Friday, February 22, 2008

Fine Art Friday

Today's artist is Guido Reni.
Guido Reni (November 4, 1575 – August 18, 1642) was a prominent Italian painter of high-Baroque style.
- Wikipedia.

Self-Portrait c. 1602


St. Joseph
St. Joseph


Queen of the Angels and the Saints
Queen of Heaven


St. Matthew
St. Matthew


St. Michael
St. Michael the Archangel


Beatrice Cenni
Beatrice Cenni


St. Cecelia
St. Cecelia


The Annunciation
The Annunciation


Flagellation
The Flagellation of Christ


Ecce Homo
Ecce Homo


The Crucifixion
The Crucifixion
Posted

9 comments:

  1. Easter Almuena11:14 PM

    Esther,
    I love looking at all these fine art! Thanks Esther!
    Love,
    Easter:-)

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  2. teresa_anawim24:17 AM

    I love that crucifixion piece.

    But the painting that really caught my eye was one I had never seen before...St Joseph!
    That is the OLDEST Saint Joseph I have ever seen! But...I do love the pudgy chubby Christ Child.
    Those babies painted in that era always look so chubby-fat meant healthy back then - and cute.(heavy to lug around, but cute, nevertheless)
    I do say the painter exaggerated the points in the qualities he wanted to get across about his subjects...and he did get his point across!
    I look forward to these Fine Art Fridays, Es.
    Thanks.

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  3. Mimi7:54 AM

    I like the fact that St. Joseph is portrayed as an old man, which Orthodox tradition (and I believe traditional Catholic teaching as well) teaches is the case, that he was an older man entrusted with the care of the Theotokos.

    Thank you!

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  4. teresa_anawim28:21 AM

    I do believe, according to our tradition, that St Joseph was an older man, but this is the oldest I have ever seen him portrayed. The age stood out to me in this print; the traditional teaching point of the artist, I feel.
    I have seen icons over-accentuating a certain characteristic or, point, quality,grace in a saint's life to teach us or to highlight something specifically. These truths are hidden within the icon.
    This is not an icon, I know, but the idea is there. I like it. And I learn from these ways the artists and icon writers teach us.
    I guess I was not clear in my other post..

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  5. EC Gefroh8:39 AM

    Glad to know that Easter. Thank you!
    Love you too,

    Teresa and Mimi, it was my understanding from tradition that St. Joseph was an older man. I too am struck by the age of St. Joseph here. I think that may have been what the artist intended.

    Good point re: icons, Teresa!

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  6. Alexandra11:40 AM

    My father's favorite: Baroque. I recognize some of these paintings, but never learned about this particular artist. I'll have to pinch some of these for my blog. ;)

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  7. Mimi1:15 PM

    That is a good point, Teresa about iconographic over-accentuating.

    ReplyDelete
  8. EC Gefroh2:05 PM

    Alexandra, your dad has good taste in art!

    ReplyDelete
  9. teresa_anawim23:39 PM

    re: over-accentuating..
    there is one in particular which accentuates the Humanity of Christ/God-Made-Man.
    The Christ Child is in the Virgin's arms gazing into Her face and He has the face of a grown man...the God-Man.
    It was in this one that I first learned about the lessons icon have to teach.
    I don't know much about icons, but I appreciate them as a help for prayer.

    ReplyDelete