I was not here for this class due to illness, but here are my thoughts on some of the works included in the Powerpoint.
Rubens seems to seamlessly blend northern realism and Baroque dynamism in The Raising of the Cross. You can clearly see his Baroque inspirations from just the subject matter — the act of raising something– a movement that he highlights via muscular figures that resemble the heroic nudes we’ve observed in Hellenistic sculptures. The poses of the figures reminded me of Giotto’s Lamentation from the Arena Chapel, in the way that the postures of the figures hold such strong emotion. The unstable, non-pyramidal composition of this piece (also like the Lamentation), further convey movement. Beyond the heroic muscularity of the subject, this piece just screams heroism via its Caravaggio-esque lighting, life-size scale, and color. Furthermore, Rubens seems to reference works from the Renaissance in the background of one of the wings. It looks almost identical to Titian’s Bacchanal. Rubens’ northern roots are not erased, however, and are seen through his detail-orientation: the textures of the foliage, the lighting of the armor, and the fur of the dog particularly stand out as realist elements of this painting.
I really enjoyed how Rubens’ Marie de Medici Landing in Marseilles blended a historical event and mythology — it really adds to the untouchable-ness of the Royal Family. It reminds me how, in ancient art (ex. The Hammurabi’s Code Stele), people in power would often depict themselves associating with supernatural beings to stress the divine right to rule.
I really liked how Frans Hals combined portraiture with genre painting in Banquet of the Officers of the St. George Civic Guard. Although it is not believed to be a depiction of an actual historical event, it seems to be, due to its intense realism (the candid posing, life-size scale, and 3-D effect created by the usage of strokes of varied width and length). Additionally, the Baroque color palette really compliments the depiction of prosperity in the painting– the red of the uniforms provides a stark contrast to the black and white.