Nicole Haxmeier

Humanities of the Renaissance

Robert Watts
13 November 2016
Discussion/Essay Short Answer Questions
Chapter 20, Question 4: Discuss opera as the ultimate example of the baroque taste for
theatricality.
Opera was first mastered by the great Italian composer of Claudio Monteverdi.
His style was dramatic, with vivid contrast, vocal expressiveness, and emotion. These
were typical of Baroque music, as the emotional states and union of music and speech
characterized his dramatic and chilling operas. Opera combines music, drama, dance and
visual arts to a theatrical Baroque performance. It was not just music, but entertainment
with lavish costumes and rich scenery. The first opera house was built in Venice and was
just as theatrical as the performances it housed. It had life size sculptures and frescoes
and a picture frame stage. Some of these operas required huge orchestras and performed
with overtures, arias, and recitatives, which all played on the audience's emotions. The
performances then had stories and action for a dramatic effect. This invigorated human
passion, and many musical techniques were developed for the drama of the the
performance.
Chapter 21, Question 2: How does the complex at Versaillesgardens and chateauillustrate
classical baroque style and the grandeur and absolute power of Louis XIV?
The complex at Versailles illustrated the classical Baroque style because it had
beautifully classic features. In the Drawing Room of War, we see the ornate carvings and
gold elements. There is also marble and moving sculpture. Additionally, there are

mirrors, which were especially prestigious during this time. The gardens and whole
layout has symmetry, clarity, and geometric regularity. Versailles had Corinthian
columns, many windows, and popular Baroque statues. It was a creation of Classical and
Palladian elements. It was also focused on the naturalism of the Baroque period with its
lush forests, orange trees, flowers, and geometric gardens. This symbolised absolute
power because it was the house of many guards and thousands of servants of Louis. He
commanded it to be build and its perfection and it was essentially his kingdom. It was
build so he could more directly control the nobility, and keep them dependent on him. It
was also a symbol of his detestment of Paris.
Chapter 22, Question 2: How does the Protestant devotionalism of the North Netherlands

reveal itself in the paintings of Rembrandt?

In the painting The Return of the Prodigal Son, it has a religious theme, and was focused
on private religious devotion, which was typical of Baroque in the North. In this painting
there are 5 men in a very private and dark setting. This was not an idealized piece like
many of the other religious works, and this was typical of protestant as well. In the
etching Christ Preaching, we see christ giving a sermon of some sort to a small group of
people. This etching has no color, which also characterizes the unidealism of his work.
The area in which he is preaching is not an ornate and beautiful church but it rather
resembles a sort of cave. Protestants in the North were known for not having grand and
large churches, they were private and concealed. Manu of these Protestant paintings were
more focused on the story of the subject matter rather than the beauty, which is very clear
in each of these Rembrandt works.

Chapter 23, Question 5: Give examples that show that the new learning and the European quest
for naturalistic accuracy had a major impact on the visual arts of the seventeenth century.
In An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump by Joseph Wright was the first artist to use
scientific experimentation as dramatic subject matter. This indicates a focus on the new
learning as an important aspect of this part of time. Artists mainly paint what they find
important, like religion or kings, and Wright dedicated time to an experiment. This was
revolutionary. The Geographer by Jan Vermeer catches a geographer in a moment of
thought. This also suggests the impact of the new learning and experimentation and The
Age of Science. Two Tulips, a Butterfly and a Snail focuses on the naturalistic accuracy
of the age. Often people were the main subject matter, and plants and animals were
details, but this painting focuses on natural elements as main focuses.

Short Essay Questions

Question 1: The image above is by the artist Peter Paul Rubens, and it is called, "Four
Continents." Please, do some research, and use your book, to tell me: 1) when it was
created, 2) what kind of artwork it is, 3) where (in what culture) it was painted, and 4) what
its significance was to the era in which it was created.
Peter Paul Rubens painted Four Continents in 1612-1614. It is an allegorical
painting from the Baroque period. He used oil paint on a canvas. It was created in
Belgium and is currently located in Vienna, Austria. It represents the four
continents of Asia, America, Europe, and Africa twined with their respective rivers.
It has the Nile with Africa, Europe with the river god of Danube, Asia with Ganges,

and America with Rio de la Plata. It is significant to this era because naturalism was
such a large part of new learning. Rubens mixed the old with the new by making
people the main subject matter, but the natural aspect of the rivers a hidden
meaning.
Question 2: When, where, and why did opera emerge as a form of artistic expression?
Opera emerged at the end of the 16th century in Florence, Italy. Attempting
to recreate the Greek music-drama, a group of amateur poets and musicians came
about this theatrical art, one of whom was Galileo's father. Composers actually had
no idea what Greek music sounded like, but they sought to unite music and poetry.
Dafne by Jacopo Peri is often regarded as the first opera, but Claudio Monteverdi
was a large figure as well. By 1637, public performances were taking place, after
gaining appreciation from society and developing a profound style. The 17th
century Baroque period craved theatricality, so it thrived during this time, and also
birthed many different elements of music.
Question 3: In this Unit 3, you were asked to talk about the Taj Mahal, its importance to
poets and artists/architects, and to compare the extravagance of the outside to the inside.
Listen to and view as much as you can, and tell me about a specific area that intrigued you.
Write a short essay about the site and things you learned that you did not read in your book
or that you did not talk about in your reading assignment in Chapter 21.
The Taj Mahal was built in 1631 under the command of Shah Jahan. It is
built in memory of his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal as a monument to match her
beauty. The Celestial pool of abundance is the intersection of two canals that divide

the gardens into 4 sections. The cenotaphs are surrounded by a marble screen and
are the only unsymmetrical aspect of the monument because of the afterthought of
the second cenotaph. The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal has many calligraphic
illustrations as well as the rest of the monument because it was so highly esteemed.
The octagonal chambers are less decorated than the tomb, so that it is the focus
point. The Taj Mahal is surrounded by the beautiful Paradise Gardens which once
had fruit trees such as mango, as well as many smaller building such as the Mosque
and the Gatehouse. It is also surrounded by tall pinnacles that capitalize on the
height of the building and draw the eye upwards. Outside of the Taj Mahal is the
forecourt or the Taj Ganj.
An interesting aspect of the Taj Mahal was the Gatehouse. The arch of the
door of the Gatehouse frames the Taj Mahal in the most picturesque way. Although
not as grand as the Taj Mahal, the architecture of the building appeals to me more. I
love the arches and how the ornate white detail and calligraphy complements the
reddish color of the sandstone. It is 3 stories high and 100 feet tall and 150 feet
wide. It is set as a transition point between the wild outside world and the
tranquility of the Taj Mahal. It is the protector and the inviter of the monument.
Question 4: Who were the major artistic figures in the creation of the Baroque aristocratic
style? What are the main features of the aristocratic portrait? Which figures in your text
best illustrate this genre?
The aristocratic portrait was very outward with the meaning and focused on
the appearance rather than psychological intimacy. The aristocratic Baroque style

began in France, but came to flourish in Europe elsewhere. Diego Velazquez was
Spains most prestigious artist, and excelled at creating real and powerful paintings.
One of his unusual aristocratic portraits is Las Meninas which is a portrait of the
royal family of Spain. It invites the viewer into the portrait through the spatial field
and angles used. Anthony van Dyck was an advocate for the aristocratic portrait,
and also an assistant to Rubens. He became a painter for Charles I and was
commissioned for portraits of European nobility. These portraits were poised and
elegant and included naturalistic detail and vital brushwork, all of which were
typical of Baroque aristocratic art. A great example of the aristocratic style was Van
Dycks Charles I on Horseback. He used gleaming elements on his attire and
placed him upon a symbol of power, a horse. He also played with the lights and
darks in order to make the horse glow. Its extravagant size played into the drama of
the portrait as well. The last portrait that greatly shows the aristocratic style is
Rubens Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus in which Zeus's sons abducted two
women, and became immortal from a curse. Often rape was a metaphor for the
sovereign authority of a ruler over his subjects, so it depicts political absolutism.
Rubens also plays with the contrast of light and dark, and despite telling the
historical tale, it is elegant.
Question 5: Comment in detail (on each) about the importance of Bach, Rembrandt,
Galileo, and Descartes in the developments in the arts, science, and philosophy during the
Age of the Baroque.

Galileo proclaimed that the Earths gravity attracts all objects at the same
rate of acceleration. This is a basis of physics and of course is used in everyday life
even still today. He also stated that the earth moves around the sun, and was
condemned for opposing Christian belief, but this was very important to
astronomical development. In his imprisonment, he created the microscope which
would help with the understanding of the creatures smaller than the eye can see.
Descartes birthed the modern philosophy by using deductive reasoning, as
well as questioning the quality of the work others had done before him. He valued
abstract reasoning and mathematical speculation, and was the first to note that our
senses may deceive us. He thought a clear and unbiased mind was the source of all
understanding, and distinguished a separation between matter and mind. He also
developed analytic geometry and provided foundations for calculus in the future.
Despite his rationalism, he did not question God, and therefore probably helped to
ease many logical minds into the ideal of God as well.
Rembrandt was a leading portrait painter in Amsterdam, and was typical
Baroque style. They were dramatic despite being beautiful, and he eliminated posed
portraits. He depicted religious scenes of the Old and New Testament and captured
the spirit of Protestant devotionalism. His paintings were theatrical and often his
people were pulled from the shadowy depths. He chose subjects uncommon to
Catholic art, and thus brought in new elements which made him stand out.
Johann Sebastian Bach was a Protestant in the small town of Eisenach. The
organ was his favorite instrument, and also often seen in Protestant church music, in

which Bach composed music for each Sunday. Bachs music included ontario, the
mass, and the cantata. His 209 surviving cantatas are on the daily scriptural lessons
of the Lutheran church. He also has 170 organ preludes that precede to set the mood
for congregational singing. The Passion According to Saint Matthew was written
for Good Friday and narrate the story between the Last Supper and the
Resurrection. His religious pieces that affect the Lutheran church relate to
Rembrandt's religious paintings.

Website Review
Chapter 20: This website was composed of information on Richard Crashaw
(1613-1649). Many of his quotes throughout his life referred to his mistress, as well as religious
sayings. William had a puritan father, but he was a Christian sympathiser. He was influenced by
the poet Mariano, and his work is characterized by intense Baroque imagery. He wrote several
religious epigrams, and also wrote about his muses. He has several biographies dedicated to him,
as well as many essays and books. The last link is composed of links to information on several
other 17th century English Literature influencers. A work of Crawshaws that really intrigued me
was An Epitaph Upon Husband and Wife. This work talks about a couple who dies and is buried
together. Through his words he truly creates a visual of the bond that love and marriage creates,
even upon death. He uses metaphors by comparing death to curtains being drawn, which is
typical of Baroque poetry. He also uses small comparisons throughout the work such as love as a
knot and the couple as turtles. It was odd that his poetry rhymed, it was not scattered like many
works of this time, but rather it was poised and beautiful. He used intense vocabulary as well as
imagery, which is also typical of Baroque works. Unlike many of the works of this time period,

Crashaw did not have a pessimistic view of the subject he was talking about. He did not look
down upon the human race for an aspect of which they failed, but he capitalized on something
that made people beautiful. Another Baroque aspect that was seen in this work was the senses
that it invigorated, specifically visual. Crawshaw talks about light after they wake and dark when
the curtains are drawn and builds that visionary setting which sets the mood for the rest of the
epitaph. Crawshaws life was also symbolic of the Baroque era and the reformation of religion
through his Catholic leanings.
Chapter 21: The Chteau de Versailles began as Louis XIIIs hunting lodge, and was
later the site of Louis XIVs beautiful home. It is now France's museum of history, and now
traces the milestones of Frances history. It stands as a symbol of royal absolutism during the
Baroque era, and also of classical French art. The Gardens and park have been beautifully
restored, and the Grand Trianon has been a legendary place for historical beings. This trianon
was built based on Italian architecture and is surrounded by French-inspired gardens. Vast
amounts of earth had to be moved to create these gardens, which is why they are so special.
Marie-Antoinettes estate is private, and no one could come without her permission. The Hall of
Mirrors was a grand meeting place in which Louis impressed his guests. Some of the buildings
were restored by Napoleon Bonaparte, and housed him and his spouse. This site also tells about
the history of Versailles, the intricate furniture, Marie-Antoinette, and the Jeu de Paume oath,
which was a meeting of three orders to find a solution to a financial crisis. An interesting
segment of this website is Marie-Antoinettes hamlet. She ordered its construction and the food
was grown on its farm. It had eleven houses, with each having its own garden. For a rural life,
she lived quite lavishly, and the estate was stunning. While the interior shows signs of aging, the

outside is timeless, and the home has so much history which is beautiful all on its own. This
estate is symbolic of the Baroque age because of its architecture. Tall ceilings, several houses,
grand stairs are imperative to this period. The Petit Trianon has classical elements as well as a
flamboyant Baroque greek-style. She also had her own theater that was obviously sculpted to
impress, and is symbolic of the eras performances. This whole estate stands as a prominent
symbol of royal absolutism during the Baroque era.
Chapter 22: The English Civil Wars took place from 1642-51 between the supporters of
the monarchy of Charles I and Charles II. Charles raised an army against the wishes of the
Parliament, and while his regime was already unpopular because of his attempts to impose on
religion, this spiked a war. The Royalists and Parliamentarians went head to head in the first
battle, each with armies over 60,000. The fight was for territory and they desperately tried to
preserve resources while destroying the opponents. Scottish troops came to assist, and the
Parliament won. Charles II was crowned the King of Scots, and in 1949, Charles I was executed.
Cromwell obtained control over England, and the wars ended. It was estimated that 85,000 died
in combat and another 127,000 not in combat, making it one of the bloodiest wars in this section
of the world. The most interesting segment of this article was that of the first English Civil War,
which began with the Battle of Edgehill. Charles had support of the north and west of England,
and the Parliament had the wealthier areas of the south and east as well as London. Charless loss
was mainly based on the fact that he failed to capture London. The Parliament created a new
model army that was critical to their success, which now had central direction and funding. The
Scots intervened and created a political, military, and religious alliance with the
Parliamentarians. Charles turned to the Irish, but they had joined alongside of the Scots. This

relates to the chapter and the Baroque period because of the governments reform and the rising
of the English Commonwealth. The new government issued a written Constitution, but was
diminished when Prince Charles took over and restored the aged monarchy. These wild political
developments were closely tied to religious issues and also led to the writing of the King James
Bible, as well as the Glorious Revolution in the future.
Chapter 23: Descartes is known as the first modern philosopher for his conceptions of
matter as well as his mathematics. Through Isaac Beeckman, Descartes found his love for natural
science that would set the path for many of his philosophies in the future. In 1635 he began
teaching Cartesian physics, and fathered a baby girl named Francine. The Meditations is by far
Descartes most popular work, where he writes objections of the ideals of some of Pariss best
minds. The Principles was written as a sort of textbook, discussion different levels of physics
and mathematics, as well as extraordinary concepts like the vacuum. Textbooks in Descartess
day were meant mostly for the teachers, rather than students. As a result of Princess Elisabeths
probings, Descartes wrote Passions of the Soul, which talks about soul and brain and their bodily
connection. Descartes fell ill with a respiratory infection and passed away February 11, 1650. An
interesting section of this biography is Passions. Descartes began to correspond with prominent
political figures. While working with Queen Christina on some intense studies of philosophy, he
published Passions. It highlighted how the emotional life of a human being was connected to a
soul united to a body. Passions driven by the brain can move people into action. Descartes
suggests that one needs to control their passions so they do not take part in vicious acts. Critics
of Descartes criticized its correspondence to his view on metaphysics. This relates to the book on
the birth of deductive reasoning, which is the modern way of thinking that began during the

Baroque era. This is also connects through Cartesian dualism and the thought that the mind and
the body are distinct, which is what Descartes ponders in Passions. It also connects to the
Baroque period through its pressure on metaphysics. Descartes belief on metaphysics did not
directly align, so it was challenged by several others.

Sources
https://www.britannica.com/event/English-Civil-Wars
https://www.wikiart.org/en/peter-paul-rubens/the-four-continents
http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Rubens.html
http://gallery.sjsu.edu/paris/music/opera.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/a-brief-history-of-opera.html