Baroque

This week I will be exploring the art found in the Baroque era and the major influences that were present during this specific era.  The Baroque era was a style of art, architecture, music, and dance that was amplified in Europe.  The era lasted from the early 17th century until around the 1740s.  Many characteristics of art done in the Baroque era consists of qualities such as drama, tension, richness, and emotion to achieve awe throughout an audience.

Below is a very famous painting known as Girl With A Pearl Earring.  This painting was done by an artist names Johannes Vermeer in 1665.  I am not completely sure where exactly it was painted, but the painting currently sits at the Mauritshuis in The Hague.  Johannes Vermeer's piece, Girl With A Pearl Earring, portrays a European women wearing exotic clothing, but most famously, a large pearl earring.  The painting is so well known that it has a reputation of being called the "Mona Lisa of the North."  You can definitely see the similarities between the two in the type of portrait it is and the impact it has had.  As a Renaissance piece, the Mona Lisa is widely famous.

    

I personally don't have any strong feelings about this painting but it is cool learning the history and stories behind these paintings and I enjoy it.  The common characteristics of emotion within Baroque art is definitely portrayed in the face of this model.  It gives a sense of mystery and makes you wonder who the women is and what her story is.  Just as the Mona Lisa draws in an audience.  On another note, I do really like the elements found in this piece of work.  Some elements that stand out to me right away is contrast through light, space, and texture.  The contrast between the lightness of the women and the darkness of the background make the women pop.  This is a technique Vermeer used rather than using line to create form.  This brings a simplicity and unquestionable known subject to the art.  That contrast also contributes to the element of space.  The painting is very simplistic and isn't busy.  The last element that I enjoy is the texturing of the womens clothing.

I personally see a connection between Girl With A Pearl Earring and the influence of the rise of the merchant classes.  I made this connection when I looked at art that was influenced by the concept of the rise of the merchant classes.  Below is a portrait that I though was similar to Girl With A Pearl Earring.

    

I see the similarities in the elements of tension and light.  Both portray strong emotion and mystery.  They both leave the audience with questions of what is going on in the images and what is the models story.  The other technical element I see is the way the artist brought in light and shading.  The light in the images are crafting the shape and form not only in the faces of the models but the picture in all.

Here is a video going more into the techniques of artwork from the Baroque era:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFHPAbHaoqk

Citations

https://learnodo-newtonic.com/famous-baroque-paintings

Anirudh. “Anirudh.” Learnodo Newtonic, 1 Mar. 2021, learnodo-newtonic.com/famous-baroque-paintings.

https://www.britannica.com/art/Baroque-art-and-architecture

“Baroque Art and Architecture.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/art/Baroque-art-and-architecture.