Baroque and Rococo Art Styles

Baroque Style in Western Europe

• Originated as a pejorative term, derived from the Portuguese word "barocco," meaning an irregular or imperfect pearl.
• Characterized by strong perspective effects, diagonal compositions, dramatic use of light and shadow (chiaroscuro and tenebroso), and movement, particularly upward in figures.
• Often featured gold color dominance, strong contrast between light and dark, and numerous mirrors.

Italian Architecture

• Key architects include Bernini and Borromini.
• Notable projects include the rebuilding of St. Peter's Basilica.

Etching

• A printmaking technique creating multiple images from a metal plate (typically copper).
• The artist covers the plate with a resinous, acid-resistant substance.
• A pointed metal tool is used to scratch through the ground to create the image on the plate.

Rococo and the Eighteenth Century

• Artistic style characterized by ornate designs, asymmetrical layouts, and the use of creamy, pastel-like colors, curves, and gold.
• Contrasts with political focus of the Baroque period.
• Interior decoration emphasized elaborate furniture, small sculptures, ornate mirrors, and tapestries that harmonized with architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings.

Sir William Chambers (The Pagoda)

• Designed a 10-story octagonal pagoda structure (163 ft/50 m high), the tallest Chinese-style building in Europe at the time.
• A reaction to the sweeping natural lines favored by other designers, using intricate pathways and decorative buildings.
• Not universally popular amongst purists who believed pagodas should have an odd number of floors.
• The pagoda's height and diameter reduced with each successive floor.

Jean-Honoré Fragonard (The Swing)

• Painting depicting a hidden admirer witnessing a woman on a swing.
• The woman is being pushed by an elderly man and unaware of her secret admirer.
• Includes elements of flirting, shoe-throwing, and angelic cherubim figures in the composition.

Neoclassicism: The Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries

• A reaction against the frivolity of the Rococo style.
• In France, a "True Style" called Neoclassicism emerged as a reaction to the Rococo era's levity.
• Characterized by associations with heroic subject matter, formal clarity, and an impression of stability and solidity.
• Several artistic styles vied for dominance.

Jacques-Louis David (Oath of Horatii)

• Commissioned by Louis XIV to inspire moral improvement.
• Depicts a scene from Roman tradition with themes of honor and sacrifice.
• Uses Roman attire and architectural setting.
• Featuring three swords held up by two brothers.
• Includes space organization using regular, vertical and horizontal planes.

Romanticism: The Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries

• Focused on emotional expression and the individual.
• Featured artists including William Blake, Theodore Gericault, Eugène Delacroix, and John Constable.

Theodore Gericault

• Captured mental disturbance of his subjects through pose and physiognomy in his studies of the insane.
• Used light and loose brushstrokes for textured surfaces.
• Depicted characters reflecting light and color.

Nineteenth-Century Realism

• An art movement representing the contemporary ideas about human rights and social conflicts.
• Resulted in conflicts between different classes of society.
• Focus included the reporting of scientific discoveries, cartoons, and caricatures in newspapers and magazines.

Gustave Courbet ("The Interior of My Studio")

• A self-portrait that documents seven years (1848-1855) of the artist's life, including the 1848 February Revolution.
• The studio's elements depict society, the artist's view of society, and relationships with the art world.
• The work uses multiple rooms and furniture to create a sense of space and realism, with direct observations.
• Red coverlet is the only pure color.

Lithography

• A printing method employing a stone or metal plate using smooth surface.
• Invented by Alois Senefelder in 1796.
• Utilized to publish theatrical works.

Nineteenth-Century Architecture

• Architects were not quick to adopt the latest materials like iron and steel.
• Temporary structures like the Crystal Palace and Eiffel Tower were popular during this time.
• The need for more economical land use led to a rise in skyscrapers.

Nineteenth-Century Impressionism

• Evolved in Paris between the 1860s and early-20th century.
• Characterized by short brushstrokes, visible colors, bright colors, juxtaposed to represent the effects of light, and the use of composition to evoke moods.
• Artists paid attention to details like atmospheric pollution and how it affected light and colors.
• Included the influence of Japanese prints and photography.

Edouard Manet ("Bar at the Folies-Bergère")

• Used Impressionist techniques like color, light, and brushwork.
• Included a mirror in the background to create depth and reflect the surroundings of the barmaid.
• Reflected the atmosphere and a sense of movement displayed by blurred figures in the mirror.

Post-Impressionism and the Late Nineteenth Century

• Artists were inspired by Impressionism and reacted to it using their own unique styles.
• The use of distinctive brushstrokes, arbitrary or unnatural colors, and geometric forms were common elements.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

• Known for his depictions of Parisian nightlife, such as dance halls, nightclubs, cafes, and brothels.
• His work was influenced by Japanese prints, using strong silhouettes, and textures.

Vincent Van Gogh ("Bedroom at Arles")

• The artist's presence is shown through furnishing and clothing in the work.
• The self-portrait is included.
• Depicts two chairs, two doors, two bottles, a table, double windows, and a mirror.
• The psychological self-portrait represents the artist's efforts to build relationships.
• Colors are used to create tension in the work.

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

• Used solid iconic figures of humans, animals, and trees, and used color, silhouettes, and repetitions to provide motion.
• Called Neo-Impressionism/Pointillism, using dots of pure color to achieve the desired hue.
• Placed two colors next to each other to intensify their hue.
• The visual effect can be viewed from a distance or through the eyes.

Georges Seurat (Pointillism)

• Focused on colors, silhouettes, and figures to create an image of a Sunday afternoon.
• Utilized divisionism, composing colors by placing various colors near each other to give the sense of depth of space.