Tag: NorthItalianBaroque

  • The Coronation of the Virgin

    The Coronation of the Virgin

    The Coronation of the Virgin (c.1595) Annibale Carracci. In this painting, the Virgin is depicted being crowned by the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit appears above her in the form of a dove, while God the Father and Christ the Son flank her on either side. Carracci’s composition reveals his deep admiration for Renaissance art:…

  • Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness

    Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness

    Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness (c.1600) Annibale Caracci. Here we see John the Baptist wearing his usual animal skin clothing and carrying a staff with the cross on top. The saint has turned toward us to direct our attention to a figure in the distance. At first glance, based on the clothing, pose and…

  • Two Children Teasing a Cat

    Two Children Teasing a Cat

    Two Children Teasing a Cat (c.1587) Annibale Caracci. In this lively genre scene, Annibale Carracci captures a mischievous moment as two children play with a clearly irritated cat. A crayfish clamps onto the cat’s ear, adding to its distress, and it seems only a matter of time before the girl’s hand is met with claws.…

  • Adoration of the Magi

    Adoration of the Magi

    Adoration of the Magi (1642) by 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…

  • The Assumption

    The Assumption

    Today the (Western) Catholic church celebrates the Assumption of Mary. Tucked inside Rome’s Santa Maria del Popolo is the Cerasi Chapel, renowned for its two striking Caravaggio masterpieces. Yet above the altar, quietly commanding attention, hangs a third treasure: Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1600), a luminous work by Annibale Carracci that completes the chapel’s…

  • Boy Drinking

    Boy Drinking

    “Boy Drinking”(1582-83) by Annibale Carracci is a fantastic piece at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This genre scene is an early work by Carracci and is particularly notable for its naturalism, notice the way that the glass distorts the images. Also extremely interesting is the way Carracci’s painting technique matches the subject matter. Meaning the…

  • Holy Saturday

    Holy Saturday

    On this Holy Saturday, the Baroque Art Accessibility Consortium takes a look at some of moving and inspirational pieces of Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection. In room 211 at the @artinstitutechi you will find back on display this breathtaking piece by Francisco de Zurbarán. “The Crucifixion” (1627). The black background and amazing detail on Jesus’ body and loin…

  • St. Cecilia

    St. Cecilia

    In St. Luigi’s church in Rome, the second chapel of the right aisle, is St. Cecilia’s Chapel. On the altar there is a painting of St. Cecilia by Guido Reni. This is a copy of Raphael’s famous painting that is hung in Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna. St. Cecilia is known as the patron saint of music…

  • St. Agnes

    St. Agnes

    January 21st is St. Agnes’ feast day. Saint Agnes was known for her steadfast faith and purity. According to tradition, she was condemned to death when she was 13yrs old during the Roman Empire’s persecution of Christians. Despite various attempts to harm her, she miraculously remained unharmed until she was ultimately beheaded. “St. Agnes” (1620)…

  • St. Sebastian

    St. Sebastian

    On January 20th, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Sebastian. The Baroque Art Accessibility Consortium also celebrates the birth of our first son, Noah. If you have spent any time looking at Baroque art, you will have noticed that St. Sebastian with arrows in his body is a very popular subject. Did…