Reni's Second Period Analysis

Reni’s second period comes with a big transition revealed in the Atalanta and Hippomenes painting unveiled in the 1620s. Here Reni has reached a new level according to Witkower who states about the piece, “The eurhythmic composition, the concentration on graceful line, and the peculiar balance between naturalism and classicizing idealization of the figures, all reveal this work as an epitome of Reni’s art”. From this point on, his style has progressed into using mainly cool, even more subtle color palettes and simpler scenes. It was through the development of these characteristics along with a better understanding and familiarity with Baroque rhetoric that Reni’s later works possess an even more graceful flow and easy beauty which highlights

Sebastian created in 1630. In this portrait, St. Sebastian is being executed by a firing squad of arrows, however, it is the start of the execution as only one has pierced his side. Even though he is being put to death, Sebastian looks regal, almost perfect, with his barely blemished pale white skin and elegantly elongated body. With the graceful tilt of his upturned face and expressive eyes, the figure looks as if it could be displayed in a museum. This elegant grace and beauty that is experienced when looking upon the work, along with the acceptance in his gaze, is meant to evoke emotions of piety and devotion in the viewers as Reni prefers this means of stimulating piety as opposed to the use of horror and gore. The scene is also set up so that the audience is caught in the moment and a part of the event. The loose brushstroke scene throughout the painting creates a sense of dynamism especially in the streaks of white that depict the shine of light hitting sweaty skin on St. Sebastian’s knee, shoulder, and cheek. Paired with the intricately twisted and knotted loin cloth covering that looks as if it will slip off his body, over his foreshortened knee, and onto the ground in front of the viewer, the gap between the audience and the action of the event taking place is effectively bridged. These techniques of foreshortening and loose brushstroke are typical of later works of Reni and demonstrate the easy flow of

The blending of his stunning color palettes, flowing figures, and free brushstroke crafts breathtaking masterpieces more than capable of moving audiences to praise and glorify God. He had the ability to evoke this reaction of devotion and want to be closer to the Lord in all four types of viewers to his paintings. Simply by using ethereal colors in the settings to portray the magnificence of heaven he was able to satisfy the illiterates while also keeping things clear and concise in his portrayals of certain scenes. For example, the Crucifixions he created were well received by Paleotti as they accurately depicted the event but kept the scenes simple with minimal background and figures making it easy to understand by the illiterates. Although the scenes were easy to understand, they were full of motifs and layers of deeper meaning that satisfied the learned as can be seen with The Crucifixion in San Lorenzo’s Church. In this piece, it appears very simple and illiterates would not have trouble determining what is taking place. Meanwhile the learned could enjoy interpreting the darkness encroaching upon the crucified figure of Christ as being pushed away and defeated by his luminous body and appreciate the similarity in the gesture of Jesus on the cross with the gesture of the priest that would be saying mass below him. The priests and