*Baroque in England*
SLIDE -Inigo Jones, Banqueting House at Whitehall.
London, England. 1619 – 1622
During Baroque – English hired foreign artists for painting (Rubens, Van Dyck, etc.)
But architecturewas dominated by two Englishmen - Inigo Jones &Christopher Wren. Replaced England’s Gothic style with a classical one.
Inigo Jones (1573-1625) was influenced byPalladio in Venice – studied there.
Hewas commissioned to design the Banqueting House for the royal palace of Whitehall
Used for court ceremonies and entertainment.
West facade shown here –
Ionic (bottom level) and Composite (top level) columns
Raised over a plain basement level
Understated elegance – it is Jones’interpretation of Palladian design.
Pilasters on the ends engaged columns in the center.
Vertical elements are repeated in the balustrade at the roof.
1st level - Rhythmic - triangular and semicircular pediments
2nd level - Flat cornices
Volute (scroll-form) brackets
Sculpted garlands just below the roofline – decorative.
Were different colors of stonefor each level- pale golden, light brown, white.
(no longer visible after the building was refaced in all white stone).
Interior, Banqueting house.
Looks like 2 stories outside, but inside is one large hall divided by a balcony.
Ionic pilasters suggest a colonnade.
Room measures 55’ x 110’, and 55’ high.
Jones had divided the flat ceiling into nine compartments.
King Charles 1st commissioned Peter Paul Rubens to paint the ceiling.
Rubens painted scenes glorifying the reign of James 1.
Shows a series of royal triumphs w/ king carried to heaven in clouds of glory.
King Charles was so proud of it that he moved evening entertainments to another room.
Didn’t want the smoke of candles & torches to damage the ceiling.
**Notes: James I reigned (1603 – 1625 after Elizabeth I). Son of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Charles I rules 1625 – 1649 (only surviving son of James I).
SLIDE - Sir Christopher Wren, new Saint Paul’s Cathedral.
London, England. 1675 – 1710.
After Jones’s death, English architecture was dominated by Wren (1632-1723).
Wren was a mathematician & astronomer; architecture was a hobby.
Went to France and met Bernini, who was in Paris to working on architecture.
Wren developed an admiration for French classical Baroque design.
Fire demolished central London in 1669.
Wren involved in rebuilding the city. He built manyEnglish Baroque churches.
This was his biggest project -rebuildingSaint Paul’s Cathedral
Façade: two temples - rows of paired Corinthian columns support a caved pediment.
Deep-set porches - light and shadow.
The Front looks like Palladio’s designs,
The columns surrounding the drum outside recall Bramante’s Tempietto
The Towersare sculptural like Borromini (4 Fountains).
It’s a major monument of English Baroque.
Huge size, triumphant verticality, complex form, & chiaroscuro effects.
St. Paul’s PLAN
Long nave, and equally long sanctuary.
Short transepts have semicircular ends.
Dome above the crossing.
Wren recognized the importance of the building.
His crypt is in the cathedral,
On a marble slab he had engraved:
“If you want to see Wren’s memorial, look around you.”
*LATE BAROQUE in ITALYGERMANY*
SLIDE - Balthasar Neumann, Plan & Interior or the chapel of Vierzehneiligen. Staffelstein Germany. 1743 - 1772.
Pilgrimage church.
Has a grand Baroque façade, but this gives little hint of what is inside.
PLAN: Plan is based on intersecting ovals/circles – no straight lines or walls.
Lots of undulating surfaces – inspired by Borromini.
Spaces flow together – not separate.
Interior: Combines architecture, sculpture, & painting. Very Intricate.
Lots of sculptural & painted decoration
Clusters of pilasters & engaged columns.
Large clerestory windows
White, gold, and painted wood & plaster.
Very luxurious, fancy.
Late Baroque or Rococo style? It’s both, really.
There is a shrine in the center where a 15th century shepherd had visions:
He saw the Christ child surrounded by saints.
SLIDE - Giambattista Tiepolo, The Apotheosis of the Pisani Family. Ceiling fresco in the Villa Pisani. Stra, Italy. 1761 - 1762.
Ceiling fresco - conceived as a trompe-l'oeil opening onto a silvery-blue sky.
Sense of large space.
Composition - 2 sections which exist independently of one another:
1. Portrayal of the Pisani family various allegorical figures in the lower portion 2. Continents in the upper portion.
Personification of Fame, with trumpet, connects the two.
Wisdom is enthroned and reigns over a harmonious empire.
The Virtues Faith, Justice, Love, Hope and Strength appear at her feet.
Detail 1: This section shows the known continents of Asia, America, and Africapersonified, on a cloud.
Europe is portrayed above them, on a bull, to express the greater degree of civilization.
Turks - symbolized by the two figures in long coats
Have thrown themselves down in front of the invaders.
Detail 2: Members of the Pisani family are surrounded by several allegorical figures. Truth - naked woman in the middle.
Italy - The crowned woman atop the globe and seen from behind personifies
Various arts are represented at her feet:
Astronomy (on the right, with wings) has a telescope and globe.
Music with horn and score.
Art, with marble bust and painting frame
Painting with brush.
The allegories of Peace at top, with branches – olive branches & palm fronds.
Plenty with amphora and floral crown complete the scene on the left-hand side.
Tell Students to SKIP AHEAD in the text to: pages 797 - 804
3 Main artistic styles of the 18th century:
1. Rococo - Rocaille (fancy) & “Baroco” irregular shaped pearl.
2. Neoclassicism - reaction against the frilly & silly of Rococo
3. Romanticism - reaction against Enlightenment’s focus on rationality
Rococo Style in Europe: pastel colors, delicate curving forms, dainty figures,
Concern with minor details like ribbons, tiny leaves in the landscapes.
Couples & groups of figures in social situations.
Rebellion against rigid formality of 17th century court life.
Began with French architectural decoration at end of Louis the 14th’s reign
Quickly spread across Europe.
SLIDE - Germain Boffrand, Salon de la Princesse, Hotel de Soubise. Paris. 1732.
After Louis the 14th, the French Court moved from Versaillesback to Paris –
Tired of the restrained & proper 17th century court life. Wanted lighthearted fun.
Nobles built elegant town houses w/ smaller rooms
Lavish settings for gatherings & entertainment, called SALONS.
Hosted by educated upper-class ladies.
Great example of a Rococo style room - typical of delicacylightness of the period.
Delicate. Light. Extremely ornate. Full of tiny details.
Elegant furniture. Everything is gilded.
Luxurious, decorative borders with organic plant-like shapes.
Frilly & foo-foo motifs – cherubs, ribbons, bows, flowers, scrolls…. etc.
Used in tapestries, porcelain & silverware, wall décor, everything.
FRENCH ROCOCO PAINTING:
SLIDE - Jean-Antoine Watteau, Return fromCythera.
1717. Oil on canvas. 4’ 3” x 6’ 5”.
Watteau was a Flemish artist- influenced by Rubens, loved Rubens’ colors.
His style is the epitome of the French Rococo style.
*Did outdoor scenes, social activities, theatre images.
Watteau practically created Rococo with this painting:
Applied for membership in the RoyalAcademy of Painting & Sculpture in 1717.
He submitted THISas hisofficial admission entry
Depicts a dream world:
We see beautifully dressed couples, accompanied by putti(cherubs)
Leaving the mythical island of love – called Cythera.
Beautiful, youthful couples. Graceful poses. Gorgeous, elegant clothing, shimmery silks.
Lush landscape - but it never soils the character’s satin & velvet clothing
Outside in nature, but no rain would dare fall on them
SUPER idealistic - powerfully attractive to 18th century Parisians.
Idyllic,but has overtones of wistful melancholy – leaving – can’t last forever.
Sadness is visible in many of Watteau’s works,
This elevates him above other Rococo artists who use “sillier” themes.
Makes him more complex.
Watteau died of tuberculosis while in his 30’s.
SLIDE - Jean-Antoine Watteau, Mezzetin.
1717-19. Oil on canvas. 55 x 43 cm
Man is “Mezzetin”, a stock character of Italian improvisational theater.
An amorous man who frequently suffers from unrequited love.
Here he is shown playing the guitar in a garden
A young woman behind him overhears it
Perhaps she’s only a statue or painting of a statue on a stage set.
She stands with her back turned, rejecting his romantic interest.
Complex layering of multiple realities - Watteau's liked that.
He liked scenes that have an ambiguous relationship -between stage life and real life
SLIDE - Francois Boucher - Diana Resting after her bath.
Oil on canvas. 1742.
This is Parisian Rococo painting at its height.
Boucher was the son of a minor painter.
Watteau’s fans also liked his work
Hired Boucher to reproduce Watteau’s paintings - established his career.
Known for mythological scenes
Gods, goddesses & putti (largely nude) frolic & relax in pastoral settings.
Likes complicated poses that still appear natural.
This painting is thought to be Boucher's “masterpiece”.
This painting placed him in the ranks of the great masters
Harmoniously balanced, with elegant drawing
Pure forms, sensuous color.
Has old varnish, which gives it a slightly golden tone.
SLIDE - Francois Boucher - Cupid a Captive.
Visions of Classical goddesses typical of Boucher’s work.
Here - naked ladies & naked babies.
Fluttery garlands, flowers, curly hair, doves, very foo-foo.
Diagonal lines & pyramidal compositions also typical of his work.
Appealed to French court intent on pleasure-seeking – SENSUALITY.
SLIDE– Boucher,Venus at her Toilet.
Similar look to Cupid.
SLIDE - Fragonard - The Swing.
1766. Oil on canvas. 3’ x 2’ 8”.
Boucher’s apprentice/assistant.
Fragonard’s mother took him to Boucher’s studio –
Boucher told her to get him a few painting lessons first
He did, and in just a few months, Boucher welcomed him.
Fragonard was accepted into the RoyalAcademy in 1765
Had a very aristocratic clientele.
Filled the void left by Boucher’s death in 1770.
An unknown French nobleman originally commissioned this -
The nobleman first went to a serious history painter.
He said, “I desire that you should paint Madame (pointing to his mistress) on a swing, pushed by a Bishop. In the painting you must place me where I can have a good view of the legs of this pretty little thing”
The serious history painter was stunned -
Then recommended Fragonard as a more suitable painter for the project.
The patron who commissioned it is the man looking up the skirt on the lower left.
She kicks of her shoe playfully – might hit the cupid statue.
SLIDE - Jean-Honore Fragonard, The Meeting.
In 1771, he was commissioned to do a series of 14 paintings
Were to decorate the chateau Louis the 15th’s mistress.
He thought she’d like images of lovers - very free & spontaneous
Lots of color, lush vegetation. Free & lavish brushwork.
The mistress rejected the paintings as passé, a sign the Rococo style was ending.
SLIDE - Clodion, Nymph and Satyr.
1775. Terracotta. 12’ high.
Most sculptors were moving away from Rococo style & toward classicizing styles –
Hence the Neoclassical period that comes next.
But Clodion continued it.
Created Rococo tabletop sculpture, mainly in uncolored terra-cotta.
Nudes, putti, couples, etc
Here, the Nymph pours wine playfully into the Satyr’s mouth.
Playful, & erotic tabletop.
Meant to be viewed from all sides.
SLIDE - Cloidon, The Invention of the Balloon.
Many events in & nearParis having to do with man's dream of flying.
The first hot-air balloon got off the ground around this time.
This was made for a competition to honor these flying events.
Competition was abandoned, so no one actually “won”.
The fussiness of the design makes it appear inappropriate for a monument
Tries to honor the invention through use of allegory-
But it’s not very convincing.
Marks the death of Rococo period.