Baroque Analysis

The Laughing Violinist by Gerrit Van Honthorst 1624, the Netherlands (Sothebys).

    When searching for Renaissance art last week, I stumbled upon this painting by Honthorst. I smiled and my spirit lifted as soon as I saw it. I soon realized that it was in fact not a product of the Renaissance but made a mental note to use it for our Baroque assignment. The warmness of the subject's face, the dramatic expression, and the brightness in his eyes make an instant connection with the viewer. Since the Renaissance, music in art was associated with love, or sex (Jeeves) and that seems to play a big role in this particular piece. The gesture with his arms suggests something vulgar or sexual in nature, with his focus on an audience of his joke who is out of view in the portrait. 

     Honthorst was Dutch but traveled to Italy to study Caravaggio, who influenced his work quite drastically (Visual Art Corks 1). He also used the methods of his teacher, like illumination by portraying artificial light. They both used paint to show shadows and bring light into the scene to create a sense of realism. He was regarded as the artist who brought this new style of art to the Netherlands (Sothebys). Honthorst created genre paintings, and The Laughing Violinist is one of several in a series portraying emotional musicians. While searching for articles on the painting, it was often confused for another more popular painting of his titled The Happy Violinist. The thing I like most about this particular piece of the series (The Laughing Violinist) is that you can almost hear his laughter, and I giggle at trying to guess what he's suggesting. 

    Baroque artists were controversial throughout Europe, especially in Italy. In 1517 the Protestant Reformation began with Martin Luther nailing the 95-point manifesto on the door of the All Saints Church in Germany (Visual Art Corks 2). This eventually led to the Catholics forming the Council of Trent in 1545. This emphasized the differences between Protestant and Catholic art. Protestant art often depicted common people in everyday scenes. They avoided large biblical scenes such as the crucifixion, images of saints, and paintings of the clergy, whereas Catholic artists frequently painted these scenes. Honthorst's genre paintings were exactly what the Catholics didn't want. 

    I really enjoy the dark values used in the background to give form to the subject. This plays perfectly with the lighter paints used to show light and shadows within the portrait. I also noticed a slight movement in the painting, with the sleeve of his undershirt poking up out of the top of his sleeve, and the wrinkles in the fabric near his elbow crease, suggesting he is moving his left arm up while pulling down with his right hand.

    I think my favorite element about this piece though is the color. The bold blue and bright gold really catch your eye and make the painting stand out. I think the dark background truly showcases the figure in the portrait, while the clothing color choices make him seem approachable (blue), yet excessive (gold). I would love to own a copy of this and would most likely put it in a dining or lounge area, keeping with the social feel.

Bibliography:

(#31) Gerrit van Honthorst (sothebys.com)

Gerrit van Honthorst: Genre-Painter, Utrecht School, Follower of Caravaggio (visual-arts-cork.com) 

The Serious and the Smirk: The Smile in Portraiture – The Public Domain Review (jeeves)

Protestant Reformation Art: Characteristics, History (visual-arts-cork.com)