Baroque and Rococo Art Syllabus

COURSE INTRODUCTION

1. Syllabus and Reading List
Course Overview (for placing seminars)

SECTION I: The Classical Tradition (Italy and France)

TOWARDS THE ENLIGHTENMENT

3. High Renaissance Painting, Idealization, fresco as ultimate test
(Style handout)
Venetian Renaissance Painting, oil, disegno vs colore, Giorgione and middle Titian
(History and Culture handout)
Mannerism and the Counter Reformation
(Theatre, Opera and Oratorio handout)
(Cardinal Gabriele Paleotti, Possevinus and the Carracci handout)
Italian Baroque altarpieces, oil, Veneto-Classical synthesis, post-Trentine art?

4. * Secular Ceiling paintings

* Religious Ceiling paintings

5. * Guido Reni, Simon Vouet, Eustache la Sueur

* Bernini's sculpture; French sculpture

6. * Nicholas Poussin

* Claude Lorraine

(Classical landscape handout)

7. * Charles le Brun

(Science, The Academy handout)

Discussion:
What are the typical themes of the Classical tradition, and how are they rendered? How would you rate the importance of these themes in the universe of existence?

SECTION IIa: The Anti-classical Tradition (Roman Catholic) (Italy, Spain and France)

TOWARDS THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

8.		The Veneto, Jacopo Bassano, Parmigianino, Savoldo, Moretto,
	*	Caravaggio
9.	*	Caravaggio's followers: Manfredi, The Utrecht School (Honthorst, Terbrugghen) (Prints handout)
	*	Zurbaran, and Early Velasquez (Bodegones, Bamboccianti handout)
10.	*	Georges de la Tour, the Le Nain brothers
	*	Jacques Callot; Philippe de Champaigne
11.	*	Social Criticism, Memento Mori Discussion: How do the themes of the Roman Catholic anti-Classical tradition differ from those of the Classical tradition. Why might the Classical tradition have been rejected and what are the advantages of the anti-Classical approach?

SECTION IIb: The Anti-Classical Tradition) (Holland)

TOWARDS THE WORK ETHIC

12. * Early Rembrandt
(The Flemish tradition handout)

13. * Carel Fabritius and Vermeer

* Cuyp, Ruisdael

* Dutch Landscape and Seascape

14. * Claesz, Kalk
(Dutch Still Life handout)

* Later Rembrandt

15. Discussion:
With the loss of Church patronage and the rejection of the Classical tradition in Holland, was there also a loss of moral purpose in painting? What are the themes in Dutch painting?

SECTION III: Art in Royal Circles (Italy, Spain, Flanders, England)

TOWARDS THE ROCOCO

16. The other Venice, Tintoretto, Veronese, style as an issue, presence of artist, connoisseurship, new subjects - portraits, nudes, art as luxury, the problem of sensuous art

* Early Rubens, 1603-1630
(Portraiture handout)

17. * Later Velasquez, 1630s ff

* Murillo

18. The Tantalization: a solution to sensuous art

* Later Rubens, 1630s ff

* Hals

19. * Van Dyck's portraits

Discussion:
Not a happy and unreflective pleasure of the senses, but gross sensuality alternating with pangs of conscience became the dominant note [of Baroque art]. - C J Friedrich
Discuss this statement, using examples of the major artists from each country to support, refute or qualify it.

SECTION IV: The Eighteenth Century (France and England)

TOWARDS THE END OF CLASSICISM

Interesting site: French Painting in the Age of the Enlightenment

20. * Watteau

* Boucher and Fragonard

21. * Chardin and Hogarth

* Reynolds and Gainsborough

22. * David

FINAL DISCUSSION:

A formal debate in which each team member will give a three-minute presentation in support or refutation of the following accusation, using a single pair of illustrations:

Rococo painting is nothing less than a betrayal of art and the people.

The debate will be judged by a team of Art Department faculty (to be announced).

Home

Introduction

Grading Policy

3.		High Renaissance Painting, Idealization, fresco as ultimate test (Style handout) Venetian Renaissance Painting, oil, disegno vs colore, Giorgione and middle Titian (History and Culture handout) Mannerism and the Counter Reformation (Theatre, Opera and Oratorio handout) (Cardinal Gabriele Paleotti, Possevinus and the Carracci handout) Italian Baroque altarpieces, oil, Veneto-Classical synthesis, post-Trentine art?
4.	*	Secular Ceiling paintings
	*	Religious Ceiling paintings
5.	*	Guido Reni, Simon Vouet, Eustache la Sueur
	*	Bernini's sculpture; French sculpture
6.	*	Nicholas Poussin
	*	Claude Lorraine
		(Classical landscape handout)
7.	*	Charles le Brun
		(Science, The Academy handout)
		Discussion: What are the typical themes of the Classical tradition, and how are they rendered? How would you rate the importance of these themes in the universe of existence?

12.	*	Early Rembrandt (The Flemish tradition handout)
13.	*	Carel Fabritius and Vermeer
	*	Cuyp, Ruisdael
	*	Dutch Landscape and Seascape
14.	*	Claesz, Kalk (Dutch Still Life handout)
	*	Later Rembrandt
15.		Discussion: With the loss of Church patronage and the rejection of the Classical tradition in Holland, was there also a loss of moral purpose in painting? What are the themes in Dutch painting?

16.		The other Venice, Tintoretto, Veronese, style as an issue, presence of artist, connoisseurship, new subjects - portraits, nudes, art as luxury, the problem of sensuous art
	*	Early Rubens, 1603-1630 (Portraiture handout)
17.	*	Later Velasquez, 1630s ff
	*	Murillo
18.		The Tantalization: a solution to sensuous art
	*	Later Rubens, 1630s ff
	*	Hals
19.	*	Van Dyck's portraits
		Discussion: Not a happy and unreflective pleasure of the senses, but gross sensuality alternating with pangs of conscience became the dominant note [of Baroque art]. - C J Friedrich Discuss this statement, using examples of the major artists from each country to support, refute or qualify it.

20.	*	Watteau
	*	Boucher and Fragonard
21.	*	Chardin and Hogarth
	*	Reynolds and Gainsborough
22.	*	David