Las meninas by Diego Velázquez

LAS MENINAS BY VELÁZQUEZ  

Name = Las meninas

Author = Diego Velázquez

Year = 1656

Style = Barroque

Location = El Prado museum, Madrid

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

SAN CARLO ALLE QUATTRO FONTANE

Name = San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Author = Francesco Borromini

Year = 1638-1641

Style = Barroque

Location = Rome, Italy

David by Miguel Ángel

DAVID BY MIGUEL ÁNGEL

Name = David

Author = Miguel Ángel

Year = 1501-1504

Style = Barroque
Location = Florence, Italy

The Burial of the Count of Orgaz by El Greco

THE BURIAL OF THE COUNT OF ORGAZ BY EL GRECO

Name = The Burial of the count of Orgaz

Author = El Greco

Year = 1586

Style = Manierista

Location = Church of Santo Tome, Toledo

Tecnic = Painted on tempera on a canvas




INTRODUCCTION


The burial of the Count of Orgaz is a work created by El Greco, The work was realized during the year 1586 and 1588, The work represents the miracle in that San Esteban and San Agustín went down from the sky to bury Gonzalo Ruiz of Toledo in the Santo Tome church.



ANALYSIS

This work belongs to the Spanish renaissance that started in the 16th century continuing to the Italian renaissance. The work is made by El Greco, El Greco was a painter of the XVIth and XVIIth century, was born in Heraclión's city also known as Candía in Greece, he was living in Italy for 10 years when he learn to paint as a renaissance painter. In the year 1577 he started living in Toledo, the city where he past the rest of his live. The 12 of march of 1586 he accept a order from the people of the Santo's Tome's church, then he ends the work in the year 1588, the pay for the work was of 1.600 duchies.





These are the persons that Greek I do in his picture treating of that it seemed that they were in the burial of the Count, between the persons it is possible to see The Greek one in a self-portrait, also it is possible to see the son of the Greek one and another person that the writer Cervantes seems to be

Christ of the Clemency

Name: Christ of the Clemency.
Author: Juan Martínez Montañés.
Year: 1606.
Style: Baroque.
Location: Cathedral of Seville.


INTRODUCTION

This piece of art is called the Christ of the Clemency because it represents a christ in the cross looking to the bottom as it was forgiving someone like it says in the Bible. It was created by Juan Martínez Montañés who was born in Andalusia in 1568 and was an expert working with wood and most of his works were religious except a portrait of the king Phillip II and two worshippers. He died in 1649.
The piece was made between 1603-1606 and as you can see it is Baroque.
The difference between this wotk from an Spanish author is that in Spain the Baroque came after than in Italy and also that here in Spain they were with the Counter-Reformation so many supports appeared to help this movement.


ANALYSIS
This piece of art represents the Christ who is dying looking down forgiving the humanity and standing in the cross for all the sins of the believers, with his eyes and mouth middle closed expresing humility.
The sculpture has got high reliefs and it is a free standing figure.
This sculpture was made of carved wood that was coloured after by Francisco Pacheco.
The sculpture was made with a trapezoidal shape and it also has diagonal lines, onw of the characteristics of the Baroque.
It does not have any focus of light in the body but there are several things to comment  on it, for example the fact that the feets are in a complete horizontal way that leave us see the nails on his feets, also the clothes tha Christ is wearing, just a rag on his waist that covers from it till the thighs that represents humility and poverty. Also a important fact is the crown that is made of thorns as it says in the Bible.
The colours that were used in this piece of art were neutral colours like beige, skin , nudes ,brown and of course the red of the blood.
Its function was for a vault for Mateo Vázquez , after that it was moved to the cathedral of Seville.
The theme is the last part of the life of Jesus, when he died.
This figure is realistic and natural, one of the characteristics of the Baroque in Spain.
Other artists in Spain were Alonso Cano and Pedro de Mena.

In this sculpture you can see many aspects from the Baroque as the less dramatic aspects and more serene works that appeared  in The Andalusian School.
The realism and the realism that appears in this figures is very well noticed as the movement.
The diagonals that are used for example in Dafne and Apollo is also noticed in this sculptures but in a less measure.
The theatrically is very well noticed also because you can see the pain. But in the others authors is less noticed .





CONCLUSION

This sculpture is very beautiful because of the expressions in the figure.
I think that this piece was a very important job because it represents a lot the historical context of those ages, like the Counter-Reformation or the faith of Phillip II and his father Charles V, that were one of the most important kings of Spain and the powerfull armies of the pope because
it was a bad century for the Christians.
I did not like this piece till I made this comentary, so I think this is a very good way to learn.

Plaza Mayor Salamanca

PLAZA MAYOR SALAMANCA

 

INTRODUCTION

Nature:Salamanca's Plaza Mayor is not perfectly square,it is quadrangular trapezoidal.Elevational you can see three floors with balconies and rectangular openings, semicircular arches on pillars.

Author:Alberto Churriguera Ocaña.

Style: Spanish Baroque.

Timeline:1729-1756

The European economy is in development period. There are greater prosperity in agriculture and industry. Monarchical absolutism across Europe reaches its greatest strength and splendor and  the bourgeoisie oppsoses  the absolute monarchy. Also appeared a political system the European balance. There is also a very artistic evolution.

Alberto Churriguera Ocaña was a Spanish Baroque architect, member of the Churriguera family. He was master builder of the New Cathedral of Salamanca and began work on the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca in 1728 and made two paintings of the Plaza, as well as other important works in Madrid and Valladolid.

ANALYSIS

It is an urban space, is the center of social life of the city.The floor of the square is not perfectly square, it is quadrangular trapezoidal.

The iconographic program of the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca consists of a set of icons, also called medallions, are located in the spandrels of the eighty-eight arches. There are also coats of arms in the arcades of the biggest arches, on balconies and other architectural elements.The square adopts a uniform, broken only by the presence on two sides of the Town Hall and the facade known as Royal Pavilion. The set is closed at the top by a stone balustrade at intervals is decorated with pyramid-shaped pinnacles rematos with a fleur de lis. In total 96 pinnacles that surround the perimeter of the square.The walls of the facades open the center by 247 balconies. The entrance to the square is done through nine gates and two passages .The name entries are: Arco de San Martin, the Corrillo, Arco del Toro.Its materials are marble on the facade of Town Hall to till the shields of the royal arms and the city,all outer parameters are of squared stone, either granite or Villamayor.With the rough stone foundations and the first four rows of the pillars of the porticos they were made. These courses were changed to granite,pretty slate was used in the work.The lime was used as an indispensable element to make the mortar that connected the stones, fine plaster used on the interior walls and wood was also used.

Its function is a public space.

The characteristics of the Plaza Mayor correspond to the Baroque style, it was designed by different architects but the main one was Alberto Churriguera.

CONCLUSION

The Baroque is a period of pessimism and disappointment but left very important works and the main square of Salamanca is one of them and a symbol of Salamanca.It was designed mainly by Alberto Churriguera but also had other architects.   

 

The Vocation of Saint Mateo

VOCATION OF SAINT MATEO





 

INTRODUCTION

Tittle:The vocation of Saint Mateo.

Author:Caravaggio.

Style:Baroque.

Timeline:1599.

The seventeenth century was for Spain a period of serious political, military, economic and social crisis that ended up turning the Spanish Empire in power under France.In the seventeenth century, Spain suffered a serious demographic crisis, a consequence of the expulsion of around 300,000 Moriscos and mortality caused by the continuous wars, famine and plague.The Spanish society of seventeenth century was a divided society: the nobility and clergy preserved lands and privileges, while farmers suffered in all its rigor the economic crisis.
Caravaggio was an Italian painter, was the baroque movement and was commissioned the picture of The Vocation of St Mateo to decorate the chapel of Contarelli in the Roman church of St. Louis of the French in 1599.

ANALYSIS
The technical and support is oil on canvas.
Light and illuminated areas are seen as people first, highlighting the background shade.The light source is lateral.The shadow and light represent dramatics.In this work it is represented in a very marked lights and shadows with the technique tenebrism.
The brown colors and doughy brushstroke.
The composition is formed by a group of men, two feet, and others sitting around the table.
Its function is to decorate the Chapel Contarelli in the Roman church of St. Louis of the French , where still preserved.
Its theme is religious because Mateo tells how he became an apostle.The work expresses drama and tenebrism, sadness ..
In the picture we can see how Jesus calls Mateoleaving the rest of men surprised.The characteristics that are used Caravaggio are Baroque style.

The Martyrdom of Saint Mateo is a work opposite to that of The Vocation of St Mateo, the two works are by Caravaggio and have the same characteristics.






CONCLUSION
Caravaggio is an important Baroque author presents characteristics in his works of Baroque such as The Vocation of St Mateo.The characteristics of the work were represented in reality, a time of drama and pessimism.
It is important work of Caravaggio because it has all the characteristics of the time.