Michael Murphy - Spectacle, Patronage, and the Jesuits in Baroque Rome

            As the Renaissance drew to a close, a new artistic style centered around a heightened sense of drama, achieved through dynamic motion, intense emotion, and dynamic lighting. This style, known as the Baroque, represented a shift back towards naturalism after the wide-spread popularity of Mannerism in the Late Renaissance. Compositions from the Baroque period evoke as sense of theatricality and grandeur that was favored by the Catholic Church as a powerful artistic response to the Protestant Reformation and by the aristocracy as a means of impressing visitors and rivals. This same extravagance would be looked down upon by later critics, who coined the term “baroque” itself in reference to a rough and irregular pearl.

Caravaggio's rejected altarpiece featuring the Madonna and Child with St. Anne

Among the most important Baroque painters – and, unfortunately, the most troubled – was Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Although the painter lived a rough life and had a tendency for Caravaggio’s paintings are characterized by their naturalistic attention to detail and a pronounced chiaroscuro. His painting of The Madonna and Child with Saint Anne, like the majority of Caravaggio’s paintings, features this chiaroscuro prominently, with the edges of the figures depicted fading into the shadow of the background. The figures are rendered with the sort of detailed naturalism that lead critics to accuse Caravaggio of “mindless copying.” St. Anne in particular is shown with pronounced wrinkles, which though exact in their realism were the source of great controversy. The painting was commissioned as an altarpiece in honor of the saint, to be displayed in St. Peter’s Basilica, and Caravaggio’s unidealized depiction of the Mother of Mary as an old crone was considered indecorous.

While chiaroscuro was not new to Caravaggio, his work popularized the technique as a major stylistic element for many painters who came after him, known as the Caravaggisti. Among the most accomplished of these was Artemisia Gentileschi, the first female painter to ever become a member of Florence’s Accademia di Arte del Disegnio. Artemisia’s work stands out not only for its strong use of Caravaggio’s unique style of chiaroscuro but also for its frequent emotional portrayal of strong women from mythical and biblical stories. Her most famous work, Judith Slaying Holofernes is not only a prime example of this; the anger felt by Judith and the effort with which she struggles to decapitate the general is clear on her face, as Holofernes’ pain on his own face. Yet this painting is more than just a biblical story; it is a personal narrative, with Artemisia painting herself as Judith. Holofernes is Agostino Tassi, Judith’s former mentor and rapist. The painting is thus not only a stunning portrayal of a strong female figure, but an intimate expression of the artist’s rage. Unfortunately, Artemisia would ultimately become better known for the trial of her rapist than for the quality of her art, and was for many years after her death regarded as a mere curiosity.

Artemisia Gentileschi's emotional painting of Judith Staying Holofernes

Sculpture in the Baroque period was often approached as though a theatrical production in and of itself. Works would regularly incorporate sculpture, architecture, painting, and theatrical lighting into a single compositional plan. While not the most famous example, Andrea Pozzo’s design for the Chapel of Saint Ignatius at Il Gesù is a spectacular instance of combination of architecture, painting, and sculpture executed in combination with theatrical elements to create a dramatic and emotional scene. The alter itself was designed by Pozzo features elaborate marble work and lapis-lazuli veneered columns, all surrounding a niche where a large canvas is usually hung. The painting, also attributed to Pozzo depicts Crist handing a flag bearing the monogram of his Holy Name to St. Ignatius. This painting, exquisite as it may be, is not the main feature of the altar. The canvas is hung from Pozzo’s macchina barocca, a device capable of lowering the painting to reveal a resplendent silver statue of Ignatius. Originally created by Pierre Le Gros (now lost and replaced with a copy), the silver statue is lavishly adorned with gold and gemstones, a style that would likely have been frowned upon by Ignatius himself were he still alive. The canvas is usually lowered at 17:30, accompanied by fabulous music and lights, but the mahccina has undergone repairs recently and was only activated upon request. In its proper state, however, the chapel is a brilliant example of Baroque theatricality.

The Chapel of St. Ignatius before and after lowering the canvas