Baroque and Rococo
The Baroque style used exaggerated positions, and detail to create drama, tension, and beauty. The Church, Courts, government, and the middle class all commissioned paintings. Artists started using different techniques for different patrons. The Baroque art is extravagant, tense, highly emotional, and more dynamic. The subjects are direct and distinguishable. Also, the paintings try to draw the viewer into the scene. For example, sometimes a table corner will protrude outward into the viewers space. The colors used are dramatic and bright. In the Baroque style, the center of the painting is often bare, unlike the Renaissance. The period lasted from the 16th century to around 1750. There are two styles during the Baroque period, Aristocratic Baroque style and Protestant Baroque style.
The Rococo style developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction to the Baroque period and style. The Rococo art had creamy pastel colors, curves, asymmetrical designs, and were elegant and ornate. Unlike the political views of the Baroque, this style focused more on society. Some rococo styles were channeled through ornate furniture and interior designs.
“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.” - Leonardo da Vinci
The Rococo style developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction to the Baroque period and style. The Rococo art had creamy pastel colors, curves, asymmetrical designs, and were elegant and ornate. Unlike the political views of the Baroque, this style focused more on society. Some rococo styles were channeled through ornate furniture and interior designs.
“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.” - Leonardo da Vinci
Vermeer was called the "Master of Light". In The Milkmaid, Vermeer uses color to depict light and detail. Vermeer depicts color with minuscule beads of white paint. This is shown on the rim of the bowl. There are little dots of white paint reflecting the light from the window. In this painting, the light touches the objects realistically. The objects directly in the light are bright and light, while the objects not in the light are dark. The bread and center of the table seems to be receiving the direct sunlight. Since the woman's face is turned, only a part of her face is hit by the light while the rest is subtly shaded. Also, the corner of the table is light, while the side of the table is dark, because it does not see the sun. Vermeer used vibrant bright colors in his paintings. His depiction of light fills the canvas with radiance. He applied the paint in dabs and pricks so that the raised texture of the paint would reflect more light giving the painting vibrancy and a 3-D texture.
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, 1658-60
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, 1658-60
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Diego Velázquez was a Spanish painter who worked in the court of King Phillip IV. He painted the court and the royalty. In this painting, Las Meninas, Velazquez paints the princess, Margaret Theresa, and it is in the Aristocratic Baroque style. He depicts the little princess surrounded by her maids. Although, a mirror in the background shows the reflections of the king and queen. Therefore, the artist depicted in the painting could actually be painting the king and queen. The king and queen are supposedly in the viewers space and the princess and her maids are watching the king and queen posing, bringing the viewer into the scene. In the background, a man is standing in the stairway, which draws attention to the mirror. The lower half of the canvas is used to paint portraits, while the top half is filled with a range of light and shadow to produce the illusion of space. In this painting Velázquez uses fluid brushstrokes and spots of light and color to create forms. To create light, he used little quick touches of color. This technique creates the look of reflected light. He was the first artist to dab paint. The viewer can see the individual brush strokes and little individual dabs of paint. There is both light and dark colors all along the canvas; blues, whites, creme, ivory, silvery white, black, brown, and red. Velázquez's palette was reduced, earthy colors with punctuation of bright colors. Manet said about Velázquez's methods, "I have found in him...my ideal of painting."
Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656
Museo del Prado, Spain
Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656
Museo del Prado, Spain
This painting shows people coming to Cythera. The people wear bright pastel colors like pink and light blue. The sky is more pastel and light than seen before. the ground is light brown and green, and has a soft texture look. It is a social gathering with both women and men walking and frolicking up the hill to the space under the tree.Also, people are happily looking out at the view and sitting and talking under the tree. On the right hand side, hidden by the tree is a statue of a woman covered in flowers. There are also little cupids or angels flying around on the left of the painting.
Jean-Atonine Watteau,The Embarkation for Cythera, 1717
Louvre, Paris
Jean-Atonine Watteau,The Embarkation for Cythera, 1717
Louvre, Paris
The Swing, is one of the most famous paintings from the Rococo art period. The colors a extremely pastel and light, a characteristic of Rococo art. There is a pastel pink for the woman's dress, and the light blue of the background. This scene is playful and energetic. Furthermore, this painting depicts social life. It depicts a woman swinging, with a man, who is in the clergy, pushing her. On the other side of the wall, another man is looking up her dress. She sees him, and with a knowing smile is kicking her shoe off at him; she is being flirtatious.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767
Wallace Collection, London
Art Information For Top of the Page (from left to right)
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, 1647-1652
Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy
Caravaggio, The Conversion on the Way to Damascus, 1601
Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome, Italy
Caravaggio,Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1598-1599
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica at Palazzo Barberini, Rome, Italy
Peter Paul Rubens, The Decent From the Cross, 1612-1614
Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerpen, Belgium
Johannes Vermeer, Girl With a Pearl Earring, 1665
Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, 1647-1652
Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy
Caravaggio, The Conversion on the Way to Damascus, 1601
Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome, Italy
Caravaggio,Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1598-1599
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica at Palazzo Barberini, Rome, Italy
Peter Paul Rubens, The Decent From the Cross, 1612-1614
Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerpen, Belgium
Johannes Vermeer, Girl With a Pearl Earring, 1665
Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands