Gillette AP Euro – Age of Absolutism & Reason

17 th Century Art History Project: Baroque Art

The Objectives: Become familiar with 17th c. European art. Identify features of 17th c. art by region. Explore how art is a reflection of the time in which it is created. The Assignment Choose one painting, sculpture, or building from the 17th century to study. You can either

a. Write an analysis of the art and connect it to historical and artistic themes of the time

b. Make a 2-3 presentation using video software analyzing the art (in the theme of Sister Wendy – check out her clips here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUp0irkaei8

c. Recreate the art in the medium of your choice (sketch, painting, coloured pencil, schematic etc) including a short commentary or paragraph about the significance of the work

Options A and B must address these questions: a. Who is the artist? Provide a very brief biography of relevant information.

b. What does the work of art depict, and what does it all mean? Dig in deep here – look for all the symbols, stylistic components, etc.

c. How is the work of art reflective of the time period? For example, does it reveal religious controversy, an attempt to rekindle faith, the new science, the new commodities of world trade, etc.

d.What is your personal connection to the piece?

Gillette AP Euro – Age of Absolutism & Reason

The Artists Here is a list of artists I suggest you use to make your selection. However, if you want to examine a work by someone else, just email me to get the ok.Italy Italian Baroque works were more dynamic and complex than works of the Italian Renaissance, which were characterized by the ordered rationality of classical models. The Italian Baroque tended towards the theatrical and ornate. Works were made on a grandiose scale. Art commissioned by the Catholic Church served both a decorative and didactic purpose. Bernini Caravaggio Artemisia Gentileschi

Spain As in Italy, Spanish Baroque artist sought ways to encourage greater devotion and piety through their works of art. Spain prided itself on its saints. Martyrdom scenes, which were particularly effective at evoking extreme feelings, appeared frequently in Spanish art of this period. Diego Velazquez Flanders

Gillette AP Euro – Age of Absolutism & Reason

The Baroque art of Flanders retained close connections to the Baroque art of Spain (remember that Flanders is under Spanish rule). Peter Paul Rubens

Dutch Republic 17th c. Dutch artists painted portraits (both individual and group), landscapes, genre paintings (interior scenes), and still lifes. This was the golden age of Dutch painting. Dutch paintings in this age reflect the tradition of realism inherited from Early Netherlandish painting, rather than the elaborate, overblown style seen in Italian art and which the term “baroque” connotes. Frans Hals Rembrandt van Rijn Judith Leyster Jacob van Ruisdale Jan Vermeer Jan Steen

FranceFrench artists in this age painted in the classical style of the Renaissance and antiquity. This style is called French classicism. Nicolas Poussin Claude Lorraine

England This was not a great age for painting in England. Christopher Wren (architect)

Some good online resources (though there are many great museums that I did not list here): National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.): http://www.nga.gov/ Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC): http://www.metmuseum.org/ Louvre: http://www.louvre.fr/en The Artchive: http://artchive.com/ Olga’s Gallery: http://www.abcgallery.com/ Essential Vermeer: http://www.essentialvermeer.com/

Gillette AP Euro – Age of Absolutism & Reason

17 th Century Art Project Rubric**

4 3 2 1Description Makes a complete and

detailed description of the artist, subject matter and/or elements seen in a work.

Makes a detailed description of most of the artist, subject matter and/or elements seen in a work.

Makes a detailed description of some of the artist, subject matter and/or elements seen in a work.

Descriptions are not detailed or complete.

Analysis Accurately describes several dominant elements or principles used by the artist and accurately relates how they are used by the artist to reinforce the theme.

Accurately describes a couple of dominant elements and principles used by the artist and accurately relates how these are used by the artist to reinforce the theme

Describes some dominant elements and principles used by the artist, but has difficulty describing how these relate to the meaning or feeling of the theme.

Has trouble picking out the dominant elements.

Interpretation Forms a somewhat reasonable hypothesis about the symbolic or metaphorical meaning and is able to support this with evidence from the work.

Student identifies the literal meaning of the work.

Student can find some surface meaning in the work.

Student finds it difficult to interpret the meaning of the work.

Personal Connection Student describes personal connection to the piece.

Student does not describe personal connection to the piece or it is cursory.

Art Exemplar Student includes a picture (preferred) or link to the piece.

Student does not include a picture (preferred) or link to the piece.

TOTAL: /16

** Students who elect to recreate art will be assessed on the paragraph response only (which does not need to include all of the above) and the quality of their art – see me for a rubric**

Gillette AP Euro – Age of Absolutism & Reason