Quiz Prep - Spain

Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grunewald

1. Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grunewald  *see page 697, fig. 22-6    a) Concert/ Nativity How does he make two scenes into one? There is a decisive split with the curtain Shows heavenly and earthly realms in one space. How does he use space and light? The Light is used for mystical subject matter. Heaven and Earth are united into one space. Mary has a vision that she is Queen of Heaven, shown by the figure of light in the clouds.

Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grunewald (cont.)

1. Isenheim Altarpeice by Matthias Grunewald *see p.697 fig. 22-5    b) Why is Jesus shown in a painful posture? He has died due to Ergot disease from yeast in bread.

The Reformation

2. Context - What is The Reformation? *See p. 646, 692-4 The Pope rule is challenged by Martin Luther who stresses individual faith instead of praying through a chain of people to get to God. Protestantism - "Protesting" some Catholic beliefs. It originated with the Protestant Reformation, a movement against what its followers considered to be errors in the Roman Catholic Church. (p. 693) Iconoclasm - Destruction of religious images. (p. 693) Religion effects where an artist lives and who buys art. "The years of political and religious strife had a grave impact on artists and art. Some artists found their careers at an end because of their reformist religious sympathies. Then, as Protestantim gained ascendancy, it was Catholic artists who had to leave their homes to seek patronage abroad. There was also widespread destruction of religious art. In some places, Protestant zealots smashed sculpture and stained-glass windows and destroyed or whitewashed religious paintings to rid churches of what they considered idols - though Luther himself never directly supported iconoclasm. With the sudden loss of patronage for religious art in the newly Protestant lands, many artists turned to portraiture and other secular subjects, including moralizing depiction of human folly and weakness, still lifes, and landscapes. The popularity of these themes stimulated the burgeoning of a free arr market centered in Antwerp." (page 693-4) After the Reformation artists started painting non-religious themes and subject matter.

El Greco - Burial of Count Orgaz

3. El Greco - Burial of Count Orgaz *see p. 710    a) What are the  3 stages of his life/career before Spain? Being from Greece he learns Greek manner of painting. EXAMPLE: Shallow Setting, No Middle Space, Flatness. Moves to Venice in 1566 and studies under Titan, and under [Vorenus] in 1570-77. EXAMPLE: Bleak lighting with pops of color. Moves to Rome and studies under those who worked with Michelangelo. EXAMPLE: Saints and Priests, heavy fabrics and muscular figures.    b) In Burial of Count Orgaz what is the flow? What direction are we following? Start at the child, then to count, then to El Greco, then to Angel, then to soul of Orgaz (like a baby going to Heaven, "rebirth"), the clouds are like a uterus, John the Baptist presents the soul, Virgin Mary delivers to Jesus.

French Chateau (or Cateaux)

Chateau of Chenonceau "The Castle of the Ladies" *See p. 704-6  fig. 22-14 Stucco and Wall Painting, Chamber of the Duchess of Etampes, Chateau of Fontainebleau by Primaticcio *See p. 706 fig. 22-15 4. What is a chateau? An elegant and large rural house (not a castle) for nobility    a) Significance of the Locations? In a large rural area, not in a city.    b) Two ways Primaticcio and Italians influence their decorations: Primaticcio deigned villas in Venice. He used stucco relief, woodwork, and fresco painting to create complex interior design, like for Anne, duchess of Etampes, the king's official mistress at Chateau of Fontainebleau (p. 706). He used Carthigan plasters in a new way. Classic Italian architectural principles of geometric (squares with a circle in the middle) regularity and symmetry - a rectangular building with rooms arranged on each side of a wide central hall (p. 704).    

Bruegel - The Peasant Wedding

The Peasant Wedding by Pieter Bruegel the Elder *Not in Textbook. 5. How does Bruegel show peasants in this scene? They are everyday people, though we do see different classes represented. a) What kind of painting style is this? Genre - of everyday normal folks b) Describe the scene. Reception of a wedding. It is a feast, but not a religious "Last Supper" like other feasts before the Reformation. There is an oblique vanishing point (off to the side, outside of the scene). Our view is at an angel, and there is a crowded table to take up much of the space of the scene. We do not look into the room, but are within the room. The bride is easy to see under a lantern. It is hard to distinguish which figure may be the groom, and he may not be a part of this composition.

Durer - Self Portraits

6. Albrecht Durer Self Portrait *See p. 690-2, fig. 22-1. The younger self portraits are not in  the textbook    a) What are four ways he shows his technical skills? In his left eye there is a reflection of outside, a landscape. Northern art always had a city, but he does an Italian style with atmospheric perspective. Individual hairs painted with different brushes. At the age of 13 he creates a self portrait in metal point (chemical reaction between metal and paper).    b) What are three ways he shows psychology? He's hiding and rubbing his hands, showing he may be nervous. His eyes seem to be looking for the viewer. No bright colors, only neutrals to not draw attention. By age 28 his confidence goes up and he faces more frontal, towards viewer. He grew his hair long and made himself look like Jesus, the Savior  

The Escorial

The Escorial by Jean Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera *See p. 707-8, fig. 22-17 7. Regarding Philip II, how was the Escorial humble and not humble at the same time? Made it intentionally plain on the outside to not be "showy", but its huge. "Should be simple in form ... Nobility without arrogance." a) Does it work? How? No. Contradiction and hypocritical. 

El Greco - Agony in the Garden

8. The Agony in the Garden by El Greco *Not in textbook a) How did Counter Reformation show up? The Catholic Church changes things and the moon looks like the eye of God, watching the scene and us. El Greco takes all four gospels and combines them in this one scene. b) How does Jesus show "Agonia"? "Agonia" is Agony, or spiritual struggle. Matthew 26:42 explains the scene and Agonia of Jesus that if no one else can take that cup of burden he will take it. His struggle is his choice to take the cup or not - to be The Savior, the Christ, or not. In his Agonia Jesus also shows Ecstacy -accepting what will happen and being happy with it.

Bruegel - Return of the Hunters

9. Bruegel - Return of the Hunters *See p.717 fig. 22-25    a) How is the landscape handled? Does it take over? We are at a bird's eye view, noticing the other birds in flight. We are within the scene, "in the out".  Large mountain in the background. Envelope the viewer with a sharp drop-off, forcing us to look far away. Winter is the focal point.    b) Do the peasants have a hard life or a good life? Both good and hard, mostly hard but with a bit of fun. The hunters came back with very little game. The folks in the background are, however, enjoying ice-skating. 

Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights

10. Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights *See p. 711-2 a) Why is it popular even today? looks like modern art, surrealism. b) Pick a theory of explanation and defend it. Sexual - Sexual sin is the worst kind of sin. Alchemy - turn lead into gold. Mankind is lead and Jesus purifies us like gold. Hardcore theology - Middle panel is what life may have been like if Adam and Eve never ate fruit of knowledge. No need for Jesus, no salvation, we all go to Hell. Bosch was an Adamite (worships Adam) - not true. Big Catholic. Philip II hung this over his bed.