The Cleveland Museum of Art – The Baroque Art Accessibility Consortium

Immaculate Conception

Sep 27, 2025

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in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

“Immaculate Conception” (c.1680) Murillo skillfully combines symbols from both the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption to convey Mary’s purity and heavenly exaltation. Symbols of the Immaculate Conception include the crescent moon under her feet, referencing Revelation 12:1 and her triumph over sin; lilies, symbolizing her purity and perpetual virginity; and roses, representing her spiritual beauty…

Adoration of the Magi

Sep 14, 2025

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by

Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Adoration of the Magi (1642) Guido Reni. The museum places this large altarpiece on the opposite wall from Caravaggio’s Crucifixion of St. Andrew. The Reni wall represents his version of idealism, where he draws from nature but enhances it to attempt to achieve an even more perfect representation of the subject. However, this was one…

Laban Searching for his Stolen Household Gods

Sep 10, 2025

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Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Laban Searching for his Stolen Household Gods (c.1665) Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Murillo was commissioned with another painter to create 5 paintings depicting the life of Jacob from the Old Testament. The other painter was to paint the landscape and Murillo was to paint the foreground. However, there was a quarrel between the painters and Murillo…

St. Jerome

Sep 8, 2025

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Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Saint Jerome (c.1638) Jusepe de Ribera. Ribera appears to use the same model for St. Jerome as he did for the Penitent St. Peter that is found at the @artinstitutechi. Ribera painted many, many pictures of St. Jerome through his career. In this painting, Ribera expertly captures the emotions that the St. is feeling, as he…

Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth

Sep 5, 2025

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Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth (c.1640) Francisco de Zurbarán. We see an adolescent Jesus crafting a crown of thorns and pricking his finger as Mary sorrowfully observes him; in deep contemplation of his inevitable fate. Jesus is illuminated by a bright light from the top left of the painting, close observation…

Portrait of the Jester Calabazas

Sep 4, 2025

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by

Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

“Portrait of the Jester Calabazas” (c.1631) Diego Velázquez. Velazquez breaks from normal court traditions and paints the court jester in full, formal court portraiture. He does not try to hide that jester has disabilities; rather, he plainly displays them. This dignified approach humanizes Calabazas and sets Velazquez apart from his peers.

Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt

Sep 1, 2025

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by

Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

“Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt” (c.1615) Peter Paul Rubens. This painting captures Baroque drama through vivid color and expressive movement. Diana stands poised with divine symbols, surrounded by animated nymphs and mythic figures. The scene blends elegance and wildness, evoking anticipation and the harmony between humanity and nature. Can you spot Rubens’…

Rest on the Flight from Egypt

Aug 26, 2025

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by

Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Rest on the Flight from Egypt (c.1640) Claude Lorrain. Lorrain is known as one of the first purely landscape painters of Baroque era. Lorrain wasn’t interested in painting things exactly as they exist in front of him, he preferred to improve upon what was naturally possible to create an idyllic scene. Like many Baroque artists,…

The Kiss of Peace and Justice

Aug 8, 2025

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by

Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art

“The Kiss of Peace and Justice” (1654) By Laurent de La Hyre shows a landscape scene with two figures in the foreground. Justice has the flaming torch to burn the armor and sword; while Peace is in blue, facing away from us. The concrete behind them is engraved with the Latin phrase “Iusticia et Pax…

Cleveland Museum of Art

Aug 7, 2025

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by

Brian

in Cleveland Museum of Art, 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…

Category: The Cleveland Museum of Art