We began by wrapping up our discussion of the Northern European High Renaissance with Pieter Bruegel. His painting The Blind Leading the Blind from 1568 is comedic with a religious undertone. The angled, downhill perspective makes it easy to see the blind men falling into a ditch, as based on a proverb. The inclusion of a church clearly visible in the background could hint at an obscured criticism of their teachings. However, most of Bruegel’s works were landscapes (influenced by his time in Italy) showing peasants going about their everyday lives. The small figures give his scenes an air of contentment and peace, depicting the world as it should be with its small joys. Consistent with other northerners, Bruegel painted to capture this real life in minute details.
We then transitioned to talk about the Italian Baroque period of the 17th century. Influenced by a backlash against Mannerism and the Counter Reformation of the Catholic Church, art became crucial in supporting the church again. Annibale’s Landscape with the Flight into Egypt is an extensive landscape filled with small details of nature and buildings, a composed landscape. His small figures of Mary and Jesus in the front add to the scene, but from their size and lower positioning, are not the focus. Ceiling frescos were also popular, with Annibale’s The Loves of the Gods commissioned for a wedding. Painted in quadro riportato, images are painted to appear separately framed on the ceiling instead of composing one image. Along with Agostino Tassi’s ceiling fresco of Aurora’s chariot, trompe l’oeiel (to trick the eye) was common. His quadratura continued the architecture of the walls into the ceiling. From a certain angle, this gave the impression of the ceiling opening up to reveal the scene.
Finally, Artemisia Gentileschi was an acclaimed artist of this time. Painting many heroines, she was influenced by the works of Caravaggio and often used tenebrism for an effect. Many of her paintings are moments of dramatic pauses, placing the viewer in anticipation of what will happen next.