Caravaggio’s Cardsharps and George De La Tour’s Cheats with the Ace of Clubs were both inspired by card games and gambling. Caravaggio was an artist during the sixteenth century who made Cardsharps, which is “the most influential gambling-themed painting in the history of art” (Goldstein 1201). It was so influential that it inspired many other artists to make similar themed paintings, including La Tour’s painting, the Cheat with the Ace of Clubs. While both Caravaggio and La Tour both use the theme of cheating and have similar art styles in their paintings, both paintings demonstrate differences when it comes to the overall meaning of the piece and the art techniques used.
Michelangelo Merisi da Carvaggio, mainly known as Caravaggio, used a Baroque art style, meaning that he put in a lot of details to add intense feeling into his art. One of the
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techniques that he was known for was his technique of Chiaroscuro. “When card playing first became a popular form of entertainment in Italy and France, card cheats and crooked gamblers dominated the game . . . this state affairs is wonderfully captured in the Cardsharps” (Goldstein 1201). Caravaggio made the Cardsharps to display how Rome was at during the sixtieth century. “Caravaggio has treated this subject not as a caricature of vice but in a novelistic way, in which the interaction of gesture and glance evokes the drama of deception and lost innocence in the most human of terms” (Kimbell Art Mueseum). Caravaggio uses his technique of chiaroscuro to deepen the mood of his paintings. The contrast that this technique brings highlights the faces of the three people in the painting. With the lightest face showing innocence and the darkest face showing deception. Georges de La Tour is a wealthy French artist that was inspired by Caravaggio in the 1620s. “The theme of card cheats was a favorite of ‘genre’ painting – the scenes from everyday life popular in later 16th- and 17th- century art” (Jones). La Tour brings morality into his painting in that he is showing the theme of the danger in indulgence. Within the painting there is shown women, gambling, and wine, all of which display bad moralities. La Tour is typically known for his candlelight paintings, however in the Cheat with the Ace of Clubs, there is not a candle light source. However there is an illusion of a light source in how it highlights the middle woman’s face. Though La Tour is showing realism in his painting, compared to Caravaggio, there is less detail in the characters face and clothing, even though the clothing shown in La Tour’s is more intricate. Deception and cheating is a theme that is prevalent in both words of art. Since George De La Tour was influenced by Caravaggio’s work, it would make sense that he produced a painting with a similar theme. “The Cheat illustrates a theme that was frequently take up in the wake of Caravaggio” (Kazerouni). Both artists also display a person being duped and unaware that they are being cheated. There also is a similar realistic characteristic of the people in the painting as well as the type of clothes that they would be wearing during the time period. From the perspective of the viewer, the realistic characteristics of the people in the painting make it seem as though the viewer is a part of their world. La Tour demonstrates this with the man in his painting eyeing the viewer. Though cheating is a theme that is displayed in both paintings, the Cheat with the Ace of Clubs displays 3 other themes.
The themes displayed in the Cheat with the Ace of Clubs are “the danger of indulgence in wine, women, and gambling” (Kimbell Art Muesum). Looking more closely, the man in the Cheat with the Ace of Clubs also gives the illusion that he is interacting with the viewers, making it seem as though the viewer are accomplices in his trickery. The accomplice displayed in the Cardsharps is the older looking man with a mischievous look in his eye giving signs and the overall picture does not give off the illusion that the viewer is apart of their world other then being spectators. Caravaggio’s painting brings contrast throughout his entire painting, from the walls of the background to the small details in the character’s faces. La Tour’s contrast is displayed more through the contrast of the wall and the people. The gazes of suspicion shown in the Cheat with the Ace of Clubs adds to intense atmosphere and brings on tension, while the Cardsharps brings tension from the shading in the faces of the
people. It is evident in both paintings that cheat and deception are the main themes. Both Caravaggio and La Tour were influenced during their time to paint artwork that was so influential that it would in turn make a trend for other artist to follow. Cheating has always been around, but it is shown that Caravaggio’s the Cardsharp is the most influential painting that inspired many future artists. La Tour’s painting displays a deeper meaning in morality and in how they show other dangers than just cheating. Both paintings show high contrast overall and also a realism aspect that displays the world of today.
The black background contrast with the predominate colors of blue and red gives these colors intensity. The red and green are complementary colors that give the painting visual appeal. The green juxtapose above the blue and red gives the artwork color balance as well as implies a triangular shape. The triangular shape and pattern is repeated throughout the painting by; the bend of the flute player's elbow, the head and shoulders of the guitar player, the head and shoulders of the lady whose back is to the viewer, the body of the guitars and the location of the three right-most musicians
As Hirsch intended, the painting is meant to teach a lesson in judgement and retribution. Hirsch’s painting showed the how we as human are susceptible to greed and it is something we need to overcome or we will be judged and punished.
...is the focal point with the orthogonal of the gestures of the apostles lining up towards it. Masaccio makes good use of chiaroscuro, since his figures have soft, round edges and their bodies are apparent under their drapery. The drapery shows creases and edges which allow for that to happen. Masaccio also employs directed lighting in which the sun comes from the right and all the figures’ shadows are to the left, which is what would happen in real life. Furthermore, Masaccio uses soft, subdued colors, such as green, blue, and pink. The mood of Massacio’s painting is static with all the figures standing in contrapposto with their one knee sticking out and the individuals in Classical and naturalistic proportions. Masaccio placed his scene in the recognizable Arno Valley. Also, Masaccio’s story has no disguised symbolism and rather depicts a straightforward story.
The painting is placed on a wall in a brightly lit room at a viewer’s eye level. Many aspects of Traversi’s Quarrel over a Board Game are in motion. For example, the figures’ faces display looks of either fear, anger or distress about what is happening. The man on the left, who is involved in the quarrel, is wearing a blue waistcoat and a beautiful floral patterned shirt. In his hand, he holds a sword, which appears to be pulled from his hand as opposed to being taken out of a sheath.
Spending time looking at art is a way of trying to get into an artists’ mind and understand what he is trying to tell you through his work. The feeling is rewarding in two distinctive ways; one notices the differences in the style of painting and the common features that dominate the art world. When comparing the two paintings, The Kneeling Woman by Fernand Leger and Two Women on a Wharf by Willem de Kooning, one can see the similarities and differences in the subjects of the paintings, the use of colors, and the layout
Fragonard was a product of the late Rococo period in the early eighteenth century a period that consisted of pastoral images of both men and women participating in games, having lunch together or a passionate scene between two people. Rococo created for the rich of France, consisted mainly of two types gallant and libertines. Fragonard’s paintings were mostly gallant which represented love as a playful game. This can be seen in his two paintings Blindmans Buff (fig. 1) and The Swing (fig. 2). These included interactions with figures in the paintings that suggested courtship; in this case it would be the pastel colors that he used which created a more playful look for the figures. In his 1775 version of The Swing (fig. 2) Fragonard presented a vision of nature and shows tremendous growth from his previous work painted during his second trip to Italy. This version is less erotic compared to his previous version of The Swing (fig. 3). The Swing (fig. 2) bares many similarities to some of his other works none more than Blindmans Buff (fig. 1) that was painted at the same time as The Swing. Both paintings shared various similarities and featured playful scenes of love.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was broadly delicate when it came to issues of aesthetic creativity: he debilitated both the painter Guido Reni and craftsman and biographer Giovanni Baglione for replicating his style. Regardless of his earnest attempts to secure his particular style, be that as it may, Caravaggio wound up noticeably a standout amongst the most generally imitated craftsmen ever.
..., the broader feel of the scene. He wants us to take in the entirety of the painting but have a moment to catch the individual scenes within it, like the couple dancing, the man in the corner rolling his cigar, or the women in the front talking to the man. We do get places where our eyes can rest, but in general your eye takes in the swirl of modern life and pleasure.
Caravaggio was a man who liked trouble. A man whose life seemed to revolve around two things, painting and causing trouble. Luckily he had the protection of exalted patrons because he needed it, he had many enemies. He was not only protected by these patrons but also generously paid for his artwork. Sometimes for these people, and many times for others, he painted some of the most moving religious pictures, and he will forever be remembered for them. Aside from his violent behavior Caravaggio had many qualities, most having to do with art, but qualities just the same. Then again it could have very well be due to his well-known choice of lifestyle that made him popular and wanted for his artwork by so many. None the less Caravaggio was an extraordinary artist, who will be remembered for much longer than he was alive.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio better known as simply Caravaggio was an Italian Baroque master painter born in Italy around 1571. After he apprenticed with a painter in Milan, he moved to Rome, where he lived for most of his life. His work influenced painters around Europe. He’s most known for his gruesome subjects and use of Tenebrism, which was a technique that used heavy shadow to emphasize light areas. His life was filled with great controversy. He was known for being violent, with “drastic mood swings and a love for drinking and gambling”. (N.A., "Caravaggio”) In 1606, Caravaggio killed a Roman pimp named Ranuccio Tomassoni. Historians don’t know why Caravaggio killed him only that Caravaggio fled Rome after the incident. His violence didn’t stop until his death in 1610. The cause of his death was unknown until 2010, when a team of scientists discovered high levels of lead that would have driven him mad.
Michelangelo Buonarroti is one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance times, as well as one of the greatest of all time. He did was a painter, a sculptor as well as an architect, excelling in all areas from a young age. Michelangelo’s art was a symbol of the Florence people’s cultural and political power and superiority. Michelangelo thought of himself as a divine being, meaning he thought he was perfection and no one could ever compare. To this day through, in terms of his art, this may hold some truth depending mostly on opinion. He created some of the most magnificent, and most sought after pieces of all time. Some of them are still around today for us to witness including Michelangelo’s Pieta, and one of his most famous Michelangelo’s David.
As time went on Michelangelo goes on the create some of the best Statues and paintings known to man today. Aside from his “artistic” life Michelangelo was also an architect and a poet, he designed buildings such as the Laurentian Library and the Medici Chapel, but his biggest accomplishment came in 1546, became the head architect of Peter’s Basilica. For him when it came it poetry, he wrote over 300 poems that have come to be known as “Michelangelo's sonnets,” which are still read by people to this day. Even Though, he is known for his memorable sculptures and paintings, Michelangelo did not have the best personality. He was short-tempered, so he did not really work well with others, when Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he fired all of his workers, because he wanted everything to the peak of perfection. A lot Michelangelo’s works did remain unfinished, but the ones that he did complete are still some of the best in history; from Pieta, David, The Last Judgement, to the ceiling
Michelangelo and Caravaggio at some point in history were the most famous artists in Rome, Italy. Michelangelo a prominent architect, poet, sculptor, and painter found his success in Italy during the High Renaissance period (1490-1527). While Caravaggio was the most popular painter in Rome and spearheaded the Baroque period (1650-1750). Artists like Caravaggio in the Baroque period turned to a powerful and dramatic realism, intensified by bold contrasts of light and dark. Michelangelo’s reputation as a painter fluctuated during the High Renaissance, but his devotion to his art and his genius undoubtedly influenced artists such as Caravaggio during the Baroque Period. However, each artist had incredibly different styles, and utilized different mediums in their most popular works of art. Despite that there are also many similarities which indicate Michaelangelo’s heavy influences on Caravaggio and Baroque Period art. The comparison will be between Michelangelo, Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Fresco. c. 1508-1512 and Caravaggio, Calling of St. Matthew, Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome, Oil
Baroque art can be described as a “distinctive new style” in which artists embraced “dynamism, theatricality, and elaborate ornamentation, all used to spectacular effect, often on a grandiose scale”. Baroque art encompasses a vast range of art from the dramatic and theatrical Italian pieces, as the quote suggests, to the more simple and every-day life but still fabulous Dutch pieces. Baroque art can hardly be contained in one description because it describes so many types of art, in great part due to the religious, socio-economic, and political scenes of the time. Religiously, the Catholic Church was responding to the Reformation by creating dramatic pieces to invoke piety and devotion. Politically, monarchies and rulers were using commissioned art to emphasize their authority and their given right to rule. Socio-economically, the middle class was rising and therefore wanting to buy and commission pieces of art to boost their reputation and validate their status in the social scene. These three changes were extremely significant but can by no means generalize the entire historical context of Baroque art. Instead, they stand as specific examples of important reasons for the range and breadth of Baroque art.
Since the first prehistoric cave painting, and perhaps much before that, the human race has always used art as a form of expression. With the passing of each historical period came new technologies and techniques and were all influenced by the unique style, characteristics, and social conditions of those periods. Even though, each period discovered new forms and unique styles of art most historical periods were influenced by an earlier period of history. In this essay, I will explore the relationship, style, and influences of the Renaissance and Baroque periods and will also compare and contrast a work of art from both periods to further explain the relationship between the two eras.