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In today’s lesson
we will learn what determines the visual difference between
Renaissance and Baroque style. In 1915
Swiss art historian Heinrich Wolfflin published
“Principle of Art History”. In his book, he
isolated five opposed factors or concepts that defined
the difference between High Renaissance and Baroque style.
They are linear vs. painterly,
planar vs. recessional, closed vs.
open form, multiplicity vs. unity,
and absolute vs. relative
clarity.
To aid our discussion on the five concepts we will view
two paintings of the Resurrection. The painting on the left
was completed in 1479 by Renaissance
painter Giovanni Bellini. The painting on the right
was completed in 1612 by Baroque
painter Peter Pauwel Rubens. The first
pair describes the shift from the linear to the painterly.
Reanissance has firm, plastic form with strongly
stressed outlines. Baroque replaces it with
quivering and flickering, moving form.
Linear vs. Painterly: Elements in the linear canvas
are primarily described by line. Figures are distinct
from one another and the painting is basically a colored
drawing. The painterly painting relies on
color to express form. Paint is loosely
handled, form is not defined with discrete lines
and the edges of the forms
are not readily apparent. It is to imply
or express.
The second pair reflects the shift from
plane to recession. Renaissance
visualizes the surface using planes that are parallel to the
picture plane. Baroque visualizes greater depth using
diagonal planes that recede from the picture plane.
Plane vs. Recession:
Objects in the planar painting are usually laid out
parallel to the picture plane. We tend to see the flat sides
of things. Depth is signified by
a succession of parallel lines into space.
In the recessional painting on the right, objects turn corners
to the viewer enhancing the diagonal.
There is a greater sense of motion up to and away
from your eye within the painting.
The third pair demonstrates
the shift from closed to open form.
Renaissance closed form is restricted to the picture
plane and inclusive.
Baroque opens form and suggests that areas
extend beyond the borders of the work.
Closed vs. Open Form: In the closed form
on the left, space in the painting seems
restricted by the edge of the canvas. The objects
within determine, define and limit the
overall scene. In the open form on the right,
the painted space appears to stretch on
infinitely beyond the limits of the canvas,
as if the viewer could peek around behind the frame and
find more imagery.
The fourth pair illustrates the shift
from multiplicity to unity.
Renaissance presents singular parts that retain relative
independence. The Baroque expresses
itself as a sense of unity where individual
parts are secondary to the whole of the composition.
Multiplicity vs. Unity:
Multiplicity feels like a collection
of individual elements grouped together in the space
of the picture. You feel like you could pluck one
object right out of the painting. In the unified
painting on the right, one senses the objects
not necessarily as individual elements but as
coherent parts of a general scene.
The fifth and
final pairing addresses the shift from relative
clearness to unclearness.
Renaissance is usually distinct and
light clearly defines form in detail.
The Baroque evades clearness to make
the totality of the picture seem almost unintentional.
Absolute vs. Relative Clarity:
In the painting with absolute clarity, objects
tend to be placed in strong clear light
so that their edges are crisp, and the viewer has an immediate
understanding of the form of the object.
Relative clarity, as seen on the right,
on the other hand has to do with the optical sensation
of objects. They generally tend to be
darker and more loosely focused.
So,
can you fine a Renaissance painting and a Baroque painting that fits the concepts
of Heinrich Wolfflin? Can you find
through reviewing Chapters 16 through 20
in your own text, paintings that
reflect the characteristics learned in this lecture?
Have fun, and share your pairings with fellow students in the
Blackboard discussion board entitled “Wolfflin’s Concepts”.