Artists of the
Renaissance
By: Greg, Terin, Kathleen, Mallorie, and
Isaac
Peter Paul Rubens
By: Greg Conn
Peter Paul Rubens was a prolific seventeenth century Flemish Baroque painter, with an
exuberant baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. Rubens was well known
for counter-reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and
allegorical subjects. He ran a large studio in Antwerp, which produced paintings popular with
nobility to all art collectors all over Europe. Known as the most renowned northern European artist of
his day, he is widely recognized as one of the foremost painters in Western art history.
Rubens was born in Siegan,
Westphalia on June 28th, 1577. During his
time, there was increased turmoil and
religious persecution. Rubens and his mother
moved to Antwerp after his father’s life was
taken from him at a young age due to
religious persecution. He was raised catholic,
and religion is figured often in much of his
work. He later became one of the leading
voices of the catholic counter-reformation
style of painting. By age 21 he was a master
painter whose aesthetic and religious outlook
led him to look to Italy as the place to
complete his education. Rubens’ major influence was Titian of Venice, because he fell under the
spell of radiant color and majestic forms of him. His pieces slowly became more rhetorical in
expression, better suited for propaganda. After 8 years as a court painter in Italy, he moved to Spain,
and had a profound impact on the development of Spanish Baroque art.
Some of Peter Paul Rubens’ many famous
paintings include St. George Slaying the Dragon, Virgin
and Child enthroned with Saints, and Allegory on the
Blessings of Peace. St. George Slaying the Dragon is one
of his most well known hunting paintings. Made
completely of pen, and brown ink and wash, this painting
was in honor of Saint George. Saint George, according to
tradition is a Roman solider in the guard of Diocletian.
He is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman
Catholic Church, which is why Rubens’ made the
painting in honor of him. Virgin and Child enthroned
with Saints, is a painting over the high altar of the
Antwerp Church. It shows how well he had studied his
Italian predecessors, and how he developed their ideas,
and it carries a theme of the holy virgin being surrounded
by saints. Allegory on the Blessing of Peace, was painted
merely to show peace, and to show his magic skill of
making everything look joyfully alive all at once.
Later on in Rubens’ life, he turned more towards portraits, genre
scenes, and landscapes. His later works are known to lack the
turbulent drama his earlier paintings had, but they reflect a
masterful command of detail and technical skill. He went
through many arthritic pains in his older age, and passed away
on May 30th, 1640. What made Peter Paul Rubens so
significant is that he revitalized and redirected northern
European painting by completing the fusion of realistic tradition
of Flemish painting with the imaginative freedom of classical
themes of Italian Renaissance painting, and these qualities are
what made him revered all over Europe.
Bibliography
1.) " PETER PAUL RUBENS." Arlindo Correia's Home Page. Web. 25 Oct.
2009. <http://www.arlindo-correia.com/100404.html>.
2.) Peter Paul Rubens - The complete works. Web. 25 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.peterpaulrubens.org/>.
3.) "WebMuseum: Rubens, Peter Paul." Ibiblio.org - learn a language. Web.
25 Oct. 2009. <http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/rubens/>.
Rembrandt
By : Terin Patel- Wilson
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15, 1606 – October 4, 1669)
was a prominent 17th century Dutch oil painter and printmaker who
focused almost exclusively on the themes of religion, allegorical
scenery, and occasionally classic Greek culture. Although these
themes were not uncommon, his attention to detail and baroque style
that portrayed realistic movement as well as powerful emotion set
Rembrandt apart. His greatest artistic and creative triumphs were his
portraits of contemporaries and his dramatic scenes from the Old
Testament; both of which were portrayed in his prints and paintings.
Rembrandt became highly successful, and although he lived only in
A Self Portrait
the Netherlands (mainly in Nuremburg) his prints and paintings
influenced both the Renaissance and many future artists. Thusly he is
called one of the greatest artists of Europe.
Rembrandt was born on July 15, 1606, a Jewish millers son. Although his family lived
modestly, Rembradnt’s parents focused on giving him a respectable education. He soon
discovered that the classic studies of Math, Science, and Literature disinterested him, and
he apprenticed himself to a master artist at age 15. Here began his artistic career.
During Rembrandt’s early life, his works exhibited a smooth approach with fine detail. His
brushstrokes melded together seamlessly, creating realistic and well wrought pieces.
During his time as an apprentice in Leiden, his paintings, usually portraits, were small but
detailed and ornamental. However, Rembrandt’s style of portraiture was slightly different
from that of previous artists. While previous works had been strictly formal, rigid, and of
nobility, his were fluid, informal, and unbiased. Many claim that his humble origins that
allowed him to paint subjects regardless of status. Also, during his apprenticeship he
created his first print, the first of many. His original printmaking was in the style of
drawing, using defined lines; however, it soon morphed to that of painting, creating
different shades that blended together. But in both painting and printmaking, his main
focuses were allegorically or religiously based. These 6 years were invaluable for the
career of Rembrandt as they gave a basic shape to his artistic style.
Although many claim that his works as an apprentice were in the
style of baroque, it wasn’t until 1632 that Rembrandt actively tried
to emulate the baroque styles of Rubens. During this time,
Rembrandt still painted mythological and Biblical scenes, however
he also experimented with the affect of light and added emotion. His
use of chiaroscuro (contrast) was exceptional and unique for his
time, thus setting Rembrandt apart.
An example of Chiaroscuro
In 1634 Rembrandt married Saskia van
Uylenburg, and they moved into a prominent
house in the Jewish quarter of Nuremburg.
Rembrandt’s first child, Rombartus died two
months after birth; their second child, Cornelia,
died after 3 weeks of life; and their third child,
An example of “painting” style printing
also
Conelia died after living just over a
and “drawing” style printing
month. Only their 4th child, Titus, was able to
live into adulthood, and even this birth was
marked with tragedy, as Saskia died shortly afterword.
Due to this personal tragedy, Rembrandt’s style soon changed, becoming less
exuberant and more somber in the 1640s. His previously “smooth” paintings and
etchings soon became “rougher” and had more defined brush strokes. In this way he
distanced himself from conventional painting, which his contemporaries greeted with
derision. However during this new style change, the greatest, and most emotional of
his self-portraits emerged.
An example of the dramatic scenery Rembrandt painted
Through printmaking and painting, Rembrandt created a unique style of
chiaroscuro, baroque, and emotion, for which he will always be
remembered.
"Rembrandt Biography and Chronology." Rembrandt van Rijn: Life and Work. Web. 25 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.rembrandtpainting.net/rembrandt_life_and_work.htm>.
"Rembrandt Image Gallery." Christus Rex. Web. 25 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.christusrex.org/www2/art/rembrandt.htm>.
"Rembrandt van Rijn Online." Art cyclopedia: The Fine Art Search Engine. Web. 25 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/rembrandt_van_rijn.html>.
"WebMuseum: Rembrandt." Ibiblio.org - learn a language. Web. 25 Oct. 2009.
Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675)
By: Kathleen Elkins
Johannes Vermeer, born and raised in the Dutch town Delft, enjoyed relative fame in
his hometown, but was unknown outside of Delft for the entirety of his career. He was
partly unknown because he produced so few paintings, only 35 (however, historians
dispute this number). Vermeer may have produced so few paintings because painting
was not his main profession; rather, he was an art dealer, and made very little money
selling his own pieces. While Vermeer lacked quantity, he worked very slowly and
patiently, striving for perfection.
Vermeer specialized in genre painting (a style depicting scenes from ordinary
life). Almost all of his paintings were of house scenes showing different levels of
society, from milkmaids to scenes of the luxurious rich. His style is also considered to
be Dutch Baroque. The Baroque
movement was associated with the
Catholic Revival and characterized
by rich, deep colors and intense light,
all serving the purpose to evoke
passion. His masterly use of light
and transparency - which he achieved
by using very expensive pigments
and using the technique called
pointillé (applying paint in a granular
pattern) - set Vermeer apart from his
contemporaries. Also, he may have
used the technique, “camera obscura”
(projecting surroundings onto a
wall), to achieve his unique
precision. These innovative
techniques paved the way for future
artists.
The majority of Vermeer’s
paintings depict domestic interior
scenes (with the exception of two cityscapes and two allegories), such as The
Milkmaid,
Other themes that appear regularly in Vermeer’s works include: religion, music,
and science, such as The Astronomer and The Love Letter,
Vermeer died young in 1675, another reason for his small production of
paintings. He died a poor man and left his wife and children in debt. In fact, his
death is attributed to his financial stress. In 1672 – also known as “The Year of
Disaster” – there was an economic downfall leading to fall of the art market; this
hurt Vermeer’s business as a painter and an art dealer. After his death, he was
forgotten as a painter for nearly two centuries and his paintings were often sold
under the names of other artists to raise their value (another reason his number of
works is disputed). However, in the 19th century Vermeer was rediscovered and
his popularity has grown since. Today, he is celebrated as one of the greatest
painters during the Dutch Golden Age. An example of his growing popularity is
the novel and movie, Girl With a Pearl Earring, which were inspired by
Vermeer’s painting, Girl With a Pearl Earring,
Works Cited
Geller, Jonny. "About Johannes Vermeer." Tracy Chevalier - Official site.
Web. 22 Oct.
2009. <http://www.tchevalier.com/gwape/vermeer/index.html>.
Janson, Jonathan. "Essential Vermeer." Essential Vermeer. 2001. Web. 22
Oct. 2009.
<http://www.essentialvermeer.com/>.
"Johannes Vermeer Bio - Dutch Baroque Painter Jan Vermeer." Art
History Resources
for Students. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.
<http://arthistory.about.com/od/vermeer /p/vermeer.htm>.
"Johannes Vermeer." Web Gallery of Art. Web. 22 Oct.
2009.<http://www.wga
.hu/index1.html>.
Jan van Eyck
By: Isaac Josephtal
Jan van Eyck was a Flemish painter
who was born around 1395 in the Holy
Roman Empire, which is now Belgium. He
is thought to have come from the village of
Maaseyck. He is accredited for perfecting
the art of oil painting. He was very focused
on portraits and designs of religious figures,
and very often, slid religious symbolism into
his work in disguise.
Van Eyck's most famous and most
controversial work is, the Ghent Altarpiece
(1432), a polyptych consisting of twenty
panels in the Church of St. Bavo, Ghent. On
the frame is an incomplete inscription with Latin that identifies the artist as Jan van Eyck
and his friend Hubert. The usual interpretation is that Hubert van Eyck (d. Sept. 18, 1426)
was the brother of Jan and that he was the painter who began the altarpiece, which Jan
then completed. Because of this controversy, attribution of the panels, which vary
somewhat in scale and even in style, has differed, according to the arguments of scholars
who have studied the problem. The exterior of the altar depicts Jodocus Vijdt, the donor,
and his wife kneeling on either side of two grisaille representations of St. John the Baptist
and St.
John the Evangelist; above is an Annunciation. The brightly colored interior is also by a
panel representing the Adoration of the Holy Lamb. Another of his famous is the wedding
portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife (1434; National Gallery, London), which the artist
signed "Johannes de Eyck fuit hic 1434" (Jan van Eyck was here), testimony that he witnessed
the ceremony. Other important paintings are the Madonna of Chancellor Rolin (1433-34) and
the Madonna of Canon van der Paele (1436).
Bibliograpy
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artis
ts/eyck_jan_van.html
http://www.wga.hu/framese.html?/bio/e/eyck_van/jan/biograph.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/eyck
/