. In this painting, he portrays the gaiety and frivolity of the aristocratic lifestyle in France. The landscape was painted with loose brush strokes to appear very natural and organic. Although Watteau uses some pastels, his color palette illustrates the green, yellow, orange, and red tones of autumn. Watteau was influenced by the artwork of Ruben and believed that color was the most important aspect of a painting. He uses luminous colors that are very naturalistic and are intended to impact the viewer. Watteau’s depictions of the aristocracy and their outdoor entertainment eventually became known as the style fete galante.

            In 1721, Jean-Antoine Watteau painted an erotic scene of a nude woman bathing in a pond titled Diana Bathing. During the Rococo Period, sexual artwork was intended for private and intimate viewing. Unlike his fete galante paintings, this image displays a suggestive scene, which would have appealed to many aristocrats. This painting would have contributed to the aristocratic “atmosphere of sensuality and luxury. (Stokstad 906)” The nude woman depicted is probably an aristocrat because of the lavish clothing beside her.  Although the woman is the main focus of the painting, the natural landscape takes up a large portion of the scene. Watteau continues to use loose brushstrokes to realistically portray nature. He also uses pastel colors to better depict sensuality in this image.

            The artwork of Jean-Antoine Watteau was an important aspect in the development of the Rococo style. He depicts the extravagant lifestyle of the aristocracy within organic landscapes. Watteau gained popularity through the aristocrats and his artwork really typifies their lavish behavior and style. Although he was not fully appreciated in the 18^th century, more recent viewers adore Watteau’s depictions of the extravagant aristocratic lifestyle.

See, Henri. "Economic and Social Conditions in France During the Eighteenth Century." McMaster University. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2112. <http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3ll3/see/18thCentury.pdf>

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Watt Cothren. Art History: Portable Edition. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.

Baroque Artwork: The Influence of Caravaggio

            In the seventeenth century, a style known as Baroque art emerged in Italy as a response to the Catholic counter-reformation. After the rise of Protestantism, art was created to bring people back to the Catholic Church.  The purpose of this artwork was to stress the importance of saints, teach the laity, and emphasize the significance of the Eucharist. These subjects were included in artwork to restore confidence in the church. Baroque art is categorized by features such as drama, strong diagonals, light and dark contrasts, viewer involvement, naturalism, and illusionism. The theatricality of this artwork was intended to influence the viewer to return to the Catholic Church.

            One of the most influential Baroque painters was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. His artwork was incredibly dramatic and emotional, focusing on the most intense moment of a scene. Caravaggio used a monochromatic background to push figures to the forefront of the painting. Figures seem to practically topple out of the scene into the viewer’s space. Caravaggio was very interested in naturalism, so figures were realistic and lifelike. People are far from idealized and his paintings include dirty, gritty details. Caravaggio often includes a light source to create tenebrism, or intense light and dark contrasts of color. He also includes strong diagonals throughout the composition of his paintings. The subject matter of Caravaggio’s paintings is usually biblical and often includes saints. The emphasis on the importance of saints was propaganda to bring people back to the Catholic Church. Caravaggio’s style of painting influenced artist throughout Northern and Southern Europe for decades to come.  

 

            The Italian female artist Artemisia Gentileschi was clearly influenced and inspired by Caravaggio. Between 1611 and 1612, Gentileschi created the oil painting Judith Beheading Holofernes. The scene depicts a heroine, Judith, beheading a soldier to save the Jews from the Assyrians. The scene portrays the most heightened moment of drama, as Judith brings a sword to Holofernes neck and blood spews onto the bed. Gentileschi includes numerous Caravaggesque details such as the monochromatic background, strong light and dark contracts, diagonals, and naturalism. Artemisia did not create this painting as a part of the counter-reformation. Instead, this painting may represent retaliation against men or the empowerment of women.

            Another artist influenced by Caravaggio was the Dutch painter Gerrit Van Honthorst. Although Catholicism was mostly outlawed throughout Holland, Honthorst lived in a predominantly Catholic town. The Mocking of Christ, painted between 1617 and 1620, illustrates a group of men taunting and tormenting Jesus Christ. A torch in the center of the image creates an incredible contrast of light and dark colors. This dramatic lighting creates a sense of emotion and somberness for the viewer.  The men depicted are very naturalistic and look like people you might see in everyday life. Honthorst also uses a monochromatic background to push the figures forward and give the illusion of three dimension.

            As you can see, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an incredibly influential artist during the Baroque period. His dramatic, theatrical painting inspired artists for generations to come. Characteristics of his paintings can be found in paintings, sculptures, and architecture throughout Europe. 

Northern European Artwork in the 16th Century

             In the 16^th century, numerous styles and ideas from the Italian Renaissance began to spread across Europe. In the north, new techniques from Italy began to merge with earlier northern artistic traditions. One of the most famous northern artists from this period is Albrecht Durer. In his early career, Durer traveled to Italy as a journeyman and studied different artistic styles such as naturalism and humanism. Durer could be compared to the “Renaissance Men” of Italy because of his interest in a multitude of subjects. He later combined various aspects of Italian and Northern artwork to create interesting and innovative pieces. Durer is most famous for his paintings and woodblocks, which can be illustrated by the engraving Adam and Eve and various self-portraits throughout his lifetime.

            In 1504, Albrecht Durer produced an engraving, depicting Adam and Eve just before the fall of man. The scene illustrates the moment Eve took the apple from the snake and gave it to Adam. Although it was forbidden for them to eat the fruit, the couple could not avoid temptation. Within this image there is a combination of northern and Italian styles, influenced by Durer’s time in Italy. Both Adam and Eve are nude because of Durer’s interest in humanism. The couple is quite idealized, which represents the celebration of the human form. Adam and Eve are also positioned in a contrapposto weight shift, an Italian technique that was first utilized in the Classical Era. In addition to these Italian influences, Durer also used many Northern ideals. This engraving is incredibly detailed and there is an obvious interest in texture. Durer utilized shading and crosshatching to make this image more realistic and lifelike. He also included lots of symbols throughout this engraving, which was a prominent northern style throughout history. Some of the animals in this image represent the Four Humors or Temperaments. Within the Garden of Eden, these temperaments are held in balance until Adam takes the apple. These four personality types are represented by the choleric cat, the sanguine rabbit, the phlegmatic ox, and the melancholic ox. 

            Throughout Albrecht Durer’s career, he also created numerous self-portraits. One of his first self-portraits was a gift for his fiancé while he was working in Italy as a journeyman. The painting, which was finished in 1493, was intended to reassure his fiancé that he was doing well. In this portrait, Durer sits in a three quarter pose and is exceptionally dressed. He depicts himself as a wealthy patron in order to gain status in society. Then, in 1498, Durer produced another self- portrait where he is dressed in affluent garb and seated in a three quarter pose. In the background, a window opens up to a vast landscape. The use of a window in his portrait was probably influenced by some of the artwork Durer observed in Italy. Durer created his most well-known and controversial self-portrait in 1500. In this painting, he faces forward in a pose usually reserved for depictions of Jesus Christ. This frontal portrait is direct and confrontational as Durer stares intently at the viewer. There is a Latin inscription on the painting that represents Durer’s interest in humanism and his level of education. The “immortal colors” utilized by Durer make this painting even more haunting and similar to a depiction of Christ.

            As you can see, Albrect Durer was an incredibly talented and revered artist throughout Northern Europe. He was the first artist to combine various Italian and northern artistic styles to create innovative pieces. His combination of techniques led to revered artwork that is still enjoyed and marveled at today. 

Mannerism in the 16th Century

           At the beginning of the 16^th Century, a new artistic style known as Mannerism emerged within Italy. Mannerism began as a reaction to the unease caused by the formation of Protestantism. As a response to this anxiety, artists began creating chaotic, unnatural artwork that would disturb their viewers. The naturalism and realism that was popular in the Renaissance shifted to an interest in creating artificial and stylized characters. This new artwork moved away from harmony and balance and instead focused on unrealistic body proportions and unstable compositions. Two famous mannerist paintings are Madonna with the Long Neck by Parmigiano and Allegory of Venus and Cupid by Bronzino. Although these two paintings have various similarities and differences, they both have distinct Mannerist styles.

            In 1535, the artist Parmigiano completed an oil painting known as Madonna with the Long Neck. Throughout his career, Parmigiano studied artists, such and Michelangelo, Raphael, and Guilio Romano, which influenced his development of a mannerist style. In Madonna with the Long Neck, the Virgin Mary holds the Christ Child in her lap as a group of young girls gaze upon the sleeping child. This painting is obviously mannerist because of the unnatural, elongation of all of the figures. Mary has an unusually small head, an incredibly long neck, abnormally large thighs, and her entire body is extraordinarily elongated. The Christ Child is also quite disproportioned and looks to be the size of a four year old, not a newborn baby. Although the figures have very strange proportions, the composition and scene within Madonna with the Long Neck are still very similar to previous Renaissance styles. There is somewhat of a triangular composition and the background has some classical references, such as a large granite pillar. The background may not be complete because Parmigiano was still working on this painting at the time of his death and historians are unsure if it was finished.

            About ten years later, in 1945, Bronzino created the Allegory with Venus and Cupid as a gift for Francis I. This oil painting illustrates Venus and Cupid erotically embracing, surrounded by various fantastical onlookers. Like the Madonna with the Long Neck, this painting depicts mother and child in a mannerist style with unnaturally elongated features. Venus is precariously seated and her body is twisted and contorted within the frame. Cupid also has unbelievably long features and is resting unstably on a pillow. There are multiple figures watching Venus and Cupid, just like the group of girls in Madonna with the Long Neck. However, the figures in the Allegory with Venus and Cupid have strange characteristics such as the young girl with a serpent’s body. Unlike Parmigiano’s painting, the Allegory with Venus and Cupid is a much more chaotic scene. There is no clear background in this painting and the onlookers are randomly placed. The unorganized composition utilized by Bronzino may have been a method of alarming and disturbing viewers.

            As you can see, the two paintings Madonna with the Long Neck and Allegory with Venus and Cupid have similar mannerist styles but differing artistic compositions. The artwork produced throughout the Mannerist Period is incredibly confusing and chaotic compared to artwork from the Renaissance. However, the evolution of art is a common trend throughout history and the Mannerist Period eventually transitions into new artistic styles.