Art History Encyclopedia:… Century to 17th Century/Art History Encyclopedia - 11th Century to 17th Century.iso/ingles/curso6.dbf

Text File | 1993-01-28 | 8KB | 153 lines

THE CLASSICISM
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The classicism, born in Rome, is strongly linked to
Counterreformation. After 1570, the severe and limited
character typical of this movement, under the Spanish
influence, began its transformation under Popes Sixtus V and
Clement VII, both favoring France.

However, it is precisely in Italy where this school
fundamentally springs up, searching for a directed and
traditional art by meditated rules, and it is in France where
this is fully achieved. The French school
had already received Italian, Spanish and Flemish influence;
out of the symbiosis of these pictorial currents, he opted for
Classicism, whose main exponent is Nicolas Poussin who,
starting from the Italian experience and supporting on
rational philosophy, grants a definite profile to this style.
Under Louis XIV's monarchy, this school constituted the
official art, in spite of the attacks from Baroque, and will
be kept as such from David to Ingres.

Baroque in reality had never fully reigned while it ruled; it
could never break away from the style from which it was born:
Counterreformation and the efforts of Spain to restore faith.
Moreover, the division of Europe between Catholics and
Reformists generates in some countries, basically in France, a
reaction that did not undermine the developmnet of art, which
was translated in a progressive splitting from the baroque
forms associated to the traditional position of the Church.

In any case, we should stress that societies seem to evolve
over and over again between both styles. When we state that
civilization tends to the Classic, as far as it is
unsatisfied, it swifts toward Baroque. This has to be born in
mind as we should not see an opposition between both schools,
but rather a complementation. It would be unfair to classify
as a cold and calculated oeuvre a table by Vermeer where we
can witness the accurate geometrical layout of floor tiles,
the tender and faithful reflection of the woman's face on the
mirror and the beautiful intimate atmosphere that suggests the
"Self-Portrait" at the painter's study.

Also Classicism, and in this case the French one, could not
escape from the trend stemming out of realism. Protestantism
had strengthened individuality, developing the resource of
interior life against the Baroque rhetoric: the so called
worship of reality, reason, and possitive gatherings of
senses.

In the 1600-1620, we do not find any outstanding painter in
France and, however, an absortion of influences takes place
which will then result in the style we are analyzing. In this
periods, many painters went to Rome to witness the new
experiences, especially those of Caravaggio who transmitted
the lesson of statism and plenitude more than preocupation for
space and movements. Paradoxically, it is also in these years
when Rubens goes to Paris: the most outstanding feature of
this visit is that during this trip his coetaneous learnt
absolutely nothing, as it had never ocurred.

Although in a first stage of the French school Baroque starts
to flourish , it is in the generation after Poussin where
there is a frank opposition to this style, It should be taken
into account that in the second half of the XVII century in
France, the Church split from the state and the king is the
one who monopolizes power and requires a unanimous adhesion.

In the Netherlamds this style affirms itself with a remarkable
strength  and produces a generation of trully exeptional
painters, far from the pessimistic moral of the "bene morire"
and the practice of the "dolce vivire" there is a tendency to
the landscapes and portraits where the prime impact relies on
the visual and sensual aspects of images. It is the image
above all amd dominating it all. Different styles such as
Vermeer's, Rembrandt's or Hoog's develop in a geographical
context where water has always implied a struggle and
everything these people achieved was thanks to a great effort.
The climatic characteristics also provides a peaceful air and
therefore the combination of all these factors has contributad
in the generation of an individual singularity, which in the
period we are analyzing, shone with a very strong individual
light.

Pictorial Expressions of Clacissism
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Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) helps to achieve one of the
highest expressions of French paintings of all times. After
his initial learning in France he goes to Rome in 1624. As his
main works we can name "Sleeping Venus", "The Sheperds of
Arcadia","Blind Orion looking for the Sunrise" and "Self-
Portarit".

De la Tour (1593-1652). His art belongs to the school of
Caravaggio's followers and the painter used to have very
interesting effects while dealing with light. His work reveals
French thinking. Among his oeuvres, we can name "St. Sebastian
crying for St. Irene" and "Viella's Toilette".

Francisco de Zurbaran (1598-1664) offers the expression of
Spanish art linked to concrete forms and volumes and belongs
to the Spanish "Tenebrous" period. Among others, we can
mention "Fray Martin de Vizcaya Giving Alms", "Defense of
Cadiz against the British", "The Appariton of St. Peter
Crucified to S. Pedro Nolasco", "Sta. Apolonia's Portrait" and
his bautiful "Nativity".

Velazquez (1599-1660). His art combines vigor, delicacy and
energy and constitutes one of the highest expressions of
Spanish art. He devoted himself to paint every court member
and one of his most popular compositions is "Las Meninas",
where each portrait contained in this table reveals the
characters' personality. And if one observes the detail of his
self-portrait painting this table one can see an expression,
inquisitive and melancolic at the same time. Epic tables such
as "The Surrender of Breda" offer us different expressions of
his genius.

Batolome Esteban Murillo (1617-1682) provides Spanish painting
with elements such as tenderness, optimism and grace. Both
his sacred themes and his illustratiuons of children, beggars
amd others reveal a great spontaneity in his technique. In
"The Drinking Man", a natural and simple act, we see a neat
composition which reveals a great draftman with details such
as the drinking man's eyes and the splendid reflection of
light in his glass. This kind of themes have another great
exponent, "Children with Grapes". Among the sacred themes we
can mention "The Adoration of the Sheperds", "SS. Justa and
Rufina", and "Virgin Mary".

Rembrandt (1606-1669) represents the zenith of Dutch painting
of all times. In his work, the problematic of human fate
combines with the earthly prescence and life after death. All
this will appear in his characters combined in works where
composition is more complex ("The Night Watch"), the details
of "Young Man in Uniform", biblical themes such as "Jeremiah
Crying for Jerusalem's Destruction" and many others where the
master reveals the combination of techniques and the
psycological penetration of his character. Paradoxically, far
from being unanimously admired, he was critizised for his
religious anguishes, misanderstood for his conception of
reality and finally forgotten, dying as broke merchant.

Vermeer van Delft (1632-1675) represents visual sensuality and
the merriness of life as opposed to the monastic aesthetism.
He is the expression of a richly cultivated people, enjoying
the pleasure of abundance and delicacy. We can perceive in him
a pureness and perfection of lines and shapes and his
paintings transmit a deep peace. "The Guitar Player", "The
Concert", "The Girl in Turban" and "A View of Delft" make up a
set of true masterpieces.