Author: Brian
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Baroque Art in Cleveland at the Cleveland Museum of Art
Overview The Cleveland Museum of Art houses a distinguished selection of European Baroque art, particularly from Italy, Spain, and France. Italian Baroque art at the museum includes powerful religious compositions and dynamic portraits that reflect the influence of Caravaggio. Spanish Baroque works are marked by their realism and spiritual gravity, with highlights including paintings by…
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Samson
Samson by Valentin de Boulogne presents a contemplative vision of the biblical strongman. Samson gazes beyond the viewer, as if reflecting on the chain of violent and tragic events that have just unfolded. He may have only recently wielded the jawbone of a donkey to kill 1,000 Philistines—a moment of brutal triumph that was also…
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The Vision of St. Jerome
The Vision of St. Jerome (1660) Giovanni Battista Langetti. Langetti is a lesser-known Baroque artist, he worked in Venice and his use of light to help create drama shows Caravaggio’s influence and the intense colors show the influence from Tintoretto. This painting really stood out for me compared to most all other Baroque paintings of…
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Galleria Borghese
Overview The Galleria Borghese, is a vital destination for Baroque art appreciation. It boasts an extensive collection of Baroque masterpieces, particularly sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio. Bernini’s works, including “Apollo and Daphne” and “The Abduction of Proserpina,” epitomize the intense emotionality and dynamic movement of Baroque sculpture. Meanwhile, Caravaggio’s paintings, such…
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Danaë and the Shower of Gold
Defying mortal barriers, Jupiter descends in a shimmering golden shower, impregnating Danaë and setting into motion the birth of Perseus—the legendary hero who ultimately fulfills the Oracle’s ominous prediction.
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Portrait of Isabella Brant
“Portrait of Isabella Brant” (c.1625) by Peter Paul Rubens. Any art museum that has 17th century art will have at least one Rubens and the Cleveland Art Museum is no exception. The museum features two of Rubens paintings and both of them include Isabella. Isabella was Rubens first wife and the daughter of important city…
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The Crucifixion of St. Andrew
Caravaggio’s “The Crucifixion of St. Andrew” stands out prominently among the works in the room at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Acquired by the museum in 1976, the painting had only recently been attributed to Caravaggio. After disappearing from historical records in 1653, it resurfaced centuries later in a convent in Spain and was published…
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Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah (1616) by Gerritt von Honthorst. This is a fantastic representation of the Utrecht Caravaggisti, as von Honthorst and several of his contemporaries finished their formal education in the Netherlands and then spent several years in Rome where they were heavily influenced by Caravaggio’s paintings. Upon their return to Utrecht, the popularized the…
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Martha and Mary of Bethany
The Sunday Gospel in the Catholic church covered Luke Chapter 10, when Jesus visited Martha and Mary in Bethany. Martha was busy with hosting duties, while Mary sat listening to Him. Martha asked Jesus to make Mary help, but He praised Mary for choosing what truly matters. Diego Velázquez paints an amazing scene that is…
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Martha and Mary
In keeping with the theme of Martha and Mary of Bethany, we take another look on Caravaggio’s amazing Martha and Mary Magdalene (1598). This piece is typically interpreted as the moment that Mary Magdalene turns away from her life of sin as a prostitute and embraces God as her sister Martha pleads with her. Today,…