#baroque artwork

GATES OF HELL /1703/ by GIACOMO DEL PÒ

This work is an impression of the mythological concept of Hell's entrance. It is based on Dante Alighieri's "Inferno" from "The Divine Comedy."Clearly illustrating the suffering of souls and a chaotic atmosphere of hell in cacophony, portraying an image for the consequence of sin.

Del Pò used the great contrasts of light and shadow that were characteristic in Baroque to bring out the dramatic effect and movement. The complexity and emotional impact in the composition is heightened by the swirling forms and figures presented.

The gates represent a threshold between life and death, whereas the figures signify lost souls. The arrangement of the figures highlights the turmoil and despair that occur within eternal damnation. The figures and scenes are heavily inspired by ancient Greek and Roman portrayals of the underworld and its torments.

THE ALCHEMIST | 1663 | by CORNELIS PIETERSZ BEGA

This painting is set inside an alchemist's lab. It depicts everything: all the equipment, vessels, and materials that are associated with alchemy. Without a doubt, this piece reflects how much interest there was in occult science during the Golden Age.

Cornelis Pietersz Bega was a Golden Age painter, best known for his genre works and portraits. Like many of the dutch Masters, he was greatly influenced by the work of Rembrandt, which he reflected in his use of chiaroscuro and great attention to detail.

Bega moves the viewer's eye through the cluttered laboratory rather successfully and points out what the alchemist is doing. Intense use of light and shadow gives much depth and drama to the scene, which naturally heightens the mystery of the ambience.

Starting from the symbolic elements, typical for almost all the alchemical art- a presence of the flasks, apparatus for distillation, and arcane symbols-all this represents the alchemist's thought about his quest of transformation, his pursuit of hidden knowledge.

It is Bega's attention to detail and the realistic capture of textures-from that of the roughness of the stone to the metals of the different instruments-that give such a degree of realism to the painting.

OLD COQUETTE | c. 1637 | by BERNARDO STROZZI

The painting shows an old woman, who is probably a courtesan or a mistress— she adorns herself with jewelry and make-up. This is the kind of subject matter that is typical in the vanitas, a genre that portrays the fleetingness of earthly pleasures and the inescapable death.

This composition features a close-up view of the woman's face and upper body as well. It's hard to ignore the emphasis on her ornate jewelry and makeup. Despite her age, she retains a sense of coquettishness, all of which implies a desire to hold onto her youthfulness. 

Symbolism is a key element in this piece, with the woman's aged face and the presence of a mirror serving as reminders of the transience nature of beauty and the inevitability of aging and death.

The contrast between the woman's aged face and the vibrant colors of her attire and her surrounding element emphasize the theme of impermanence,—highlighting hugely the contrast between youth and aging.

MARTYRDOM OF SAINT PHILIP | c. 1639 | by JUSEPE DE RIBERA

The painting is a powerful and dramatic depiction of the apostle's crucifixion. The work is considered one of RIBERA'S finest and most mature paintings

The canvas presents the martyrdom on an epic scale, with large, imposing figures. SAINT PHILIP is shown in the moment before his crucifixion, as two executioners strain to raise the horizontal beam of the cross while a third holds his leg.

PHILIP'S long limbs are extended and his face turned upwards in anguish, though he is not shown as the elderly man described in hagiographies. RIBERA contrasts PHILIP'S resigned acceptance of his fate with the vigorous physical efforts of his tormentors. The artist's use of CHIAROSCURO dramatically highlights the saint's muscular, sun-tanned body and emphasizes the physical suffering he is about to endure

In the background, a crowd of onlookers gathers, some pitying PHILIP'S fate while others appear indifferent. A woman holding a child provides a tender counterpoint to the cruelty of the scene. RIBERA'S masterful handling of paint is evident in the thick impastos on PHILIP'S flesh and the vibrant transparencies of the background figures

THE SENTRY, 1654 by CAREL FABRITIUS

There is a sleeping sentry in front of the three structures: the wall, the column and the arch. A little black dog looks at the sleeping sentry as he snoozes. In the archway above us, we can see a relief of St. ANTHONY the GREAT, patron saint of agriculture and farm animals.(identifiable by the pig standing at his feet).

This painting, which was finished the year before FABRITIUS’s untimely death, shows the artist’s preference for vivid colors, bright light, atmospheric tones and his willingness to use geometric architectural shapes to create narrative weirdness.

One of the reasons THE SENTRY has stayed with historians all these years is its formalism and lack of closure; it’s neither a cohesive narrative nor a metaphor for a painting. For example, on the street corner where the sleeping sentry sits, there’s a series of irregular architectural shapes that place the soldier’s body in an unclassifiable place.

TWO SATYRS | 1619 | by PETER PAUL RUBENS

The painting depicts two satyrs, mythological creatures half-human and half-goat, engaged in a playful scene. Their expressions are a mixture of mischief and amusement, capturing the lighthearted nature of their interaction

The first satyr is portrayed with brown curly hair, adorned with beautiful leaves. His hair is pulled back by his horns, revealing his cheeky facial expression. His cheeks and nose are red, as if he had drunk too much wine. His bold eyes are fixed on the viewer, daring them to look at him. The second satyr has light hair, and his horns and hair are not well-defined. He has blushed cheeks and a long, pointed nose, with no beard. He is drinking from a shallow bowl, but the clear liquid is not wine

RUBENS' compositional choices in "TWO SATYRS" set it apart from his earlier works. Prior to this piece, his paintings primarily featured single portraits of noblemen or full-body narratives from Biblical and mythological stories. However, in "TWO SATYRS," he introduced a close perspective that brings the viewer closer to the subject matter and creates a familiar and interactive experience

HEAD OF MEDUSA | c.1617 | by PETER PAUL RUBENS

The painting depicts the severed head of MEDUSA, a GORGON from GREEK mythology, with snakes writhing from her head and blood gushing from her neck. RUBENS masterfully captures the moment of MEDUSA'S death, with her eyes wide open in a look of terror and her mouth contorted in an expression of agony. The composition is dynamic and asymmetrical, creating a sense of urgency and movement. The viewer's gaze is drawn to MEDUSA'S head, which is positioned slightly off-center, while the snakes and blood add to the chaotic and violent nature of the scene.

RUBENS' use of color is equally striking. The warm, earthy tones of MEDUSA'S skin and the bright red of her blood contrast with the cool, grayish-green of the snakes, creating a vibrant and eye-catching palette. The use of chiaroscuro, with strong contrasts between light and shadow, further enhances the dramatic effect of the painting and emphasizes the three-dimensional quality of the subject.

MEDUSA, as a GORGON, was a mythical creature with the power to turn anyone who looked at her to stone. In GREEK mythology, she was slain by the hero PERSEUS, who used a mirrored shield to avoid her gaze. RUBENS' depiction of MEDUSA'S head thus represents the triumph of good over evil and the power of reason over irrationality.