Fine Art: 1600-1700

Fine Art in 1600-1700

Period: Jan 1, 1600 to Dec 31, 1699

The 17th century (1600-1700) mostly falls under the Baroque period where the paintings tried to portray a dramatized version of life in order to create interest. The popularity of this style was closely in tune to the preferences of the Catholic Church, who commissioned a lot of the pieces around this style.

The Entombment of Christ

Jan 1, 1603

Painted by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Entombment of Christ portrays the grieving his followers experienced after his death. The followers appear in severe mourning, as one woman throws her arms in the air. The direction of the people’s arms are noted as being key, pointing to the heavens or oneself or Christ himself.

The Crowning with Thorns

Jan 1, 1604

Painted by Caravaggio, the image portrays Jesus Christ as a crown of thrones is put on his head. The audience is meant to feel the pain, as the two men force the crown onto his head. Christ is a passive actor in the piece, giving no defense. The painted has been noted as providing realism in a stylistic manner.

Madonna and Child with St. Anne

Jan 1, 1606

Painted by Caravaggio, Madonna and Child with St. Anne is a religious work originally residing in Saint Peter's Basilica. The painting was unique for its time, as it portrayed the Mary and Christ fighting against Original Sin as portrayed by the snake from the Garden of Eden. Saint Anne looks on. The painting was removed from the Basilica after only a month due to the less than saintly nature of Mary as she taught Christ how to fight evil.

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Jan 1, 1609

Shakespeare's Sonnets (published in 1609) cover a variety of topics from marriage, to children, to sadness and death. Some have remarked the Sonnets as being a satirical take on love letters of the time. Despite a possibly humorous side, the Sonnets influenced the next generation of poets who focused on topics such as love and other romantic notions.

David with the Head of Goliath

Jan 1, 1610

Painted by Caravaggio, David with the Head of Goliath, is imagined from the Biblical tale. In this instance, David is holding a knife, having beheaded Goliath. Rather than be in celebration, David appears contemplative. It is speculated that Caravaggio painted himself as Goliath and David is a portrait of his young lover.

Apollo and Daphne

Jan 1, 1625

Created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Apollo and Daphne is a sculpture of the main characters of the narrative poem Metamorphoses. Commissioned by the Catholic Church, Bernini intended for the sculpture to be viewed from a specific angle in order to understand the perspective of both characters. The piece has continued to receive praise in the modern age.

Santa Susanna

Jan 1, 1629

François Duquesnoy statue of Saint Susanna shows her as both an average human and feminine woman. She was a virgin and is shown as looking down on people below her just a hint of a smile. She appears not looking at anything in particular. It has been regarded as having a haunting gaze and such a softness to her.

St. Peter's Baldachin

Jan 1, 1634

St. Peter's Baldachin was completed in 1634 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This bronze structure resides in Saint Peter's Basilica over the alter. The piece was designed to signify the resting place of Saint Peter. The piece combines beauty and architecture into a canopy that resides over the top of the piece and directly over the alter. The piece served as inspiration for the Catholic Churches for the follwoing century.

Banquet Piece with Mince Pie

Jan 1, 1635

Painted by Willem Claesz Heda, Banquet Piece with Mince Pie presents Dutch still life. In looking at the painting, one expects a feast to begin. Upon further inspection, one sees the food has been knocked about, and silverware is about to fall over. Breaking the trend at the time, Heda choose color to use instead of black and white.

Ideal portrait of a Spanish King

Jan 1, 1643

Also known as Portrait of an Unknown Spanish King, Alonso Cano painted this portrait with unknown intentions. The image shows the cape of the King to be a light orange red, although in some representations, it appears more yellow. The King has one hand tightly grasping at his sword and almost in a battle ready stance, while his other hand controls a globe like object. One could infer the King is using his force to control the world as he sits in his throne.

Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza

Jan 1, 1650

The Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, designed by Francesco Borromini and completed in 1660 is noted for its design that symbolizes a decentralized wisdom. The many points of the structure indicate many different entrances and exits and was a clear break from the previous centuries design. The Church builds into the surroundings and does not call attention to itself and is instead part of the world around it.

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

Jan 1, 1652

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The sculpture depicts a moment in Saint Teresa's life in which she describes how an angle used his spear to set her soul on fire for the love of God. She describes it as more spiritual than sensual, although the sculpture shows more of the opposite. Bernini used the surrounding church to create a scenario in which is appears as people are watching this event, in which St. Teresa experiences sensual joy.

Cathedra Petri (or Chair of St. Peter)

Jan 1, 1653

Created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the Throne of Saint Peter is a bronze casting that was built to seat a bishop in St. Pete's Basilica. Part of the Throne is a wooden chair that is said to have belonged to Saint Peter. Originally hidden from the public, the chair was unveiled during a ceremony to honor Martyrs.

Bathsheba at Her Bath

Jan 1, 1654

Painted by Rembrandt, Bathsheba at Her Bath presents another religious tale. The tale is one of sexuality and sin, and so presents Bathsheba nude as the main focal point. The rest of the painting is darkened, and the figure herself is oddly disproportioned, suggesting Rembrandt did not use a model. The letter in her hand is a reference to the story in which King David, who seduced her, is explaining her situation, leaving the audience to wonder along with her as to her options.

Piazza leading to St Peter's s Basilica

Jan 1, 1655

Quite possibly one of the most famous and recognizable architectural designs of the 17th century belongs to Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Completed in 1655, the Piazza leading to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome consists of the columns, the buildings and the open space in the Piazza. Bernini designed the area around the obelisk that was already on site. The massive size of the space was done in order to provoke awe and wonder at the power of God.

The Milkmaid

Jan 1, 1661

Johannes Vermeer painted The Milkmaid as a depiction of everyday Dutch Life. The maid in the painting, using simple ingredients is representing traditional socioeconomic and ethical values as she works to create food for a family. The angle of the woman's eyes leads the audience to wonder whether she is enjoying her work, or if she is disgruntled.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Jan 1, 1665

The Girl with a Pearl Earring is one of the more famous paintings of the 17th century. Painted by Johannes Vermeer, it is a defining painting of the Baroque movement. The painting was probably not intended as a potrait, but instead just used a head for subject matter. The subject is liekly Vermeer's daughter. It is believe that Vermeer was a strong believer in traditional values and so he used women in paintings to protect tradition but also question the Girl in the painting.

The Pilgrim's Progress

Jan 1, 1678

Written by John Bunyan in 1678, this work is maintained as a highly important piece of literature. The book is a narrative of a character that is on an adventure going from one location to another. The story parallels the journey of life in which Christians met unbelievers question their own beliefs and search for the Heavens.

Grammatika musikiyskago peniya (A Grammar of Musical Singing]

Jan 1, 1679

The Grammatika musikiyskago peniya (A Grammar of Musical Singing) is a writing about musical theory. The writings are the first of their kind in Russia and teach about musical concepts, while also providing some examples. The writings influenced Russian composers. The writings also discuss the "Circle of fifths" of musical theory, which was unheard of at the time, but still influential today.

Facade of the Royal Chapel

Jan 1, 1681

In one of his earliest works, Andreas Schluter designed the façade of the St Johannis Chapel in Danzig. The design combines an orange-reddish exterior of the bricks with a green coloring for the windows and doors. The main entrance has additional doors on either side in symmetry. The windows about the doors are also done in symmetry.

Venus and Adonis (opera)

Jan 1, 1683

The play of Venus and Adonis, written by John Blow, was created for the King of England. Based on the classic tale, this opera features a libretto, with an unknown writer, being of a feminist nature. The opera combined drama and moments of humor with a deeply emotion music selection. The music is recognized as masterful in displaying of emotions.

Britons, Strike Home!

Jan 1, 1695

Listen Here! Written by Henry Purcell in the year 1965, Britons, Strike Home was originally intended to be used in a theatrical play but became a rallying song for England. Purcell wrote the song to be used for the play British Heroine, but it became popular particularly during the Napoleonic Wars.