Italian Baroque Paintings

Caravaggio & Gentileschi

Baroque• The term baroque was not a

complement. • Portuguese for “imperfect pearl”• It has come to include the following

definitions:• Dramatic• Elaborate ornamentation• Sensuality combined with spirituality• Naturalistic rather than ideal• Emotional rather than rational

Italian Baroque Painting• Chiaroscuro

• Italian for light - dark

• A contrast between light and dark

• Naturalism• Depiction of realistic

objects in a natural setting

Caravaggio• Master of

Chiaroscuro & Naturalism

• Frequent problems with the police

• Painted sacred scenes using ordinary people

Early Works

The Musicians

Church Commissions

Caravaggio the Superstar• Commissions roll in, but they go to

his head• Enters a violent stage of his life

with constant run-ins with the law

Troubles Continue• Accused of libeling a rival artist

and is put in jail• Busted for carrying weapons

without a permit

Troubles Boil Over• Challenged a rival to a duel

• Rival refused• Caravaggio ambushed him at night

and left him for dead• Challenged a local pimp to a duel

• Killed him• Had to flee Rome• To regain honor, traveled to Malta to

become a knight of the Order of St. John

Artemisia Gentileschi• First woman in the history of

Western art to have a significant impact on the art of her time.

• Student of Caravaggio• Raped and tortured at age 20

Comparison

Caravaggio

Gentileschi