Documentary Response 4

The Baroque Period describes an art movement during the 17th century that is characterized by ornamentation, movement, drama, emotion, and light.  Each country had it's own version of Baroque, but Europe as a whole experienced this artistic movement.



Judith Decapitating Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1620, Oil on Canvas, Florence

Artemisia Gentileschi, an Italian Baroque painter, brought a new perspective to the Baroque movement due to her unique experiences as a woman.  In this particular painting, Judith Decapitating Holofornes (also known as Judith Slaying Holofornes), Gentileschi depicts a popular Old Testament story.  The story has been portrayed by many Renaissance and Baroque painters, but Gentileschi brings a new perspective.  When Gentilischi was being trained as a painter, her mentor repeatedly raped her, which she uses as inspiration in this painting. 

This piece is unique because it is portrayed by a female artist.  No one understands women better than women, and this is reflected in the painting.  As such, it is considered to be a part of an art movement referred to as the "Power of Women".  Judith and her maidservant are fully engrossed in the task at hand, which is not fully expressed in other paintings.  The piece expresses Baroque by using light to bring attention to the splattering blood and the sword; movement is also evident by the passion in Judith's actions.




Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1625, Oil on Canvas, Detroit Institute of Art

Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi reflects Italian style Baroque.  As with the painting above, it is based off of an Old Testament Biblical story that Gentileschi used to express her own story of rape.  This painting was meant to be viewed after seeing Judith Decapitating Holofernes, as to go with the flow of the story.

The painting reflects Baroque by using different levels of light to bring attention to the most important parts of the painting, as well as deflecting attention from the less important components. Additionally, the viewer can see the tension and emotion expressed in this painting.



Arrival of Marie de' Medici at Marseilles, Peter Paul Rubens, 1622-1625, Oil on Canvas, Paris

Arrival of Marie de' Medici, also known as The Disembarkation at Marseilles, by Peter Paul Rubens is one of 24 paintings commissioned by Marie de' Medici after she married Henry IV of France.  The paintings were meant to recount the tales of her life, and to share with the common people.  These paintings do not fall into one particular style of Baroque because Rubens used many different styles from many different countries.

One of the most important components of the painting is the incorporation of Poseidon and his daughters escorting Marie de' Medici to France.  The purpose is to show how important she was, that a god escorted her boat to France.  Additionally, light and tension are also used in this painting.



Louis XIV, Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701, Oil on Canvas, Paris 

This portrait of Louis XIV reflects French style Baroque.  It was commissioned by Louis himself, and painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud, who was a known royal painter.  The portrait was originally meant to be a gift for another member of royalty.  However, Louis XIV loved the painting so much that he kept the original for himself.  He also had Rigaud create copies of the portrait, one of which is hanging at Versailles.

This portrait is one of my favorites because of the extravagant garb that royalty would wear, as well as the amount of time Louis XIV would stand with the fashion in order to have the painting finished. The clothes particularly reflect Baroque style because of the severe ornamentation.



Versailles, Renovated by Louis XIV, begun in 1669, Paris, France

The palace of Versailles was originally a hunting lodge, but Louis XIV had it renovated and restored to become the new palace for monarchy.  It reflects French Baroque particularly by the extravagant ornamentation.  The outside gates, alone, are quite decorative with the gold accents.  

Additionally, the Hall of Mirrors reflected Baroque style ornamentation.  During Louis XIV's reign, mirrors were quite a luxury; therefore, they were used in excess to show the wealth and power of the monarch.  Continuing with the theme, the continuous arches down the hall show the grandeur of the palace.  Overall, the palace reflected drama and extravagance of the Baroque style with it's 700 rooms, 2,000 acre garden, and outside ornamentation.