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_Holbein vs. "Il Guercino" _
By: Darin A...
Most museum-goers would say that the artwork they are looking at is
"impressive" or "interesting", but they would not usually be able to tell you
why they think so. This is because, even though they hold that different
pieces of work are equally beautiful, it is not often that the inexperienced
eye would truly realize exactly what makes each work unique. Some of these
factors include the period in which the work was done, the techniques used,
and the overall emotion that the work displays. Even though these are not
usually the first things that the average museum-goer thinks of, they are
surely some of the most significant reasons for why art attracts so many
different people with a variety of tastes and interests. Two excellent
examples of how these aspects add to the magnificence of a painting while
still retaining each work's uniqueness can be seen in comparing Sir Thomas
More, by Hans Holbein the Younger, and Sampson Captured by the Philistines, by
Guercino. These two paintings are both masterpieces in their own respects,
displaying the exceptional talents of the artists and encompassing the nature
of paintings during their time. Sir Thomas More, painted in 1527, is a
portrait done by Hans Holbein the Younger. The portrait shows Sir More posing
still, from the waist up, seated in front of green drapery, with one arm
lightly resting on a type of wooden panel. This painting accurately
encompasses the civil situation and spirit of the Renaissance in the North.
Since religious art was traveling in a downward spiral due to the Protestant
Reformation, artists were forced to look for other types of commissions.
Because of the improving economy, middle-class citizens started making more
money and began to commission portraits of themselves. Holbein was forced to
leave his home to find work in England, where he first met Sir Thomas More and
portrayed several other great humanists of the time. Holbein's painting of Sir
More displays the intricate details, definite lines, rich colors, and
illusionism that are associated with the Northern Renaissance. The details in
this painting are countless. The individual strands of hair at Sir More's
hairline, the wrinkles on his knuckles, the easily observable difference
between the color of his irises and his pupils, and the "SS" chain around his
neck are all details that may be easily overlooked if one was not thinking
about it. The "SS" chain signifies service to King Henry VIII, whom he served
as Privy Councilor and Lord Chancellor for over a decade . This chain is also
a great example of the crisp, clear lines that Holbein employs to give the
portrait even more precision than a photo. The powerful green and red, bold
and deep instead of pastel, give the portrait a more realistic and
three-dimensional look. However, the most impressive aspect of this portrait
is probably the impeccable illusionism that Holbein is capable of. The slight
stubble creating a shadow on More's face, the plush fur spreading out at folds
on his coat, and the soft velvet sleeves all seem so real that it is difficult
to believe they are merely paint on a flat surface. Even the dark circles and
wrinkles around his eyes are infallible. These aspects of the painting reflect
the nature of art of the Northern Renaissance. There are also some elements of
the work, however, that reflect Holbein as an individual who stands out from
other artists of his time. For example, some of Holbein's portraiture
displayed the subject surrounded by items with which the subject spent his
life, included to better portray his occupation and way of living. This can be
seen in works such as Ambassadors (1533) and Georg Gisze (1532). As Holbein
matured, so did his artwork and genius. Holbein began painting his subjects
with less and less objects surrounding them to cause any distraction. Yet,
Holbein was still able to display the character and personality of his subject
to an amazing degree . He also began to make his subjects fill most of the
painting, instead of putting a background. In Sir Thomas More, the subject's
figure dominates the portrait. There is nothing in the background except a
green drapery and a rope. No objects are displayed besides the chain and a
piece of paper, these only adding to the character instead of distracting from
it. Even with only Sir More and his few accessories, Holbein was still able to
give the impression of More's real life. His gaze is neither intense nor
dazed, but more indifferent. Still, we can see that this man was important,
dignified, and scholarly. In actuality, Sir More was a humanist scholar,
author, and statesman . This is easily understandable considering the
thoughtful and slightly weary look on his face, his fine dress, and the chain
as evidence. Partly because of Holbein's ability to portray his subject's
character without using objects to tell the story, Holbein's reputation
proclaimed him to be a master of portrait painting. This is also based on his
success in realistically portraying individuals. Holbein was not particularly
interested in idealizing the subject, indifferent to ideas of conventional
beauty. He did not put Sir More in an unrealistic pose or try to give him a
more elegant look. He simply painted exactly what he saw, leaving the world
with an amazing piece of artwork and an incredible standard of skill to
compete with. As magnificent as Holbein's Sir Thomas More is, it is not the
only exceptional piece of artwork to impress viewers all over the world.
Guercino's Sampson Captured by the Philistines, painted in 1619, is also a
splendid work in its own ways. Just as Holbein's work, it represents the
situation of Europe at the time and accurately exemplifies the nature of art
during its period, the Baroque. The Baroque period was full of artwork aimed
"to engage the viewer both physically and emotionally. " It arose from the
Catholic Counter Reformation, in which the church attempted to bring back
followers lost during the Protestant Reformation. By the time Guercino did
this work, the Catholic Church was stable again. This strong sense of power
can be seen clearly in Sampson Captured by the Philistines. Guercino, whose
real name was Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, successfully encompassed the spirit
of Baroque art in his rendition of this story from the Bible. The painting,
which is of enormous size, depicts the moment when Sampson has been tricked by
Delilah and is being overtaken by Philistines. Several aspects of art
typically associated with the Baroque can be seen in this single painting. For
instance, unlike Holbein's portrait, chiaroscuro is employed to make the scene
more dramatic and tense. The light is coming from the left side of the
painting, in the space from which the viewer is looking, and focuses the
viewer's attention on Sampson's back. This creates a more three-dimensional
effect, which is accented even more by foreshortening of figures and
especially of Sampson's foot. The lines of the painting are not crisp and
clear, as Holbein's were, but more painterly, with the paint seemingly applied
thickly and with speed instead of preciseness and accuracy. A good point of
comparison between this painting and Holbein's is the rope that one of the
Philistines is holding. While Holbein's rope in the background was painted
with precise lines and definition between each thread, Guercino's rope is
quite unfocused. Although, close up, it is void of detail, from a distance the
viewer can plainly see that it is a rope. These painterly lines are seen
through the entire piece with the exception of the armor that one Philistine
is wearing. This suit of armor is drawn with much accuracy and illusionism.
Each of the bands and bolts holding the armor together is drawn with
exactness. The way the light reflects off of the armor gives it a metallic
shine, making it look real enough to touch. Instead of portraying anyone as
ideal, the painting shows its figures in a very naturalistic way. Sampson,
although his back is very muscular, is not as toned or powerful as an ideal
god-like figure would be. One can see that he is covered in dirt, either from
everyday working or from this particular struggle. The men attacking him are
not ideal either. They represent a new interest in the common man. Instead of
being depicted as young and vigorous men, they are actually older, with gray
seeping through their full beards and wrinkles spreading over their hands and
necks. Their clothes, in dark shades of brown and blue, are worn and tattered.
This illusionism, making the scene seem so real, is another reason for its
great beauty. However, the most prominent differences between Baroque art and
that of the Renaissance are the high drama, the exaggerated human expressions,
and the vigorous energy displayed by diagonal lines that can be seen in
Baroque art. The struggle takes up almost the entire painting, truly calling
all attention to it. There is no architecture or landscape in the background.
Only dark blue sky can be seen. The entire scene in itself is chaotic and full
of movement. Sampson's own body, the focus of the painting, makes the boldest
diagonal line. His entire form is stretched out, trying to escape from his
attackers and gain his ground at the same time. His extended arm grabs a
Philistine's face and flows into other diagonal lines made by the Philistines'
bodies. All of these lines create a sense of fast and frantic movement instead
of still posing. It is as if the viewer has captured one glimpse of this
horrible attack; a glimpse that would have been missed with the blink of an
eye. Adding to the drama and tension of this scene are the expressions on the
attacker's faces. They are grimaced in effort and show a hint of fear, with
brows wrinkled, mouths snarled, and eyes wide open. The viewer can feel the
emotions running through the painting, which feeds into the drama of the
battle. Sampson's panic and the determination of the Philistines are made
obvious by Guercino's immense talents. His efforts truly brought to life a
single moment in a Bible story and made it possible for all to experience its
excitement, pain, and despair. His ability to allow even the illiterate to
feel the exhilaration and thrill of this tale truly prove that he was a master
of his time. The world of art is a vast and constantly changing phenomenon,
giving it such a diversified history that it could never be completely
untangled and analyzed. The technicalities are necessary for us to compare one
great work to another while understanding that they are of equal greatness for
different reasons. Even though things such as the period and techniques of the
artist may be seemingly simple traits, they become much more complicated in
their infinite mixes and variations. As one can see when comparing Sir Thomas
More and Sampson Captured by the Philistines, each individual artist can be a
master in his own way. Even though artists like Hans Holbein the Younger and
Guercino are influenced by the world around them, their inner talents are what
truly make it possible to turn inanimate substances into masterpieces of
emotion and wonder, all with the stroke of a brush
Word Count: 1884
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