HKMoA: Baroque Art Masterpieces from Capodimonte Museum, Part 2
Baroque paintings of the Bourbon Collection
To understand the origin of the Bourbon Collection, readers should know the history of Naples. In the 17th Century, Naples was a bustling port city in Spain and was regarded as the second-largest metropolis in Europe. Since the establishment of the Kingdom of Naples in 1734, governing Spanish sovereign funded the building of grand churches and palaces, and patronized masterpieces by artists from the city and beyond. As a result, the whole city was adorned with magnificent artwork. However, after Napoleon rose to power, artistic treasures were removed by his administration in 1806. Later, after the Congress of Vienna restored Ancien Regime in 1815, King Ferdinand and his heirs acquired dispersed Neapolitan paintings. They categorized acquisitions as Bourbon Collection. Its name was derived from the palace that housed the restored throne.
The paintings of the Bourbon Collection are categorized according to their subjects. When observing artwork, pay attention to literary references of depicted subjects, morals behind each story, and visual traits of paintings: chiaroscuro(dramatic contrast), realistic depiction, capturing narrative, theatrical gestures, sensual richness, strong emotions, and sumptuous color scheme.
Biblical Scenes
In hopes of encouraging piety from believers and divine protection from natural and man-made challenges, clergy from churches in Naples commissioned artists to paint monumental altarpieces that featured biblical scenes and patron saints of the city.
Cain and Abel were sons of Adam and Eve. Cain worked in the field and Abel took care of flocks. Cain became jealous of Abel, as the Lord was more fond of Abel’s offering. Out of malicious intention of monopolizing the affection of the Lord, Cain killed his younger brother. After discovering his irreversible sin of Cain, the Lord told Cain that he would be no longer able to yield crops from any field.
The painting depicts the most abject moment of the story. Flushed with jealousy, Cain is raising a wooden bat menacingly to cause a lethal blow to his brother. The concept of painting is a reminder of the consequence of violating basic moral principles. The work of the sinner will be taken away, as his character is not eligible to work and contribute to his community.
Two paintings are Supper at Emmaus by Matthias Stomer and Caravaggio. The paintings shows Jesus and his disciples having dinner at an inn in Emmaus after the Resurrection of Jesus.
Carracci and Caravaggio, Masters of Baroque Art, greatly influenced artists of the new generation in the 17th century. Firstly, the new generation of artists studied the composition of Caravaggio’s paintings. Compare Stomer’s version of the Supper at Emmaus with that of Caravaggio. Stomer’s version is a perfect example that demonstrates Caravaggio’s far-reaching influence. The close-knit composition of characters sitting around a candlelight is derived from Caravaggio’s painting of the same subject. Secondly, the new generation agreed that subject should be based on real-life observation. Instead of depicting idealized beauty, artists incorporated people, objects, and textures from daily lives into their paintings. Real-life observation by Stomer is evident in his portrayal of deeply lined faces, messy hair, and tattered clothing.
Thank you for reading the shortened version of the article. To read the complete article, please direct to the linked original article.
Original article: Baroque Art Masterpieces from Capodimonte Museum, Part 2
Part 1: Baroque Art Masterpieces from Capodimonte Museum, Part 1
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