Compare and Contrast Caravaggio and Gentileschi
Michelangelo da Caravaggio's "David with the Head of Goliath" and
Artemisia Gentileschi's "Judith and Maidservant with the Head of
Holofernes"
The period of Baroque art was from 1600 to 1750, and relates to the style of architecture and art that was dominant at that time. Rome was the center of this new style that reflected the Counter Reformation; the
Church was regrouping during this period, and was trying to build up its patronage by bringing people back to worship after the Reformation. In much of the art during this time, the papacy commissioned artists to lavishly restore Rome in the hope that Rome would become the most beautiful city that would attract Christians. Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, William Shakespeare was in England writing his plays and Johann
Sebastian Bach was in Germany working as a choir director; interestingly, his compositions seem to represent the style of Baroque art.
Much of Baroque art reflects Biblical stories, scenes of saints, or other historical events, and two particular painters of the Baroque technique are Michelangelo da Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi, both masters at the use of chiaroscuro (from the Italian words "chiaro," meaning bright, and "scuro," meaning dark), which is a painting technique that uses dark and light in dramatic ways in paintings and often adds to the realism.
Michelangelo da Caravaggio (1571-1610), was a northern Italian painter that painted such amazingly realistic scenes, his work was considered
"naturalism," which was new in the way he used chiaroscuro to highlight what was being emphasized in his paintings. Caravaggio was unique because he captured moments from the Bible that were untraditional and totally unexpected; his subjects were often depicted in a moment of life that was not necessarily flattering, like "The Conversion of St. Paul," where
Paul has fallen off of his horse on the way to Damascus. He lost commissions due to this, but his paintings are alive
Artemisia Gentileschi's "Judith and Maidservant with the Head of
Holofernes"
The period of Baroque art was from 1600 to 1750, and relates to the style of architecture and art that was dominant at that time. Rome was the center of this new style that reflected the Counter Reformation; the
Church was regrouping during this period, and was trying to build up its patronage by bringing people back to worship after the Reformation. In much of the art during this time, the papacy commissioned artists to lavishly restore Rome in the hope that Rome would become the most beautiful city that would attract Christians. Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, William Shakespeare was in England writing his plays and Johann
Sebastian Bach was in Germany working as a choir director; interestingly, his compositions seem to represent the style of Baroque art.
Much of Baroque art reflects Biblical stories, scenes of saints, or other historical events, and two particular painters of the Baroque technique are Michelangelo da Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi, both masters at the use of chiaroscuro (from the Italian words "chiaro," meaning bright, and "scuro," meaning dark), which is a painting technique that uses dark and light in dramatic ways in paintings and often adds to the realism.
Michelangelo da Caravaggio (1571-1610), was a northern Italian painter that painted such amazingly realistic scenes, his work was considered
"naturalism," which was new in the way he used chiaroscuro to highlight what was being emphasized in his paintings. Caravaggio was unique because he captured moments from the Bible that were untraditional and totally unexpected; his subjects were often depicted in a moment of life that was not necessarily flattering, like "The Conversion of St. Paul," where
Paul has fallen off of his horse on the way to Damascus. He lost commissions due to this, but his paintings are alive