Distinguishing between baroque and rococo
Quite to the opposite of the Rococo soul, the soul of the Baroque is characterized by austerity that inspires
silence and meditation.
The basic theme of silence is vividly portrayed in the range of works going from Caravaggio to Georges de
La Tour, for instance in the latter's Magdalene with the Smoking Flame. Another striking example is Magdalene Meditating, an early 17th-century work from the Neapolitan school. Following in the wake of Caravaggio, this school of silence would spread everywhere across Europe.
Claude Meylan's "Salome" provides still another depiction of silence, of the most fundamental of dialogues
(that of Life and Death). This work illustrates the repercussions of the message left by Caravaggio, a message of what is intrinsic to man, in a painting that – in the light-and-dark contrasts of grays surrounding the face of Salome – conveys the latter's newly awakened horror at the sacrifice of John the Baptist.
During the Baroque period, this concern with the essence of life is to be found even in works by the more
mundane artists. Indeed, among the mundane greats on the Baroque scene, it had become the fashion to adopt an economy of means, in an endeavor to attain a more informal intimacy, to create works of a more confidential tone. This can be seen, for instance, in Guido Reni's "Saint Joseph and Child", a work that, although unclaimed by the contemporary world, did have its hour of glory during the 17th century. And why was this so? Because, at the time, Reni was far more famous than all the Caravaggios and La Tours of the world, who have since been rediscovered. Reni represented a high point in Baroque art history. Moreover, in this work he allowed himself the luxury of tackling an extremely rare subject. The very strangeness of its subject is what became its glory: instead of portraying Virgin and Child, as was generally the case, it stages Father and Child. Although renowned in particular, for his bright colors and the elegance of his compositions, here Reni nevertheless sought to rein in the methods of his art the better to convey the intrinsic nature of this Father-Child dialogue.
The great aesthetic impact of the Baroque made it felt all the more in works dealing with such serious subject matter as the Christian epic. In this vein, the Piety (Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Christ) was one of the major themes to be broached, precisely because, here again, Life and Death are allied. The theme involves a perspective of day and night, corresponding with the light-and-dark philosophic mood marking the entire 17th century.
The Baroque approach to the Piety centered on the theme's dramatic essence, as beautifully illustrated in
the work of Andriaen van der Werff, a painter who, notwithstanding his Flemish origin, made a career for himself in Italy. Van der Werff’s Piety is entirely in black and blue: everything other than the Virgin's cloak – that is, everything other than this symbol of life – is painted in white and black, from the body of Christ to the darkness of the background. Another stunning example is to be found in the Piety of the Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Piazzetta: the light marking the great arch stretching the corpse in the foreground drives back the darkness, from where the work's feminine central figure seems to burst forth. Here again, the play of light and shadow translates a fundamental dialogue and, as such, proves itself intrinsically Baroque.
These few examples of the 17th-century school of painting ranging from Caravaggio to Piazzetta illustrate
an approach that was severe and contemplative, focusing on silence, on the essence of life. It was only natural for this same approach to carry over to Baroque architecture, which can thus also be characterized as austere and basic.
Active Vocabulary
1) austerity – строгость, простота стиля
2) to inspire – вдохновлять, внушать
3) vividly – ярко, четко
4) in the wake of – следуя за, по следам
5) depiction – описание, изображение
6) repercussion – отзвук, эхо
7) intrinsic – внутренний, присущий, свойственный
8) sacrifice – пожертвование, жертва
9) mundane – светский
10) endeavor to attain – попытка достичь чего-то
11) contemporary – современный
12) to tackle – касаться, затрагивать
13) to convey – выражать, передавать
14) impact – воздействие, влияние
15) to broach – начать обсуждение
16) to ally – соединяться
17) stunning – ошеломляющий, поразительный
18) shadow – тень, след
19) contemplative – созерцательный
Exercises on the Text
Translate the following word combinations from Russian into English
1. ряд работ
2. контраст светлого и темного
3. светские художники
4. выражать внутреннее содержание
5. игра света и тени
Find synonyms to the following words and expressions
1. austerity a. to express
2. vivid b. simplicity
3. to attain c. astonishing
4. to convey d. to achieve
5. stunning e. bright
Match the beginnings of the sentences with their endings using the information from the text
1. The soul of the Baroque is characterized by austerity that inspires …
2. Following in the wake of Caravaggio, this school of silence would spread …
3. Reni represented …
4. The play of light and shadow proves…
5. Reni allowed himself the luxury of tackling …
a. … an extremely rare subject.
b. … silence and meditation.
c. …. itself intrinsically Baroque.
d. … everywhere across Europe.
e. …. a high point in Baroqueart history.
Grammar Reference
Прилагательные. Наречия
Complete the sentences with an adjective, an adverb or a noun
1. John is sometimes a dangerous … I think he drives … when he is in a hurry.
2. Pam’s old car was slow but her new one is very …
3. James looked … when his team won the game.
4. It rained … all day yesterday and the ground was very wet.
5. Mmm, what a wonderful … from the kitchen. What are you cooking? I am sure it is going to taste …
6. I think Mrs Burns is a good … She taught my children…
7. David has not got a lot of money so when he goes shopping he always looks … at the prices.
8. My parents were hard … They worked … all their lives.
9. Jackie did … in his test and had to take it again.
10. I spoke to Peter on the telephone this morning. He sounded really … Someone stole his car yesterday.
Complete the sentences. Use a comparative
1. Helen’s car is not very big. She wants a … one.
2. My job is not very interesting. I want to do something …
3. You are not very tall. Your brother is …
4. David does not work very hard. I work …
5. My chair is not very comfortable. Yours is …
6. Your plan is not very good. My plan is …
7. These flowers are not very nice. The blue ones are …
8. My bag is not very heavy. Your bag is …
9. I am not very interested in arts. I am … in history.
10. It is not very warm today. It was … yesterday.
11. These tomatoes do not taste very good. The other ones tasted …
12. Britain is not very big. France is …
13. London is not very beautiful. Paris is …
14. This knife is not very sharp. Have you got a … one?
15. People today are not very polite. In the past they were …
Complete the sentences. Use a superlative.
1. This building is very old. It is … in the town.
2. It was a very happy day. It was … of my life.
3. It is a very good film. It is … I have ever seen.
4. She is a very popular singer. She is … in the country.
5. It was a very bad mistake. It was … I have ever made.
6. It is a very pretty village. It is … I have ever seen.
7. It was a very cold day. It was … of the year.
8. He is a very boring person. He is … I have ever met.
Role Play
Discuss the main differences between the Baroque and Rococo styles.
UNIT 3
Warming Up
1. Where is New England situated?
2. Why was it called so?
3. Have you ever heard about pilgrims?
4. What do you think could buildings in New England resemble?
5. Do you know any peculiarities of this architectural style?