During
the Baroque Period allegorical figures became popular, decorating parlors and
palaces alike. These paintings typically contained iconographic elements from
Cesare Ripa’s seminal work Iconologia that
allowed them to be identified as allegories. These widespread allegories
conveyed a variety of hidden meanings ranging from to the nature of the relationship
between man and music to the importance of religious virtue to proper gender
roles in society.
The
Baroque Period was a time of religious change. The Catholic Church decided to
respond to the Protestant Reformation by encouraging artists to communicate
religious themes in their works. The emerging middle class displayed its wealth
through the purchase and display of artwork. Like religious art, these
privately owned works also sought to instruct, not just delight. Finally, art
was used as a means to elevate the status of the artist. Artists used
allegorical figures to demonstrate their own skill with their medium.
During
a time when many could not read, complex ideas could be illustrated through the
use of striking or thought-provoking images. Even for those who could read, the
rich imagery of these allegories reinforced the messages conveyed. Sometimes
these underlying statements originated with the artist. At other times, these
messages were requested by patrons. What ideas were communicated and how did
the imagery and iconography used in Baroque painting convey such complex ideas
through allegorical figure paintings?
Allegory of Music, Laurent de La Hyre, 1649, Oil on canvas, 50.189
The
woman depicted, identified as an allegory by both the title and her exposed
breast, balances a theorbo in her lap which she plucks with one hand and tunes
with the other. To her side lies a small pile of lifeless instruments draped in
shadows. The contrast between the dark, lifeless instruments and the pale glow
of the musician shows the importance of the human element in making music. Even
the lines of the composition direct the viewer’s eye back to the allegory of
music. The songbird, a symbol of music, gazes at the musician, for only she can
draw music from the instruments.
The Musicians, Caravaggio, ca. 1595, Oil on canvas, 52.81
The Musicians, Caravaggio, ca. 1595, Oil on canvas, 52.81
This
painting also acts as an allegory of music, although the message is different
than La Hyre’s. The four boys are dressed in classical attire and the one on
the left is Cupid, as indicated by the wings and bundle of arrows behind him.
These elements indicate that this is an allegory. The boy in the center has tears
in his eyes and the others’ expressions appear grieved. The likely source is
the music they are playing. The sorrow displayed by the figures suggests that
Caravaggio is emphasizing the importance of an emotional response to music. The
crucial role played by humans in music is not just the making of music but also
reacting to it on an emotional or spiritual level.
Cesare Dandini, Charity, c. 1607-1657, Oil on canvas, 69.283
Cesare Dandini, Charity, c. 1607-1657, Oil on canvas, 69.283
The
woman depicted here is also an allegorical figure. She is shown breastfeeding a
child which is standard for allegorical depictions of Charity. This Baroque
work would call to mind depictions of the Madonna and Child, especially in
Catholic Florence where it originates from. The underlying message is that
charitable, virtuous women care for and feed children. If you are a woman and
seek to live a virtuous life as the Virgin Mary did, then the best thing you
can do is bear children and raise them up. In this way, traditional gender
roles for women are reinforced through art.
Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, Artemesia Gentileschi, 1638-1639, Oil on canvas, British Royal Collection, RCIN 405551, Source: www.wikiart.com
Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, Artemesia Gentileschi, 1638-1639, Oil on canvas, British Royal Collection, RCIN 405551, Source: www.wikiart.com
In
this work, Artemesia Gentileschi paints herself as an allegory of painting. At
a time when there were few women painters, this was an opportunity to boost her
own reputation. By making herself the allegorical figure, she claims to be so
skilled so as to be considered an emblem of the craft. Male artists could not
do the same since allegorical figures were always women. Gentileschi uses this
to her advantage to portray herself as superior to her male counterparts. In
this painting the iconography of an allegorical figure is used to make a
profound social statement of female empowerment; women can paint just as well
as men and ought to be viewed as equals, not as inferiors or mere
child-bearers. This painting acts as a foil to Cesare Dandini’s “Charity.”
Jacopo Ligozzi, Allegory of Avarice, 1590, Oil on canvas, 1991.443
The
woman painted here is an allegory of Avarice, which is typically depicted as a
pale woman with a bag of coins. The skeleton leering over her shoulder sends a
clear message: greed will lead to you destruction. This message is reinforced
by the scene in the upper right corner of the same woman falling to the ground
with a look of horror on her face while an unknown figure holds a sword above
her. The narrative is collapsed into this single moment and the viewer can
almost see the murder take place in front of them. This is characteristic of
Baroque art. The symbols of death and the depiction of a murder in this
allegory provide a warning about the destructive nature of greed.
Allegory of the Catholic Faith, Johannes Vermeer, ca. 1670-72, Oil on canvas, 32.100.18
Allegory of the Catholic Faith, Johannes Vermeer, ca. 1670-72, Oil on canvas, 32.100.18
This
painting depicts an allegory for faith, the crucifix and chalice near the woman
confirm that this allegory refers specifically to the Catholic faith. A globe
symbolizing the world rests at her feet, partially covered by her dress. A
serpent also lies near her feet, crushed by a cornerstone and vomiting blood.
Vermeer uses prominent Biblical imagery to bolster the claims of the Catholic Church
against Protestantism. It is the Catholic faith, not the Protestant faith that
has overcome evil; the presence of Biblical images and metaphors is used as the
basis for this argument. The allegory is used as a tool for Catholic
evangelism.
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