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HIST 7005 – Review Photo Slides

BAROQUE
Overview of 1600-1700;
- Begins in Rome 1600,
- Considered; unrestrained, emotional and energetic style
- Reacts against the past style of Mannerism (staged, elegant, little emotional
content)
- Financed by the Catholic Church (Pope)
o Artists where commissioned by the Church to illustrate ‘counter
reformation’ (the comeback of the Catholic Church)
o Thus, artists appeal to everyday people, making it more humble in
origin
- Spreads to France, Spain, Flanders, Italy and Netherlands (Western Europe
phenomenon)

Main Characteristics of Baroque Art

- Artists try to break down the barrier between art and life with their canvases
and sculpture
- Painting’s “reach out” of canvas
- Figures have an ‘aura’ about them (sculpture)
- Lots of drama and theatricality of images; strong degree of naturalism
o The extreme states of human emotion by capturing the actual moment
of time.
o “SNAP-SHOT IMAGES”  figures in mid-task, candid moments – the
FLEETING MOMENT
VISUALLY;
- Asymmetrical lines, more balanced on the right, or left
o Unbalanced and not linear, specifically diagonal lineage
o Light rays and/or gold is indicative of God or the heavens
o Rich, royal colors
o Photo Journalism; idealizing that the painting may be valuable in the
future
o Iconologia; symbolic importance’s of particular objects ie. A scale, a
skull, an empty wine bottle etc.

ACADEMIC INFLUENCES
- this was also evident in the Roccoco style
- Academic vs. Non-Academic artists; Status Quo vs. The Man
o Academics decided patrons and style; their models, and it was
Authoritative (the Church)
o Non-Academics denied the academy as the rules were too limiting and
do not allow true expression
- Divided into two names, Poussinits vs. Reubenists.
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o Poussinists; art enjoyment is secondary, art isn’t art if you don’t learn
anything from it. Detail, well-organized and slow. Outlines are more
important. Portrayed in a more script-like way with a moralistic
aconcept.
o Reubenists; art can touch people in an essential way. The style was
faster, looser, evident brushstrokes, less outlines but the mixing of the
colour was important. No mythological or historical bases; just an
image for pleasure.

Bernini; Ecstasy of St. Teresa 1645-1652

- Bernini conveys his art very emotionally
- St. Teresa was an obscure choice for a saint
o She was known for levitating and shaking
o St. Teresa was not gorgeous (relatable)
- The MEMOIR of the painting;
o She was visited by an angel and touched by God (which in the painting
Bernini is trying to depict)
o She is portrayed in midst of a sexual extract/orgasm as the angel
touches her.
 Evident muscle tension (she is leaning back)
 Angel’s arrow is pointed to pierce her pelvis
 Indicative light source; rays of gold casting down on sculpture
Gentileschi; Judith Slaying Holofernes C. 1620
- Gentileschi was the daughter of a well known painter, and from her father
she learnt the techniques of Baroque style
o This skill eventually caused her problems
 She was raped by a man who worked with her father
 This was an act of aggression against her skills
 She undergoes a trial accusing this man, and becomes
demonized and tortured for ‘lying’
 The man was released and Gentileschi left Rome
 During her trials, she began to paint
- Gentileschi was the first woman to be accepted into an academy and she
traveled all over Europe to paint
 Other female painters during Baroque time only painted
domestic genre scenes (flowers)
- The MEMOIR of the painting;
o Gentileschi was known for illustrating female form and character in a
Naturalistic way (not idealized)
o Judith is a strong, capable woman (physical strength, facial emotions)
 Portrait portrays Judith cutting off a man’s head; reveals it as
hard work
 Evident aggression > which creates a great stir in Italy
 Deep red, golds, and cast shadow
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 Holofernes is laying on an angle

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Hals; The Merry Drinker 1630

- Hals was a ‘bad boy’ like Bernini during their time
o Painted portraits of people who entered the pub he hung out in
 Human states and passion, mainly that of insanity and
drunkenness
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Man is wearing typical Baroque clothing; diagonally tilted hat and
hand gesture
o Obvious drunkenness (rosey cheeks, glassy eyes)
o Brush work is impressionistic; evident lines of detail, not finely
blended and glossed
 No texture or depth as Hals was working fast to capture the
fleeting moment

Velazquez; Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor), 1656 (SPAIN)

- Velazquez was known for hiding meanings in his paintings
 He traveled to Italy; knew contemporary styles
 He erased boundaries of art and reality
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Central figure; princess of the Royal family
 Surrounded by maids who are dwarves (paid companions, and
during these times seen as perfect playmates for the children)
o Dog; Domestic pets are silent witnesses (ALTERNATE views as
another clue or interpretation of the scene)
o Royal couple is portrayed and being painted by Velasquez who
painted himself INTO the painting (far left, with artists palette)
 This is evident because of reflection of couple in the mirror
 VISUAL TRICK; mirror is silent witness
 Suggests that the COUPLE was the initial purpose of
portraiture

Rembrant; The Night Watch, 1642

- Rembrant created a painting for a group of volunteer firefighters
o An epic moment, a narrative of men to commemorate their help
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Lightsource from left, being shone onto central front figures
 Strange illumination coming from, well, no where?
o Persons are situated closer to the edge of the canvas, so viewer is
close to foreground
 Guards hand loos like its coming out of canvas, into our space –
cast shadow on the ground
 This erases boundaries of this style of art
o Bold reds, contrast, and colour schemes
o Sense of movement; spears being held in odd ways at every angle
o A dog is present
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ROCCOCO
Overview of mid -1600 to late 1700;
- Stylistically a branch of Baroque
- French phenomenon, then reaches Germany and England
- Influenced by the upper class and patronage (heroism)
- Specifically what the upper classes wanted;
o Not a lot of religious imagery, but rather
o Escapists and eroticism

RECAP TO BAROQUE

Watteau; A Pilgrimage to Cytheria, 1717

- This particular scene was in demand of the upper class
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Cytheria (Bottecelli; Birth of Venus, mythological dwelling place of
erotic tales and of a promised Eden)
o The island is painted in a Reubenes que way; lush brush
strokes, pastel colours and a hazey look.
 Cherubs (little angels) are indicitive of innocence
 Group of people leaving pomised island after an orgy
 Upper class dressed
 Evident dog (silent witness)
 Fantasy canopy beds, cushions; suggesting an erotic
scene
 Typical composition

Fragonard; The Swing, 1768

- Subject matter of the painting is frivolous; no moral < Part of Roccoco
characteristics
- Purely a painting for the wealthy subject matter
- The MEMOIR of the Painting
o Woman in swing is being pushed by a clergymen
 Fragonard puts clergyman as a societal recommendation;
which makes the appearances as acceptable and morally right
o Clergyman is unaware that her lover is hiding in the bushes,
o Statues cleverly situate the story
 Apparently the woman is not wearing any underwear
 Thus her lover can see her vag?
o Fragonard instigates movement around the photo by the angles of the
swing and center figure.
 Her shoe is flying off, which indicates it will fall directly in front
of her hidden lover
 There is an overall haziness and reubenesque style; the Garden
of Love
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Chardin; Soap Bubbles, 1733-34

- Chardin painted genre scenes; the Staff of the household
- Early Roccoco style; 1720-1790
- Focus on transitory nature of everyday life, just like the “Fleeting Moment”,
Baroque snapshots
o But this painting is different.
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Leisurely image (upper class dress, hair and dwarf beside the boy)
o Not a significant moment (not telling a larger lesson)
 Baroque would have focused on the “popped bubble”
o Fleeting moment of pleasure rather; light hearted

Hogarth; Marriage a la Mode, Scene ii, 1743

- Marriage a la Mode is a series of 6 paintings transcribed to print for
newspapers and periodicals.
- Hogarth was a journalist, painter and printmaker. He was critical of the class
system and had strong social ideals.
o Traditions, if not for work, should be re-thought
o Critical of arranged marriages
 Thought they did more harm than good ; in terms of personal
and emotional aspects
 Seen as economic transactions between people (marriage a la
mode)
- MEMOIR of the painting
o First scene; transaction of an arranged marriage is evident. 2 fathers,
1 lawyer with marriage contract. Daughter of wealthy trade merchant
is being married to an Earl; title name for the family.
o “Shortly After Marriage”
 wife seems content, with a sly look on her face, as if in
satisfaction sitting in an un-ladylike manner
 the husband seems tired and rumpled as if he were out all
night.
 He has a black spot on his neck suggesting syphilis
 Dog sniffing his pocket, suggests that another woman’s
hankercheif is in it.
 A clergymen is present, as if he were there to help their
troubled marriage
 He seems fed up, and unconcerned in annoyance
 Chair is askew, papers everywhere to suggest a fit was
thrown
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NEO-CLASSICISM
Overview
- Bred from Republican France
o Banned the worship of Christian Sects
o ‘Deism’ became the dominant religion after the French Revolution
- EQUALITY without Hierarchy
o Hierarchy was eliminated
o Class system was equal
 “There was a God who created the universe. He/she took off
and has no concern for life there after. “ < Diesm
 the idea towards the beauty of creation and its order (nature)
 no human characters for worship

Main Characteristics of Art

- The attraction of Classical times (Rome)
o Mythology/philosophy
- Artists and writers are interested in the site of Pompei and Herculonians.
o In 1738, these sites were excavated and revealed.
o These are the first instances of how Ancient Romans lived and who
they surrounded themselves with wall paintings.
 Wall paintings
 The art historians compared the roman paintings to Roccoco
 Paintings were luxurious and erotic
 Hortizontal and Vertical lines. Person laying down, straight
poles
- No Dramatic chiaroscuro (strong contrasts between light and dark, usually
bold contrasts affecting a whole composition)
o You can see all characters, all equally lit
o Strong colours with moral undertone
o WINKELMANN; Art Historian
 It is not the form of painting that is impotant. You must capture
‘ancient spirit’ that can be found in mythology (stresses
morality and virtue)

Houdon; Voltaire Seated, 1780

- Sculpture
- Volitaire was a French enlightenment philosopher
- Dressed in Ancient philosophers garb
o Seated in ancient philosopher Greecian chair
o He is gazing out into the public, rather then up
o He has a large head; suggests intelligence
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David; Death of Marat, 1793

- Marat was a journalist, who printed propaganda
- Compiled lists of Revels who were to be killed (Marat nosed out Royalists;
anti-republican
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Marat was often submerged in a bath of milk because of his skin
disease
o In his bath, he is in the process of composing a list, the name
Charlotte de Corday is evident; for she is the next to die
 Charlotte was the one who stabbed him in this scene.
o In reality, Marat was a terrible, ugly, mean man
 But in the painting, David depicts Marat as a martyr of the
French.
 David sketched the death scene in actual life.
o Odd gold light from the top right hand corner
o No background, no drapery
o Sense of idealism

David; Oath of the Haratii, 1785

- Mythological story; typical to the time of Neo-Classicism
o Story of 3 brothers about to fight a war against their 3 cousins.
o “Sacrifice for the greater good”
 Virtue, Heroism
o The Memoir of the Painting
 Classical back drop, especially the Roman Arches
 Women, Sisters and mother are in despair behind father. A few
faces do not seem sadden.
 Doubious story, 1 brother returns after winning the
war, to discover a sister is secretly married to a cousin
and is put to death

Greuze; The Benefactress, 1775

- Painting is depicting a middle class family
- The NC virtue of supporting middle classes/or those in difficulty
o Women to the right are the Benefactresses showing charity and
teaching a lesson to the younger daughter
o Typical of NC art
 Horizontal, vertical lines
 Evident colour
 Oral story
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ROMANTICISM
Overview of 1770’s to 1820
- Romanticism is a state of mind, rather than a form of Criteria
- Began in Germany and England
- Spread to Europe by the 1820’s
- Against rationality and order of Neo-Classicism
o Believed imagination was superior to reason
 Imagination, spontaneity, freedom from rules and boundaries
 Worship and the love of nature
- Dedicated to examining human personality and moods
o Folk culture, ethnic origins, medieval era
- Atherium Legend
o Traits; genius, hero, madman, and the Warror
o Exotic, Occult and satanic themes

Goya; The Third of May, 1808 – 1814

- Goya was as contemporary of Spain
o He often reveals himself in the painting
o And depicts his paintings as he sees fit
- During this time, Napoleonic Regime (French) had an uprising
o Everyday, Spaniards were rebelling; known as Spanish Insurgeons
- The MEMOIR of the Painting
o The French men are faceless and cast in shadow
 Forward movemtn of the body, indicating a force
 Shooting Insurgeons, evident dead people on the ground
o Like the history of Baraoque and Renaissance
 Lighting of the central figure, upwards hands like submission,
like Crucifixtion (Godly light)

Delacroix; The Death of Sardanapalus, 1827

- Based on the story of Byron
- Sardanapalus is reclining
o Things being removed/taken from him
o In the window his city is being burnt
- Evident movement, bodies askew
o Dark red, golds indicitive of turmoil
o Subject matter is Romantic because it represnts literature
- The MEMOIRS of the painting
o ESCAPISTS; - escapism > “anytime but now, anywhere but here”

Freidrich; The Polar Sea, 1824

o Boat is trapped (Hope is name of ship) “The Wreck of Hope”
 The story of the famous explorer Perry and his adventure of
the North Pole
 Obviously tragic
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- The struggle of Man vs. Nature

o Nature always wins (human struggle)
- Based on Freidrich’s imagination, as he is from Germany, and never been to
the Polar sea
- Breaking up of the ice, shifting and melting in spring
o Triangular ice peaks (grandeur)
o Lots of detail photographic almost
 Symbolic and spritual

Turner; The Slave Ship 1840

- Turner was Constables contemporary at the time.
- He was political, imaginative and a bit of a pessimist
o He was a political painter
o Motivated by abolition of slavery (he wanted it to end) and he used
his paintings to show this
- The ship was written about in the news
o The ship went to sea when the prediction of bad weather was
approaching. The cargo, slaves and goods were all insured by an
external company so the loss of them would result in compensation of
money.
 The sick, dying and injured were thrown over board and
claimed for cash
 Hands are reaching up out of water, hungry fish coming
out of the water
 A landscape of turmoil < reflects the morality of the
situation

Gericault; The Raft of the Medusa, 1818-1819

- Jericho was obsessed with this event and spent a month in segregation
recreating the painting
o He visited the survivors to recreate the story
o Made a lifestyle model with real dead bodies called ‘machec’ > real to
get skin colour
- The painting commemorates a passenger ship to Africa. It was beached on a
sandy shore; the life rafts were boarded by the upper class and promised to
return for the rest of the crew. This never happened.
o The left over people made their own raft and were drawn out to sea
for 10 days; from 150, to only 15 people left
 Accounts of cannabilism; A ship not even in search for them
found them
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Mythological size,
o Stark composition
 You can’t tell who is dead or alive
 Upward hands indicates salvation
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Gros; Napolean in the Plague House at Jaffa, 1804

- Gros was a student of David
o Tagged along and took over after him
- The MEMOIR of the painting
o Napolean is seen on a campaign in the Middle East
 He is visiting a ‘Pest House’ a home meant for those with the
bubonic plague
o Napolean is depicted as Christ; visiting the denying
 He seems unworried about the infested people, he is seen
touching them without a consideration of his status
o Political Image;
 This is a true scene
 Napolean ordered all Pest houses to be burnt down
 Not as compassionate as it was painted
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19th CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHY

Overview of France and England in 1800’s
- 2 things needed for photography at the time
o Optical – mechanical device; to capture and focus an image. Known for
over 1000 years before photography came to be
o Chemical – way to fix image that’s been captured. Much more difficult
chemicals needed to develop.
- 1st camera was called a ‘camera obscura’ a dark roofed house with a hole.

Niepce; View from his window at Le Gras, 1826

- 1st official photo
- image captured by ‘box camera’ > 1 x 1 x 1
- simply a crate with a hinged back, lens is reflected into metal
o chemical needed to be sticky
 a combination that fixes images after 8 hours.
 Not appropriate for action shots
o Louis Daguerre joined Niepce after his death in 1833
- Photo was a trend; still-life because exposure time was still very long

Talbot; Sailing Craft, 1845

- Talbot is working in England, and a rival of Deguerre
- He developed a different type of photo that was printed on paper
- His photos were produced even smaller than Deguerretypes.
o 1 inch square self portraits
- “Calotypes” after the Greek word Kalos meaning beautiful
- The MEMOIR of the Painting
o Detailed image (rigging shps)
 Evident water ripples, but not clear because exposure time was
still long.
 Evident cotton rag paper details; low acid and had an irregular
surface

Gardner; Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, 1863

- Taken at the Battle of Gettysburg
- Gardner was a photo journalist in a field of social vents
- Gardner depicts the location of a dead fellow at his post (the trench) that is
stopped up by stacked stones (guard of passage)
o Evident detail of the surface of the stones, rifled situated is visible
o Gardner was criticized for this photo because he manitpulated the
scene
 He gathered a corpse and arranged the body at the scene
o This photo was the 1st of this time
 Concern of society, argued pictures can be amoral in scope
 To see this is more damaging than to see it in a painting
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Muybridge; Horse in Motion/Galloping Horse, 1878

- Muybridge was a gambler, and got into a disagreement with the owner that
the horses foot was always on the ground, or all 4 where air born at its
fastest
o He studied motion, which gives appreciation of the anatomy of detail
o Muybridge was odd, a murderer
- Horse trips camera at a particular point
o Photo shows that all feet are off the ground in full gallop
- In the end, Muybridge was approached by newspapers, but photos cannot be
printed at that time; they needed to be etched for production
o Was positive though; exposed social injustices