Massacre of the Innocents Peter Paul Ruben is a talented artist of the Baroque period, who produced several theological Baroque paintings and sculptures highlighting biblical aspects of the Counter-Reformation. Ruben’s first series of paintings were two different paintings of the Massacre of the Innocents. Held and Posner illustrates Ruben’s elaborate approach to his later version of the Massacre of the Innocents 1637 also known as the Slaughter of the Innocent, as it exhibits expression, strength, and tone through the horrendous actions of one man. In the painting, Ruben critiques the slaughter of hundreds of young male children. It has an element of good vs evil persona. Massacre of the Innocents is a brilliant piece of art and deserves a page in the Humanities textbook; its’ exquisite features are why this unique oil painting is a masterpiece. One develops a sentimental attachment to the innocence lost in this masterpiece …show more content…
The paintings represents Herod’s ploy to remain King and control the city of Bethlehem. Roman Soldiers ripping children from the arms of their parents. Mothers and fathers are viewed in despair as they fight to protect their babies. Dead babies lie on the ground being trample over as soldiers continue with their rampage of terror on the innocent victims. A woman stands in the center of the picture holding a bloody diaper centering the attention into the background in view of King Herod castle. Three angels tower over the war between the town citizens and the soldiers as they continue to murder innocent children. The oil painting depicts several different elements; undoubtedly, it is a two dimensional work of art. Rubens’ color scale remained bright; he broke them up and blended them more subtly, achieving a coloristic oscillation of great variety and charm (Held and Posner
Wayne, transforms this painting into a three dimensional abstract piece of art. The focal point of the painting are the figures that look like letters and numbers that are in the front of the piece of art. This is where your eyes expend more time, also sometimes forgiving the background. The way the artist is trying to present this piece is showing happiness, excitement, and dreams. Happiness because he transmits with the bright colours. After probably 15 minutes on front of the painting I can feel that the artist tries to show his happiness, but in serene calm. The excitement that he presents with the letters, numbers and figures is a signal that he feels anxious about what the future is going to bring. Also in the way that the colors in the background are present he is showing that no matter how dark our day can be always will be light to
The visual elements in this painting are shape, color and light. The shapes and contours of the mother and child are life like.
Furthermore, painted are weeping women surrounded by deceased girls holding lifeless infants behind the military figure. A smog or gas seems to engulf them along with dead children. Even more, a third painting shows children from all over the world giving weapons to a German boy who is molding them into an uncertain object, showing there is no longer a need for weapons in a New World. In addition, the military man is dead with 2 doves above him, signifying such peace that has been brought. The final image is of a man in the middle, signifying Jesus.
He also illustrates principles of design. If you were to place a vertical line on the picture plane the two sides would balance each other out. The painting can also be divided half horizontally by the implied divisional line above the horses head and the sword of the man who St. Dominic has brought back to life. Contour horizontal lines that give the expression that the dead man on the ground is sliding out of the picture plane, and dominate the bottom of the painting. On the top of the picture plane, behind the spectators is the brightest intermediate color, which is red orange that gives the impression of a sunrise.
When looking at the painting it gives us a glimpse of the past. It looks almost like a photograph. The fine detail from the building on the right with the statue on top. The citizens walking around.
The background of the painting is dark with hues of browns and reds. Light enters the painting from the left and can be seen on the tiled floor. The lighting helps to create the diagonal composition as it moves across the lower half of the painting. The contrast of light also creates space between the man and the woman fainting; symbolizing a disconnect between the two figures. The use of space is also interesting, Ahsauerus is alone and is enclosed in a corner, while Esther is being held by two other woman who are physically very close to her, not allowing any space between their clothes, suggesting a nurturing characteristic that is often stereotyped among
images in this painting, all of which have the power to symbolize to us, the viewer, of the painter’s
“Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud, It was the first clumsy physical action I had ever seen him make. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every trace of my fear forgotten.” (Knowles 59-60). Gene Forrester, one of the main characters in John Knowles' novel A Separate Peace, describes his best friend Phineas' fall from a “tremendous tree, an irate steely black steeple beside a river,”(Knowles 6) at their all boys boarding school, Devon. Gene is an introverted young boy who is very academically gifted. Finny, however, is an extremely extroverted childish young boy who is very athleticaly gifted. Finny's fall eventually leads to terrible things, such as death and guilt. Throughout the novel Knowles uses Phineas' fall from the tree to symbolize his loss of innocence, to show Gene's guilt, and to develop Phinea's death.
1. Viladesau, Richard. "Counter-Reformation Theology And Art: The Example Of Rubens's Paintings Of The Passion*." Toronto Journal Of Theology 28.1 (2012): 29-42. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
The tendencies of Baroque translated differently in parts of Europe. In Italy, it reflected the return of intense piety through dense church ornamentations, complex architecture, and dynamic painting. Calabrese’s work exhibits the combined artistic stimuli of the 17th century and culminates in the acquired Caravagesque style that alters how paintings were composed from then on. Executed at the height of Calabrese’s most creative phase, St. John the Baptist Preaching is indicates the monumentality of change in urbanization as well as the return of Catholic permanence in the 1600’s. Aside from the Baroque power of the artwork, Calabrese’s St. John is a piece worth gravitating to and stands as reminder of the grandiose excesses of Baroque art.
... the way that the artwork is resembled in the religious background of the gospel but reconstructed in to a celebrating impression. Throughout the fresco painting it depicts the myth of the Christ’s three fold temptations relating back to the article that “distinction between fresco and panel painting is sharp, and that painters are seen as competitors amongst themselves discriminating also, between the difference in genuine attempts in being better then the other.” Baxandall, “Conditions of Trade,” 26. in relation, the painting concerns the painter’s conscious response to picture trade, and the non-isolation in pictorial interests.
The immediate background consists of natural mounds of dirt and a brick wall that enclose the Virgin, Child, and St. John, amplifying the protective effect that Mary’s figure has. The dirt mounds roll inward with a brick wall bordering them on the right, drawing the viewer’s attention towards the three figures. The background is painted in broad terms, with a simple, uniform depiction of tree leaves and smooth rock faces on the horizon. This contrasts with the fine-lined detail and texture of Mary’s hair, facial features, and veil, which further contribute to her elegance and highlight her
Created in 1612 by Peter Paul Rubens, his painting, “Massacre of the Innocents,” illustrates the biblical Massacre of the Innocents of Bethlehem, as written about in the Gospel of Matthew. In historical context, the massacre in Bethlehem was ordered by King Herod, who ordered the killing of all young male children in Bethlehem. Rubens recreated the scene of the massacre outside Herod’s palace. It’s understood that in ancient times, as well as the present, commemorative art serves many purposes, such as to closely tie religion to ritual burials, or to promote political and social intentions. In the painting, “Massacre of the Innocents,” Ruben tugs at viewer’s heart both emotionally and visually, by create
They are many ways to approach a conflict in order to find a resolution. For minimal actions people are often willing to talk about it, but for major actions the solutions to those problems are usually acted out by violence thus, the creation of war. For many centuries countries have been going to war over disagreements. However, it is not any type of disagreements; it is usually about the political beliefs of certain countries. In fact, World War 1 was caused by the disagreements of the European countries in power which were Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary. Some of the countries had a difference of opinion concerning political values on ruling the country. Some were in favour of nationalism, imperialism, or militarism which caused physical conflict and created war. (Duffy) Many soldiers had to go fight to represent their country and make them proud. Many novels have been written to explain to the people how the war had a psychological impact on the soldiers who participated in The Great War, but in the novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque he explains the true depth of war by implicating his knowledge of his days as a German soldier fighting on the western front. Remarque’s awful war experience influenced him to write his novel to show the realistic brutality of war by graphic violence, the emotional impacts on the privates as well as the impact of nationalism by the Germans.
Rubens personified one of the most creative, skilled, and successful western artists, and his almost measureless resourcefulness of design enabled him to become a master of the finest studio establishment in Europe. As one French Romantic Artist describes Peter Paul Rubens as one who “carries one beyond the limit scarcely attained by the most eminent painters; he dominates one, he overpowers one, with all his liberty and boldness.”