No middle class liked the kind of realism that was prevalent in Flanders at the time.
Two Women by the Window, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1655-1660, Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art
Secular paintings are different from paintings with religious themes. Spain rarely ordered such works from its own painters, preferring to order from abroad, such as those in Italy and Flanders, whose works brought modernity and imagination to Spanish art. No middle-class painter in Spain is familiar with literature and can be as interested in classical style paintings as abroad. As a result, most works on secular subjects (such as legends, history, landscapes, and still lifes) were written by foreign painters. In addition, 17th-century Spain was still heavily biased in terms of morality: nude painting was still considered unethical in Spain. Only Diego Velázquez treated nudes on an equal footing with mythological subjects. However, most Spanish painters feel uncomfortable with works on mythological subjects, although it has also been noted that in addition to the mythological stories in Ovid's Metamorphoses, there are modern works such as Juan Pérez Moya's Occult Philosophy in 1583 and Victoria Baltazar's Gentleman's Theater in St. Franciscan.
Spanish landscape painting at that time was influenced by Italian and Flemish painting art, and lacked its own national characteristics. Early painters interested in landscape painting were Pedro Orrente and Juan Bautista Maino, who used landscapes as a backdrop in religious paintings, sometimes continuing the style of Titian and Bassano Italian Schools, sometimes imitating the classical style of Rome. Only then did the artists become interested in sentimental landscape painting.
Although some of Velázquez's and Murillo's works are landscapes, this does not represent a particular interest in this type of painting in 17th-century Spain. Because no middle class liked this kind of realism that was prevalent in Flanders at the time. Spanish literature contains some references to human suffering, such as Guzmán de Alvarache by Mateo Alemán and Marcos de Obregón by Vicente Espinal. But perhaps viewers of such works and readers of wandering novels did not transfer this interest to painting. The image of painting is different from literature. Thus, the characteristics of Don Quixote, for example, are constantly mentioned in literature, but until the 18th century there was no painting that reflected its contents.
At that time, this type of painting was called "still life" by portraitists. There were also such works in the early years of Velázquez's painting career and during his time in Seville. Murillo's achievements abroad led to the flow of all his paintings abroad. The word "still life" in Spanish refers to widespread transmission, and the special aspects of this type of work are different from those of other European countries at the time. The works on the theme of Spanish still life have a special, subtle and meaningful meaning. This may come from everyday mystical language systems and religious sensations. It is well known that modern literature has never pinpointed the correlation between literature and still life. In addition, if still life painting is not the work of painters belonging to religious groups such as Sánchez Cotan, it tends to be a work of ecclesiastical themes. The "Void School", a branch of still life painting, was undoubtedly present and was widely explored by many painters of the time: there is no doubt that the language of painting associated with religious language was intended to spread the concept that worldly pleasure, vanity, beauty, wealth and power were all emptiness. In the Spanish religious environment, "apotheologized portraiture" gives the figure a costume representing the patron saint, representing devotion in spiritual identity.
Still Life in a Vase, Francisco de Subbarão, 1630-1633, Madrid, Prado Museum
Portraiture was a great success, as it was needed at court and in all noble families. Velázquez's characteristic Spanish portraits are inspired by 16th-century Flemish court painting, Venetian painting and the works of Rubens and van Dyck. Because of the strong demand of society, portraiture went out of the court and was favored by aristocratic and wealthy families. At the same time, the aristocracy also wanted to have portraits of the royal family, which led to the circulation of many copies and forgeries, so much so that painters demanded that the sale of works made by ordinary craftsmen in all open shops be controlled.
In the course of the Golden Age, portraiture became so important that portraiture could become a sign of a person's identity, just as a king's portrait could represent him personally. In some cases, weddings were celebrated with portraits of the court. Therefore, the position of court painter became increasingly dependent on the decision of the king. European court portraiture has a long historical tradition, which was consolidated by representative elements in the 17th century. Good portraitists know that the subject should not be allowed to make a random gesture, but should try to use all the useful elements to highlight the social status of the subject. Unlike Italy and France, Spain used allegorical and symbolic elements: Spain preferred ordinary objects such as clothes, accessories or more understandable elements of furniture. For example, some objects leaned against a small table can represent impartiality and authority. At the end of the 17th century, clocks appeared on small tables. The clock represents moderation, distinguishing this table from an ordinary work table full of inconspicuous small items.
From Baroque Art
Book Series: The Art of Brilliantness
[Italy] Stefano Zufi, editor-in-chief
Alberto O'Soni et al. [Italy].
Translated by Yuan Yuxi
Shanghai Sanlian Bookstore Phoenix One
The "Glorious Art" series of books is introduced from well-known Italian art publishing houses, with rich materials, profound research, and a wide range of artistic changes, covering different periods and fields of artistic changes from prehistory to modern and contemporary, from Renaissance to romanticism, from impressionism to avant-garde, from photography to film, from enlightenment to religious reform. Each volume has clear chapters, a clear structure, and extensive illustrations, detailing fascinating artistic treasures through authoritative commentary and commentary, outlining the artistic development of the corresponding period and genre. The series provides readers with a more comprehensive overview of Western art history and helps readers gain a deeper understanding of Western art.
★ Baroque Art is part of a series of books in the "Glorious Art" series, with rich materials, clear chapters and clear structure, through beautifully illustrated displays and authoritative commentary and explanations, so that readers can understand the history of Baroque art.
★ "Baroque Art" mainly explores the development context and brilliant achievements of Baroque as an art form that deviates from the spirit of Renaissance art in architecture, literature, music, painting and other artistic fields.
★ "Baroque Art" involves a lot of literary, historical and artistic knowledge, and is rich in content, suitable for readers and literature and history lovers with certain knowledge accumulation.
★ "Baroque Art" is comprehensive, multi-angled, and clearly structured, interspersed with sections such as appreciation of excellent works, character profiles, techniques and materials, and overviews.
★ The book "Baroque Art" double cover design, bare ridge lock line binding, humanized binding design, enhance reading comfort.
★ The book "Baroque Art" starts with details, comprehensively and deeply interprets the works of art, and more than 200 high-definition large pictures show the beauty of art and appreciate fascinating artistic treasures.
About the author
Stefano Zuffi, editor-in-chief of the series, is a renowned Italian art historian, former editor and academic advisor, as well as cultural magazines, radio shows and documentaries. He has published more than 60 books and participated in the compilation of many books, including "Genius Artist Series", "Dictionary of Western Artists" series and "Ancient Roman Art". In particular, there are a large number of best-selling works in the field of Italian Renaissance art.
About the translator
Yuxi Yuan is a major in Italian at Beijing Second Foreign Chinese College. During the school, he interned in the Secretariat Department of the Italian Consulate General in Chongqing and the Tour of Italy Travel Agency.
Introduction to the content
Baroque art has extremely complex connotations in the entire field of art, including painting, music, architecture, decorative arts, etc. The most basic characteristics of Baroque art are to break the seriousness, subtlety and balance of the Renaissance, advocate luxury and style, pay attention to the expression of strong emotions, the atmosphere is warm and tense, and have a piercing and moving artistic effect. The Baroque style broke through the rules and precepts of the late Renaissance classicists, reflecting secular ideas yearning for freedom.
This book belongs to the "brilliant art" series of books, introduced to the well-known Italian art publishing house, rich materials, clear chapters, clear structure, with a large number of illustrations, mainly to discuss the Baroque as an art form that deviates from the spirit of Renaissance art, in architecture, literature, music, painting and other artistic fields of development and brilliant achievements, through exquisite illustrations and authoritative commentary and explanation, so that readers have an understanding of the development and characteristics of Baroque art.
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