Flashcards
Artistic Final
Cards in this deck (37)
- 1—Chiesa del Gesù
Founded: By Society of Jesus; construction began in 1568, completed 1584.
Architects: Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola and Giacomo della Porta.
Design Features:
No narthex: immediate entry into main nave.
Single nave: improves acoustics, unifies congregation.
Side chapels behind arches; no aisles.
Transepts: minimized to focus attention on altar.
Priest enters mid-nave: dramatic procession aided by bell sound.
Funded by: Cardinal Alessandro Farnese.
- 2—Gaulli’s Ceiling Fresco – Triumph of the Name of Jesus
Artist: Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Baciccio), promoted by Bernini.
Effect: Illusionistic heaven breaking frame; stucco + paint blend seamlessly.
Structure:
Center: heavenly light + Christ’s initials.
Cloud arc: separates saved and damned.
Damned: falling, distorted, monstrous (wings, claws).
Message: Theatrical emotional appeal—hope for salvation vs fear of damnation.
Influence: Inspired by Bernini's Ecstasy of Saint Theresa (Cornaro Chapel).
- 3—St Ignatius Chapel (Il Gesù)
Designer: Andrea Pozzo (1696–1700).
Features:
Altarpiece of Trinity on a globe (lapis lazuli illusion).
Hidden statue of St. Ignatius revealed at 5:30 PM daily with music.
Statue originally by Pierre Le Gros, melted in 1798 for war reparations.
Mechanized reveal system—macchina barocca, restored in 2006.
Purpose: Sensory, dramatic engagement with faith.
- 4—Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola (Sant’Ignazio)
Built: Begun 1626, opened 1650.
Dome Problem: Left unfinished—solved by illusionistic painted dome.
Artist: Andrea Pozzo.
Ceiling Painting: Apotheosis of St. Ignatius—flat ceiling appears domed.
Uses forced perspective from a marked floor point.
Celebrates Jesuit missionary work.
Pozzo's Skill: Master of illusion, perspective, light; published Perspectiva pictorum et architectorum (1693, 1698)—a key Baroque manual.
- 5—Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli
Historical Roots: Built near the Portico of Octavia; site of miraculous icon (Virgin + Saints).
Plague Legend: Icon credited with ending 1656 plague; inspired church reconstruction by Pope Alexander VII.
Art & Architecture:
Icon set in radiant glory of angels + light (like Bernini’s St. Peter’s apse).
Designer: Initial wax model by Melchiorre Cafà; completed by Rainaldi (~1666).
Function: Public devotion through processions, spectacle, sacred drama.
- 6What is Mannerism and how did it influence Baroque art?Mannerism was a style after the Renaissance that exaggerated proportions and distorted harmony. It led to Baroque, which emphasized drama, emotion, and movement.
- 7What are key characteristics of Baroque art?Dramatic and emotional
Use of movement, intense light/dark (chiaroscuro/tenebrism)
Naturalism and realism
Theatrical composition - 8Why was the term "Baroque" originally negative?"Baroque" came from the Portuguese word barroco (irregular pearl), implying something overdone, dramatic, and misshapen. It was first used pejoratively in the 19th century.
- 9What did Baroque jewelry symbolize?Used irregular pearls (baroque pearls), reflecting the period’s taste for uniqueness and drama. Jewelry symbolized wealth, status, and even virtue or temptation in art.
- 10What techniques did Caravaggio pioneer?Realism with gritty street models
Chiaroscuro & tenebrism
Natural light reflections
Deep human emotion
- 11What themes appear in Caravaggio’s art?Violence and martyrdom
Realistic unidealized figures
Deep Catholic spirituality
Self-portraiture as dying or damned - 12What scandal surrounded Death of the Virgin by Caravaggio?It was said to use a drowned prostitute as a model for the Virgin, offending viewers with its realism and lack of idealization.
- 13Who were Bernini and Borromini?Bernini: sculptor, painter, architect, known for St. Peter’s & fountains
Borromini: pure architect, known for complex, innovative buildings
- 14Describe Bernini’s architectural worksDesigned the colonnade in St. Peter’s Square
Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona
Interior design of St. Peter’s Basilica - 15Describe Borromini’s architectural styleFocused only on architecture
Known for flowing, geometric, spatially complex buildings
Broke classical rules - 16What was the relationship between Bernini and Borromini?Rivals in 17th-century Rome, both talented but clashing in style and personality. Competed for the same commissions.
- 17How do the careers of Caravaggio, Bernini, and Borromini overlap?Caravaggio died in 1610. Bernini (b. 1598) and Borromini (b. 1599) were children then but later shaped the architectural Baroque world.
- 18—Piazza Navona
Built over the site of the Stadium of Domitian (ancient Roman stadium).
Became a major Baroque urban space in Rome.
Central figures: Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini, two rival architects.
- 19—Fountain of the Four Rivers (Bernini, 1649–1651)
Commissioned through a design competition.
Obelisk from Circus Maximus reused as the fountain’s crowning feature.
Bernini won, despite Borromini’s initial involvement in designing the water supply.
Symbolism:
Nile (Africa) – Covered head (source unknown).
Ganges (Asia) – Large paddle (navigability).
Rio de la Plata (Americas) – Coins (wealth) and expressive pose (wonder).
Danube (Europe) – Touches Pope's coat of arms (proximity to Rome).
- 20—Origin: "Rococo" comes from rocaille (pebble, shell, cement decoration).
Style: Ornate, curving, nature-inspired forms; theatrical and elegant.
Interiors: Heavily decorated, while exteriors were more restrained.
Spread to Venice: Painted furniture, Murano glass, ornate chandeliers.
Rococo in Rome: more solemn and less playful than French Rococo is used in chapels, oratories, aristocratic palazzo renovations, focused on religious devotion and classical references.
- 21Trevi Fountain (1732–1762)Designer: Nicola Salvi (won 1730 contest), completed by Pannini.
Location: End of Aqua Virgo aqueduct.
Symbolism:
Oceanus in triumphal arch with Tritons, horses, rocks, and water.
Side niches: Abundance and Salubrity.
Reliefs show the origin of aqueducts; statues of the four seasons.
Architecture: Grand, dynamic Baroque-Rococo fusion. - 22Spanish Steps (1723–1726)Architect: Francesco De Sanctis (won 1717 competition).
Connects Piazza di Spagna with Trinità dei Monti church.
Funded by France (top = French church; bottom = Spanish embassy).
Inspired by terraced garden stairs and Michelangelo’s angled steps.
Sculptural details: Fleur-de-lys, papal eagle, crown. - 23Piazza di SpagnaCentral fountain: La Barcaccia by Pietro Bernini (early Baroque).
Cultural landmarks:
Keats-Shelley House (poet’s residence turned museum).
Babington’s Tea Room (founded 1893 by two British women). - 24Neoclassical Period (c.1750–1850)Reaction against Baroque excesses; return to Greco-Roman ideals.
Influenced by:
Rediscovery of Pompeii & Herculaneum (excavations from 1738).
The Grand Tour: Elite travel for education and art collecting.
Style: Balanced, symmetrical, rational; Roman then Greek revival.
Spread via archaeology, print culture, and elite taste. - 25The Grand TourA rite of passage for upper-class men (later women).
Purpose: Education, cultural exposure, and prestige.
Souvenirs: Books, art, sculptures, coins, portraits by Pompeo Batoni.
Italy (especially Rome and Naples) was the key destination - 26—Pompeo Batoni:
Painted elite tourists with Roman antiquities.
His portraits became symbols of worldliness and status.
- 27—Antonio Canova (1757–1822):
Greatest Italian Neoclassical sculptor.
Influences: Studied Michelangelo; avoided Baroque excess and Neoclassical coldness.
Style: Idealized, graceful, and emotionally balanced forms.
Displayed works by candlelight for dramatic effect.
Patrons: Napoleon, elite families.
- 28—Venus Victrix (Paolina Borghese):
Subject: Napoleon's sister, Paolina, posed as nude Venus (not originally intended).
Now at the Borghese Gallery in Rome.
Intended for private viewing; sensual yet neoclassical in pose and symbolism.
- 29—Piazza del Popolo (Redesigned 1811–1822):
Architect: Giuseppe Valadier (Neoclassical urban planner).
Redesign: Removed clutter, added symmetry and trees, linked to Pincian Hill with a scenic overlook.
Obelisk: Ancient Egyptian, installed in 16th century.
Urban layout: Tridente (three streets): Via del Corso, Via del Babuino, Via di Ripetta.
Twin churches mark the junctions but differ in design—Baroque variety within symmetry.
- 30Doria Pamphilj GalleryPrivate art collection dating back to the 16th century.
Built by two noble families joined through marriage, known as the Doria Pamphilj.
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is one of the largest private palaces in Rome.
Known for its vast collection of paintings, furniture, and statuary. - 31—Velázquez – Portrait of Innocent X:
Considered the gallery’s masterpiece.
Realistic and psychologically revealing; does not flatter the pope.
Features hint at Innocent X's alleged despotism and harsh personality.
Commissioned by Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, his sister-in-law and advisor—possibly also his mistress.
Displayed alongside a bust of Innocent X by Bernini in a dedicated room.
- 32—Bernini – Bust of Innocent X:
Sculptural complement to Velázquez’s portrait.
Represents the same pope with expressive intensity.
- 33—Donna Olimpia Maidalchini:
Influential, powerful woman in the Pamphilj family.
Had a major role in commissioning art and securing power through familial ties.
- 34—Camillo Pamphilj:
Son of Donna Olimpia; originally made a cardinal by his uncle, Pope Innocent X.
Renounced his cardinalship to marry Olimpia Borghese (widow).
Expanded the palace from 1654 onwards, integrating other properties like the Palazzo Aldobrandini.
His actions led to tension with his mother and the Pope, causing temporary exile.
- 35—Annibale Carracci:
Lunette: Flight into Egypt
A transitional figure between Mannerism and the Baroque.
Co-founded an art academy with brother Agostino and cousin Ludovico.
Emphasized life drawing, naturalism, and classical influences.
Pioneered Baroque landscape painting through field sketches.
His style includes vivid color, movement, and detailed composition.
- 36—Algardi:
Sculptural portraits of Donna Olimpia and Pope Innocent X.
Known for serene, classical sculpture in contrast to Bernini’s drama.
- 37—Andrea Navagero and Agostino Beazzano:
Traditional literature relates that Raphael produced this work before setting off as a present for their mutual friend.
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- Flashcards on Artistic Final, created by Aracely Diaz on 27/07/2025.
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- Aracely Diaz · Jul 2025
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- Jul 28, 2025
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