The French Baroque
The Great Waldemar Januszczak has pointed out That the word Baroque comes from the Portuguese word, barroco, meaning misshapen pearl. It is swollen and bursting, like much of Baroque art. Similarly, The Renaissance would be more like a round, perfect pearl. You should check out his shows on art.
But why does he never mention his name? Are you listening Waldemar? I want to learn how to pronounce your name, instead of calling you that Englishman with the Polish name who always wears black.
We begin with Georges de La Tour (1593-1652) and his The Cheat. Most of his paintings reflect the Baroque naturalism of Caravaggio, but this early work shows little chiaroscuro, just like the early work of Caravaggio: The Fortune Teller. Similar style, similar subject matter, what kindred spirits?
La Tour probably learned of Caravaggio’s style through the Dutch Caravaggisti of the Utrecht School.
In particular, La Tour is often compared to the Dutch painter Hendrick Terbrugghen. Look at all the machinations put forth to fleece this young dandy. It is also a cornucopia of what was considered the worst thee sins of the 17th century: Wine, gambling, and sexual indulgence.
Joseph the Carpenter shows the young Jesus on take your son to work day is more indicative of his work, as is, Magdalene With The Smoking Flame, of which he painted many variations.
In Louis Le Naine’s (1610-1648) The Happy Family the patriarch looks as tipsy as my camerawork.
He must have visited The Netherlands as his style of genre painting is very similar to that of The Dutch and at just the right time. This is his Peasant Family and Little Card Players.
Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674)’s Portrait Of Two Men and his Saints Gervase and Protase Appearing to St Ambrose.
Just looking at the villain of The Three Musketeers makes my hands shake. Cardinal Richelieu must have though highly of Champaigne, having commissioned his portrait that oddly does not hang in the wing named after him.
Laurent de la Hyre’s (1606-1656) Christ Appearing To The Three Marys. Noël Coypel’s (1628-1707) St. James The Great Led To Execution. Laurent de la Hyre’s (1606-1656) The Assumption Of The Virgin.
Champaigne’s Virgin Mary and Dead Christ and his Transferring the Bodies of St Gervase and St Protase. Eustache Le Sueur’s (1616-1655) St. Gervase And St Protase Brought Before Anastasius.
Nicolas Tournier’s (1590- 1639) Crucifixion and Le Sueur’s The Prophesy Of St. Paul At Ephesus. What follows are a series of paintings depicting the life of Saint Bruno by Le Sueur.
Another collection of Le Sueur’s starting with Urania. Le Sueur’s The Birth Of Cupid.
Pierre Mignard’s (1612-1695) Pan And Syrinx is at the center. I can’t identify this picture but the sitter definitely needed a good bra fitting.
And now we come to the room of Charles Le Brun (1619-1690). This room is what The Louvre officially calls; Small French Paintings.
Jean Jouvenet’s (1644-1717) The Resurrection Of Lazarus, Charles de La Fossee’s (1636-1716) Adoration Of The Magi, and Jouvenet’s The Miraculous Draft Of Fish. Jouvenet’s Descent From The Cross. Mignard’s The Deliverance Of Andromeda. Isn’t she lovely? Antoine Coypel (1661-1722) Eliezar And Rebecca.
Thought this was a Claude, didn’t you? It’s Pierre Patel’s (1604-1676) Imaginary Landscape.
The Fainting Of Esther by Coypel.
Jouvenet’s Jesus In The House Of Martha And Mary. Coypel’s Athalila Driven From The Temple.
Pierre Mignard’s Mademoiselle de Blois. A rival of Charles Le Brun’s he was mainly active as a portrait painter and first painter to the king. We can see here how The Rococo is creeping up on us.
We’ll explore The French Rococo after the next film.