I was sick during this class period but looking at the class notes it appears we started class by discussing Baroque art in the Netherlands. The first artist covered was Peter Paul Rubens who was a Flemish artist and Catholic convert after moving back to Antwerp. He traveled throughout Rome inspired by popular artists Titian and Caravaggio. He was very successful during his time and ran a good workshop that produced a lot of talent. One of his pieces the Elevation of the Cross, 1610-1611 was the first major public commission, a triptych in a classic Flemish sense but on a bigger scale. This was also one scene split across three panels. Bulky figures are straining their muscles to hoist the cross in an instantaneous action. The left side depicts the friends of Christ in mourning, while the right shows the adversaries of Christ. The cross makes a strong diagonal line in the composition, allowing for a strong contrast between the light and dark scene. The next piece discussed was Marie de Mecici, Queen of France, Landing in Marseilles. This was a commission from Marie de Medici, a cycle celebrating her life and the life of her late husband. It is greeted by a personification of France with open arms. Neptune and Nerieds shepherd the ship into the dock as if the seas demsleves were deliberately carrying the Queen safely to her landing. We also see Marie de Medici towering over all the figures on the dock, emphasizing her authority and majesty. Rubens had a whole bunch of students many of whom became famous in their own right. This includes Anthony van Dyck who we have spent some time discussing.

The class concluded on Frans Hals and Rembrandt van Rijn. Frans spent his career in Haarlem/Amsterdam, specialized in portraits, and worked mainly for the wealthy middle class. Hals was famous for his group portraits, including the Banquet of the St. George Civic Guard Officers. Every person is visible around the table allowing it to appear lively as if it is a snapshot. Rembrandt came from the city of Leiden and was educated and apprenticed as a painter. He painted many self-portraits in his lifetime. One of his works, The Night Watch, depicts a militia about to march in a parade, and the captain and lieutenant at the center of the composition and fully lit. There is a strong contrast between light and shadow.

Today, we visited the art museum and talked and learned about the different forms of printmaking. These include relief, which is woodcutting; intaglio, which includes etching, dry points, and engravings. We were able to look closer at the works with magnifying glasses to determine which form was used. It was interesting to see the differences between the forms up close. The instrument that is used for carving is called the gouge.

In today’s class, we returned from spring break by discussing the Rococo period. We discussed the shift from architectures focus on exteriors to more interiors and designs. I thought this was very interesting as when I think about modern architecture similar ideals are followed. The interior of a building or a room is equally as important as the exterior. This made me think of the new Gordon center here at Colby. From the outside the building is very nice, but not necessarily something that leaves a lasting impact. To the contrary the interior has sharp lines, variety of materials, a multitude of spaces, and additional variety of design features that make it significant.

I found the pastel and painterly elements of the Rococo paintings to be very compelling. They allow the subject matter to be prominent and not dominated by artistic elements. Rather, the style of the period amplifies the painter’s subject.

The final painting we looked at in this class was The Rakes Progress by William Hogarth. The subject is odd, but it is still interesting that Hogarth chose to depict this scene. I think it serves as a good example of the creative liberties and freedoms that artists felt in the period.

Our first class back from break was a nice one. We kept our discussion simple by just looking at the style of the Rococo as it manifested itself in interior decoration and painting.

I thought the Rococo salons the French kept in their townhouses were nice. I like the complex molding but the gilding really isn’t for me. I wonder if the lacy/organic/flowery molding in the Parisian homes was a Rococo addition or if it had its roots in Gothic art? I think what I find most interesting about the Salons and Salon culture is that it seems like it housed the type of intellectual discussion (at least amongst the nobility) that spawned the Enlightenment and Enlightenment ideals that really found their moment in the following decades.

I think Watteu Fragonard and Boucher’s light airy paintings are cool. I think the theme of amorous love and the not-so-subtle eroticism is nice to view in a museum and whatnot, but I can see how the Bourgeoisie found the images offensive. I will say I think I stand in the Rubenist camp, I love the pastel palette the blending of the colors, and the warm fuzzy haze that covers French Rococo paintings. I like genre scenes in general, so it was nice to hear that artists like Chardin were able to elevate the reputation of the genre by making such sentimental and impressive works.

In class today we elaborate on the significance of King Louis the 14th death and his rule. We then moved on to the artist Nicolas Pineau and his architecture which would later become important in the 18th century. In the 18th century, we noticed the shift from how facades were placed in structures. In the Hotel de Vangeville, we noticed the facades were placed in decorations in the rooms that were for personal use. In noticing this change we elaborated more with the differences from the Hall of Mirrors. We then shifted our perspective to the derivative of Rococo and what elements were significant in the art style. We also broke down the Poussinistes versus Rubenistes. The debacle was for the later artists who chose which influence they preferred. After breaking down the sides and elements we dove into 18th-century artist Jean- Antoine Watteau and some of his pieces. We then discovered that many Rococo paintings had bright, pastel, and painterly effects. After discovering the elements of Rococo we looked at more 18th-century artwork that was influenced by other 17th-century artists and we also pointed out how some of the later pieces of art resemble other 17th-century works but with different values and styles. We wrapped up class with Willian Hogarth and one of his paintings from the series The Rakes Progress.

In class yesterday, we continued to look at works from the northern Netherlands. We looked at two different landscapes: Jan van Goyen’s Pelkus Gate Near Utrecht. We used these two images to identify what details of subject matter, style, and composition are important to look at in landscape works. Next, we looked at different genres of painting, still life and genre paintings. We learned that there is a hierarchy in the arts placing certain subject matter above others in terms of what was deemed worthy. In both the still life and genre paintings we looked at, I thought it was interesting how the artists incorporated transient messages into the otherwise ordinary scenes. For example, in Heda’s Still Life with Oysters, the broken glass serves as a reminder of transience and the pitfalls of vanity as it relates to piety. 

After we concluded our discussion of the Netherlands, we shifted focus to 16th century France. For some contextual knowledge of the political climate in the region at the time. When Louis XIV assumed his role as king, he was wary of civil uprisings and established an absolute monarchy. We learned how the Palace of Versailles was a symbol to communicate this power. 

Today we looked into French Baroque Art and we started by looking at the complexities and extravagance of the Versailles Palace. I really like how French Baroque plays with themes of power, aesthetics, and the natural world. The Versailles Palace, commissioned by the Sun King, Louis XIV has an insane integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, with meticulously designed gardens, fountains, and architectural elements, exemplifies the Baroque’s desire to create a harmonious and immersive experience. The palace’s lavish interiors, adorned with gilded details and elaborate frescoes, reflect the absolute power and authority of the French monarchy, while the expansive grounds evoke a sense of natural harmony and tranquility.

Exploring Charles Le Brun’s paintings, we discovered the artist’s exceptional ability to convey the spirit of Louis XIV’s regal personality. Le Brun’s self-portrait of the Sun King, with its dominating presence and meticulous attention to detail, exemplifies the Baroque’s preoccupation with the human form and its potential to communicate power and rank. The artist’s technical expertise and fine eye for portraiture lift this work above ordinary reproduction, imbuing it with grandeur and everlasting appeal.In contrast, Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin’s landscape paintings provide a unique viewpoint on the Baroque style. Lorrain’s “A Pastoral Landscape” and Poussin’s “The Abduction of the Sabine Woman” exemplify the Baroque’s respect for nature while also adding mythical and allegorical themes. These paintings exhibit the artist’s ability to combine the actual and the imagined, as well as a paisage composition and a pastoral setting.

In France, the ruler structure was an absolute monarchy where the King has complete control. The King Luis had a palace that contained many artistic elements. There were the French Gardens containing water features and sculptures. Inside the palace there was the hall of mirrors which contained mirrors which created a large space. Zooming out to the overall grand plan, the palace and outlying features are set up to follow the suns path from the east to west. This palace does not feature one specific element that makes it important artistically, but the wide range of elements all combine to make it spectacular.

Lorrain came from a poor family in Rome, in which he stayed in his whole life. He only painted landscapes, one being A Pastoral Landscape. It was known for its perfect composition. The ratios of each element are perfect.

I was not able to attend today’s class and emailed the Professor. However, I went over the notes, presentations and class readings as advised. I found out that we discussed Baroque art in the Netherlands. The notes indicated that our lesson began with an understanding of the religious and political landscape of the Low Countries, which were divided between Catholicism and Protestantism. Flanders remained predominantly Catholic, while Holland embraced Protestantism. This division shaped the artistic expressions of the time.

Following the discussion on how artistic expressions were being influenced by religious context Peter Paul Rubens was discussed. He was a Flemish artist renowned for his dynamic compositions and vibrant use of color. Rubens’ mastery was evident in works such as “Elevation of the Cross,” where he depicted the dramatic scene of Christ’s crucifixion with powerful diagonal lines and bold contrasts of light and dark, a technique influenced by Caravaggio. We also explored the contributions of Rubens’ most famous student, Anthony van Dyck, whose elegant portraits epitomized the Baroque style. Van Dyck’s “Portrait of Charles I of England Hunting” exemplified his skill in capturing the grace and power of his subjects.

Transitioning to the Netherlands, the country’s role as a global trade leader was discussed and how it amassed wealth through international trade. This success led to the emergence of artists like Frans Hals. Hals’ portraits, such as “The Jolly Topper” and “Banquet of the Officers of the St. George Civic Guard,” captured the essence of Dutch life, with lively compositions and expressive brushwork. Lastly, the focus shifted to Rembrandt van Rijn. His masterpiece, “The Night Watch,” shows us how he plays with light and shadow to create depth.

For today’s class we went to the art museum where we discussed printmaking and the techniques involved in the process. We started off by looking at prints from an early printed book, where woodcut on paper had been delicately painted over, transforming it into what appeared to be an illuminated manuscript. We delved deeper into printmaking, and discussed the two main families: relief and intaglio. The relief technique, where what remains in relief is what’s printed on paper, left me thinking about how the block that is carved onto is a flipped version of the finished product. I wonder if artists had a way to help mitigate the confusion they might have encountered when creating art pieces. In contrast to relief is intaglio with its intricate copper plates and acid baths, helped artists create finely detailed prints.

Among the works that we discussed were masterpieces by renowned artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Hendrik Goltzius, Jacques Callot, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Each artist demonstrated their unique style of printmaking techniques, from cross-hatching and varying line widths to experimenting with ink washes and etching that mimicked engravings which we observed using magnifying glasses. I was intrigued by the sample made by Colby students which the Professor showed us. I hope to explore similar mediums in the future.