In today’s class we continued our discussion of the Italian Baroque period, focusing on the works of Gianlorenzo Bernini. Bernini is renowned for his prowess as a sculptor, which was very clear in his David and The Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Bernini portrayed emotion excellently and carved stone into an incredibly lifelike portrayal of the scene he was representing. Not only is that impressive, but he was able to accomplish this lightning fast, making sculptures at an impressive speed.
We touched on Spanish art after we discussed Italy, looking at some Spanish still life and the work of Jusupe de Ribera and Diego Velasquez. We focused on Velasquez’ Las Meninas, which shows an interesting scene, one which has Velasquez himself in it. This work is impressive and certainly deserves the high regard it receives.