#Counter-reformation art part 2. modern baroque

[prontaentrega]

the vaticans multicultural anime girls are wearing the racism rosary 💀

[thegreenwallrabbit-blog]

Explaining one of VTMB paintings (pt 8)

Cain Slaying his Brother Abel (Genesis 4:2-12) oil on oak wood (between 1608 and 1609) by Sir Peter Paul Rubens.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens (28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens's highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, color, and sensuality, which followed the immediate, dramatic artistic style promoted in the Counter-Reformation. Rubens was a painter producing altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects. He was also a prolific designer of cartoons for the Flemish tapestry workshops and of frontispieces for the publishers in Antwerp.[1]

The story of Baroque art in Flanders during the 17th century reflects the gradual decline of the country itself. Occupying the southern part of the Low Countries or Netherlands, it was ruled - along with the northern part of the Low Countries, known as Holland - by the unpopular Spanish Hapsburgs, who had taken over from the French Dukes of Burgundy. Its once powerful commercial and cultural centers, such as Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp, were weakened by religious and political disputes between the Catholic Hapsburg authorities and Protestant Dutch merchants. Thus while Dutch Baroque art flourished as never before, art in Flanders depended on a small handful of Flemish painters, mostly active in Antwerp.During the 15th century - the early days of the Italian Renaissance - Flemish painters had exported the technique of oil painting to artists in Florence, Rome and Venice. Now, at the beginning of the 17th century, with the spread of Italian Caravaggism, Flemish painters combined their own tradition with the tenebrist tradition arriving from Italy. This development was exemplified by the Antwerp artist Rubens (1577-1640). Since the High Renaissance, Flemish painting had been in transition between Northern and Italian influences; it was Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) who made the first real attempt to digest, absorb and fuse the two schools, creating a new style, well-suited to the more devout religious paintings called for by the Council of Trent's guidelines on Catholic Counter-Reformation Art (c.1560-1700), and which had a powerful impact on all painting north of the Alps.[2]

Below is an explanation of the Cain and Able story from real life and in the context of VTM. This is the same for all the Explained Cain slaying Able paintings in VTMB posts I’ve done so feel free to skip if you’ve already read this as it’s long.

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The tale of Cain murdering his brother Able are nearly identical in Jewish, Christian and Islamic texts with the oldest known version coming from the Dead Sea Scroll from the first century BCE. Cain was the the first born son of Adam and Eve and became a Farmer while Able was the second born son and became a shepherd. Both brothers made sacrifices to God, but God favored Abel's sacrifice instead of Cain's. In Islam the reason for their offerings is to decide which brother would marry Adam and Even’s first daughter who was also Cain’s twin sister. Able also had a twin sister and Adam wanted the brothers to marry the others twin. In multiple religions each brother has a twin sister but there is no consistently with the names as Cain’s twin sister being named Aclima, Kalmana, Lusia, Cainan, Luluwa, or Awan, and  Able’s twin sister is named Jumella, Balbira or to make it more confusing Aclima (though even when she is called this Able’s twin sister is never the one the brothers are competing to marry) depending on the source. In the Islamic text Able’s offers his fattest sheep while Cain offered only a bunch of grass and some worthless seeds. In Jewish and Christian texts the reason for the sacrifices and the exact nature of their offerings are merely described as the first born of Ables heard and products from Cain’s fields.[3] The most description we get is in Genesis when God sees that Cain is upset that his offering was not chosen God tells Cain “: Why are you angry? Why are you dejected? If you act rightly, you will be accepted; but if not, sin lies in wait at the door: its urge is for you, yet you can rule over it.”(Genesis 4:6-7)  Cain then told Able to meet him in his fields where he then murdered his brother out of jealousy by hitting Abel in the head with a stone. When God asks Cain where his brother Cain, “I do not know! he answered. Am I my brother’s keeper?”(Genesis 4:9) to which God replies   “What have you done! The voice of your brother’s blood is calling to me from the ground. From now on you’ll get nothing but curses from this ground; you’ll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother. You’ll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You’ll be a homeless wanderer on Earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12)  When Cain objects saying the punishment is to great and that whoever finds him wandering shall kill him which then God says “No. Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over.” God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him.” (Genesis 4:15). Cain then leaves east of Eden to wander in No-Mans-Land with his wife (who is not named in Genesis but is assumed to be his Twin sister in all tellings regardless of what name is given to her). Their first born Child was named Enoch, and Cain named the first city he built after his son. After Abel’s Death Adam and Eve had a Third son named Seth and when eve gave birth to him Eve said “God has given me another child in place of Abel whom Cain killed.”Genisis 4:25-26. In some texts Seths wife and sister is named Azura. Their son is named Enosh it is through Seth’s line that humanity stems from, though both Cain and Seth had multiple decedents and confusingly used the same names (see family tree below). None of Cain’s decedents suffered the curse of their father Cain but where still seen as sinful and apart from God and where killed in the great flood. How Cain died is not as an agreed upon topic. He was ether crushed to death by the stone house he built, an irony as he used a stone to slay his brother or in some versions part of the Mark of Cain had him grow horns and his descendent Lamech (not to be confused with Lamech who decedent from Seth and was the father of Noah) who was a blacksmith and had two wives(this is viewed as sinful) killed him mistaking him for a wild animal and killed his own son Tubal-cain in the process.

While in the lore of Vampire the Masquerade the tale of Cain killing his brother able as told in the Book of Nod stick to the original tale regarding the murder of Able but starts to differ in God’s punishment. "Father" cursed him with a mark, and cast him out to wander in darkness in the Land of Nod alone. There is no mention of a wife or if he was still cursed to be unable to farm however it is clear that Cain was not  yet cursed to be a vampire by God. The Land of Nod was a place of utter darkness, with no source of light, where Caine was afraid and alone. There he found Lilith where they began a relationship and Cain realized that she possessed magical power and begged her to share them with him. While hesitant Lilith prepares an Awakening ceremony by cutting herself with a knife, bleeding into a bowl, and giving it to him so that he may drink. After Caine partakes of Lilith's blood, he is visited by three angels who are agents of God. Each angel offers Caine a chance to repent for the murder of Abel, but Caine rebuffed them out of pride. Michael, when denied, cursed Caine and his childer to fear his living flame. Raphael cursed Caine and his childer to fear the dawn, as the sun's rays would burn like fire. Uriel then cursed Caine and his childer to cling to Darkness, drink only blood, eat only ashes, and be frozen at the point of death, cursed so all they touch would crumble into nothing. A fourth angel, Gabriel, then appeared to offer the way of Golconda, the only way to "light", by the mercy of God. After the experience, Caine becomes officially "Awakened", possessing the following Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Dominate, Presence, Protean, Animalism, and Auspex. Caine then became aware of the Path of Blood, the Final Path from which all paths stem. And with all these powers, but now being cursed to be a vampire he breaks his bond with Lilith and leaves her.[3] While Cain never biologically fathers any children it is clear that their names of those he embraced and their decedents are inspired by the biblical names in his line though with massive changes. For instance the first city is founded by Cain in the land of Nod and and called Ubar and is explicitly stated to be settled by “Children of Seth” with the human king being Enoch at the time Cain settles there. Enoch still becomes his son as he is embraced by Cain. Another example of the reuse of a biblical name of cain’s line is Zillah (which in Hebrew means shade or protection). In the original story she is one of Lamech(decedent of Cain) two wives( the other named Adah). After both wives discover that Lamech unwittingly kills Tubal-Cain(one of Lamech and Zillah’s sons) they both refuse to have sex with him because of the deaths he caused, on the pretext that they do not desire to give birth to cursed offspring. The three go together to the tribunal of Adam; Adam rules that they must obey their husband since he killed unwittingly. This midrashic tradition portrays Adah and Zillah as respected women, whose position is considered in all seriousness by the court. [4] In VTM Zillah was a human woman who lived in Udar so beautiful, Caine could not resist the Embrace. According to Nosferatu Zillah is the one of Cain’s second generation who sired their Antediluvian. Interestingly, even after the Embrace, Zillah did not desire him. It frustrated Caine to the point that he was ripping his hair out of his head. He did anything and everything to make her desire him. Yet, she would not have him. Finally, Caine sought the Crone's magic, who ultimately tricked him into a blood bond, she forced the First Vampire to Embrace her. The Crone sent her new thrall away, telling him that his blood would have the power to bond others as Caine himself was bonded to the Crone. The discovery of the blood bond was what finally made Zillah agree to marry her sire Caine. [3]

[1] “Peter Paul Rubens.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Mar. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Paul_Rubens. 

[2]“Flemish Baroque Art (1600-80).” Flemish Baroque Art (1600-80), ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ART HISTORY, http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/flemish-baroque.htm#flemishbaroque. 

[3] “Caine.” White Wolf Wiki, https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Caine.

[4] Kadari, Tamar. “Zillah: Midrash and Aggadah .” Jewish Women's Archive, https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/zillah-midrash-and-aggadah#:~:text=Zillah%20was%20a%20wife%20of,he%20unwittingly%20kills%20Tubal%2DCain. 

[gagosiangallery]

Gagosian at TEFAF Online New York

October 27, 2020

TEFAF ONLINE NEW YORK Jeff Koons November 1–4, 2020 __________ Gagosian is pleased to participate in TEFAF Online New York 2020 with a special presentation of Cherubs (1991) by Jeff Koons. The work will also appear on gagosian.com. A wall sculpture in polychromed wood, Cherubs forms a key part of Koons’s renowned Made in Heaven series (1989–91) and merges his investigation of kitsch aesthetics and commodity culture with a veneration of Baroque craftsmanship—it was carved by artisans from the Bavarian village of Oberammergau. In the work, the pastel-tinted, flower-decked busts of two angelic putti echo the rich gilding and ornamentation associated with ecclesiastical interiors of the Counter-Reformation. In an update for the modern era that also alludes to other works by Koons, a teddy bear is nestled within the upper figure’s fluttering wings. Making reference to the Rococo visions of Jean-Honoré Fragonard and François Boucher, and evoking the cavorting figures of Cupid or Eros, Cherubs combines the religious and the sensual, bringing divergent conceptions of taste and value into confrontation with one another. A new essay on Cherubs by art historian Sydney Stutterheim and an associated video will be published on gagosian.com and the TEFAF website to accompany the presentation. For further information on the work, please contact inquire@gagosian.com. To register for the fair, visit tefaf.com. _____ Jeff Koons, Cherubs, 1991, polychromed wood, in 2 parts, overall: 48 × 43 1/2 × 19 inches (121.9 × 110.5 × 48.3 cm), edition 3/3 + AP © Jeff Koons. Photo: Rob McKeever

[nafftomupton]

Different Era’s of architecture

Victorian

The Victorian Era (mid to late 19th Century) saw a return of many architectural styles including Gothic Revival, Tudor and Romanesque as well as influences from Asia and the Middle East. During the industrial revolution, many homes were built in the Victorian style as part of the housing boom.

Key features: ‘Dollhouse’ effect with elaborate trim, sash windows, bay windows, imposing 2-3 stories, asymmetrical shape, a steep Mansard roof, wrap-around porches, bright colours.

Where to see it: Many a home in the UK, the US and Australia.

What to say: It must be tough work cleaning all those panels on those Sash Windows.

Islamic

Beginning in the Middle East in the 7th century Islamic architecture varies greatly depending on the region such as Persia North Africa and Spain. A Mosque is the best example of Islamic styles including the pointed arches, domes and courtyards. Decoration on flat surfaces take priority as the Koran forbids three-dimensional representations.

Key features: The horseshoe arch, geometric designs, more focus on the enclosed spaces and interior rather than exterior, perforated screens.

Where to see it: Hui Mosque in China.

What to say: I love the geometric design on this Moorish wall.

Romanesque

Also known as Norman Architecture it emerged across Europe in the late 10th Century. The most famous feature is the rounded arch, typically found in the Roman-style churches, of which are the main survivors of the period.

Key features: Rounded arches, repetition of rows of round-headed arches, stylised floral and foliage stone decorations and cable moldings around doors in the style of twisted rope.

Where to see it: Porto Cathedral, Portugal

What to say: Check out the barrel vaults on that church!

Baroque

Originating in the late 16th century in Italy, Baroque was a departure from the more formal Romanesque style in that it was more emotive, ‘showy’ and aimed to appeal to the senses. As part of the Counter-Reformation the architecture was an attempt to celebrate the Catholic state.

Key features: Broken pediments, ‘broken’ at their apex, sometimes with a cresting ornament placed in the centre, elaborate ornamentation, paired columns, convex and concave walls.

Where to see it: Palace of Versailles

What to say: Giant Keystones above windows are my favourite.

Tudor

Tudor architecture is the final style from the medieval period in England between the 1400s-1600s. While the Tudor Arch or the Four-Centred Arch is the distinguishing feature most people would recognise the timber-framed houses of the Tudor era.

Key features: Thatched roof, Casement windows (diamond-shaped glass panels with lead castings), masonry chimneys, elaborate doorways.

Where to see it: Anne Hathaway’s cottage, Warwickshire, England.

What to say: That’s a substantial ‘overhang’ on that there Tudor house.

Bauhaus

External image

Originally an art school in Germany in the early 1900s the Bauhaus movement held the idea that all art and technology would be unified under the idea of simplistic design and mass-production. Rejecting decorative details the designs favoured function. Flat roofs and cubic shapes were key. The Bauhaus principles of cubic shapes and angles can be seen in the modernist designs.

Key feature: Cubic shapes, primary colours of red, blue and yellow, open floor plans, flat roofs, steel frames, glass curtain walls.

Where to see it: Dessau, Germany

What to say: Form follows function.

Neo-classical

Considered a response to Baroque and Rococo, Neo-classicism emerged in the mid 18th Century and aimed to bring back a nobility and grandeur to architecture. Inspiration was taken from the classic styles of Ancient Greek and Roman buildings and design. Simplicity and symmetry were the core values.

Key features: Grandeur of scale, blank walls, excessive use of columns, free-standing columns, large buildings, clean lines.

Where to see it: Casino Marino, Malahide.

What to say: The more columns the better!

Renaissance

Influenced by classical styles, the Renaissance style appeared in Italy during the 15th Century and was characterised by harmony, clarity and strength. The designs were intended to reflect the elegance and ideals of domestic life and clues were taken from the Roman ruins.

Key features: Square buildings, flat ceilings, classical motifs, arches and domes, Roman-type columns, enclosed courtyards, arcades of vaulted bays.

Where to see it: St Peter’s Basilica, Rome

What to say: It’s good to see all the Classical Orders are in place on this building.

Gothic

Beginning in the mid 12th Century, Gothic architecture borrowed flourishes and features from previous styles and used them all together. More decorative than classical styles, walls were thinner, columns more slender, windows adorned with stained glass and designed so to draw the eye upwards.

Key features: Height and grandeur, pointed arches, Vaulted ceilings and light and airy buildings.

Where to see it: Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris.

What to say: Those Flying Buttresses are wonderfully decorative.

Modernist

Modernism is a blanket term given to a movement at the turn of the 20th Century and can include styles such as Futurism, Post-modern and New Classical. Forms were intended to be free of unnecessary detail and focus on simplicity and there is an honouring of the materials used rather than concealing them.

Key features: Lack of the decorative, low buildings, use of modern materials, interaction with interior and exterior spaces, use of sun and shading for human comfort, use of glass and natural light.

Where to see it: Guggenheim gallery, New York.

What to say: Such an honest use of materials.

[tomuptonyear1fmp]

Different Era’s of architecture

Victorian

The Victorian Era (mid to late 19th Century) saw a return of many architectural styles including Gothic Revival, Tudor and Romanesque as well as influences from Asia and the Middle East. During the industrial revolution, many homes were built in the Victorian style as part of the housing boom.

Key features: ‘Dollhouse’ effect with elaborate trim, sash windows, bay windows, imposing 2-3 stories, asymmetrical shape, a steep Mansard roof, wrap-around porches, bright colours.

Where to see it: Many a home in the UK, the US and Australia.

What to say: It must be tough work cleaning all those panels on those Sash Windows.

Islamic

Beginning in the Middle East in the 7th century Islamic architecture varies greatly depending on the region such as Persia North Africa and Spain. A Mosque is the best example of Islamic styles including the pointed arches, domes and courtyards. Decoration on flat surfaces take priority as the Koran forbids three-dimensional representations.

Key features: The horseshoe arch, geometric designs, more focus on the enclosed spaces and interior rather than exterior, perforated screens.

Where to see it: Hui Mosque in China.

What to say: I love the geometric design on this Moorish wall.

Romanesque

Also known as Norman Architecture it emerged across Europe in the late 10th Century. The most famous feature is the rounded arch, typically found in the Roman-style churches, of which are the main survivors of the period.

Key features: Rounded arches, repetition of rows of round-headed arches, stylised floral and foliage stone decorations and cable moldings around doors in the style of twisted rope.

Where to see it: Porto Cathedral, Portugal

What to say: Check out the barrel vaults on that church!

Baroque

Originating in the late 16th century in Italy, Baroque was a departure from the more formal Romanesque style in that it was more emotive, ‘showy’ and aimed to appeal to the senses. As part of the Counter-Reformation the architecture was an attempt to celebrate the Catholic state.

Key features: Broken pediments, ‘broken’ at their apex, sometimes with a cresting ornament placed in the centre, elaborate ornamentation, paired columns, convex and concave walls.

Where to see it: Palace of Versailles

What to say: Giant Keystones above windows are my favourite.

Tudor

Tudor architecture is the final style from the medieval period in England between the 1400s-1600s. While the Tudor Arch or the Four-Centred Arch is the distinguishing feature most people would recognise the timber-framed houses of the Tudor era.

Key features: Thatched roof, Casement windows (diamond-shaped glass panels with lead castings), masonry chimneys, elaborate doorways.

Where to see it: Anne Hathaway’s cottage, Warwickshire, England.

What to say: That’s a substantial ‘overhang’ on that there Tudor house.

Bauhaus

Originally an art school in Germany in the early 1900s the Bauhaus movement held the idea that all art and technology would be unified under the idea of simplistic design and mass-production. Rejecting decorative details the designs favoured function. Flat roofs and cubic shapes were key. The Bauhaus principles of cubic shapes and angles can be seen in the modernist designs.

Key feature: Cubic shapes, primary colours of red, blue and yellow, open floor plans, flat roofs, steel frames, glass curtain walls.

Where to see it: Dessau, Germany

What to say: Form follows function.

Neo-classical

Considered a response to Baroque and Rococo, Neo-classicism emerged in the mid 18th Century and aimed to bring back a nobility and grandeur to architecture. Inspiration was taken from the classic styles of Ancient Greek and Roman buildings and design. Simplicity and symmetry were the core values.

Key features: Grandeur of scale, blank walls, excessive use of columns, free-standing columns, large buildings, clean lines.

Where to see it: Casino Marino, Malahide.

What to say: The more columns the better!

Renaissance

Influenced by classical styles, the Renaissance style appeared in Italy during the 15th Century and was characterised by harmony, clarity and strength. The designs were intended to reflect the elegance and ideals of domestic life and clues were taken from the Roman ruins.

Key features: Square buildings, flat ceilings, classical motifs, arches and domes, Roman-type columns, enclosed courtyards, arcades of vaulted bays.

Where to see it: St Peter’s Basilica, Rome

What to say: It’s good to see all the Classical Orders are in place on this building.

Gothic

Beginning in the mid 12th Century, Gothic architecture borrowed flourishes and features from previous styles and used them all together. More decorative than classical styles, walls were thinner, columns more slender, windows adorned with stained glass and designed so to draw the eye upwards.

Key features: Height and grandeur, pointed arches, Vaulted ceilings and light and airy buildings.

Where to see it: Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris.

What to say: Those Flying Buttresses are wonderfully decorative.

Modernist

Modernism is a blanket term given to a movement at the turn of the 20th Century and can include styles such as Futurism, Post-modern and New Classical. Forms were intended to be free of unnecessary detail and focus on simplicity and there is an honouring of the materials used rather than concealing them.

Key features: Lack of the decorative, low buildings, use of modern materials, interaction with interior and exterior spaces, use of sun and shading for human comfort, use of glass and natural light.

Where to see it: Guggenheim gallery, New York.

What to say: Such an honest use of materials.