June 16th - Wadsworth Atheneum

My trip to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art was really terrific. Considering the Wadsworth is no where near the size of the Met, it was just as fantastic with the art work that it had on display. I was greeted by very cheerful people that gave me a map, were happy to hear I was there because of a class, and told me which exhibits I should focus on. After going through the lower levels I made my way up to the Faith and Fortune Exhibit. This exhibit consists of five centuries of European master works from the Renaissance to the Roman era. Many of the works of art in this exhibit were made to aid personal or public devotion, or as objects in the service of the church. Other works were made for secular purposes, (interesting for the time period), symbols of wealth, status and authority as sources of sensual and intellectual delight or as objects of everyday use. In these types of pieces you can see attitudes towards wealth, luxury and learning.

The exhibit that I found very captivating was the Baroque Art in Catholic Europe. Very interesting title, this was during the Roman Era and Christianity was not widely supported. Here again I was able to link my past religion class to my art experience. The 17th century is known as the age of the Baroque. Baroque, at the time, usually meant anything bizarre or exaggerated but then took on a flattering sense of splendor and liveliness. This style of painting took away the restraint that came with the earlier Renaissance period. These works of art are on a larger scale and were devoted principally to religion and have a symbolic representation that directly promoted the principles of the Catholic Church. In Italy Michelangelo was the first painter to make this new style popular.

When I walked into this exhibit the first thing that stood out to me was how the dark purple walls were a stunning accent to the paintings. The painting that I focused on is St. Catherine of Alexandria. I was really taken in by how young, almost child like, her facial features are, she is sensual and saintly. I kept looking at her face, her facial expression is brief/fleeting, I felt like I saw a different expression every time. The brushwork is very fluid. It truly was hard to believe that I was looking at the original painting and not a picture of it, the canvas was so smooth I wanted to touch it. The artists choice of colors could not have been more perfect. It really took me a while to realize that there are not many colors in this painting but the way they were brought together made this painting life like.

Bernardo Strozzi
Italian, Genoese, 1581- 1644
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, C. 1515
Oil on canvas

The caption for the painting said that Strozzi more than likely painted it for the home of a Genoese nobleman and not for a church. The Baroque style of the time really came through with the “flattering sense of splendor and liveliness”. Her bare toes, fabric on the floor, the pink in her dress, and the way the fabric looked as though it was blowing in the wind, gave the feeling that this was meant to be an uplifting playful painting. Maybe almost a pat on the back to Christianity since it was frowned upon at the time. As all of these thoughts were going through my head, the rest of the museum was active, sound seemed to travel slow and echo through the museum. I felt like I was in the middle of a service at the Vatican.


The artist, Strozzi, was a monk, born and trained in Genoa, then later moved to Venice.
Here is a little bit of history about St. Catherine that conveys the religious aspect of the time. Keep in mind that this is the Roman era where citizens were more likely to survive if they were a Pagan rather than a Christian. St. Catherine of Alexandria was an Egyptian Princess in the 4th century who had converted to Christianity. She was so knowledgeable about her new faith that she could debate and defend it to anyone. Catherine visited the Roman Emperor Maximum, and conveyed to him his errors in persecuting Christians. He tried, to no avail to have her renounce her faith, became frustrated that should would not and had her jailed. While she was jailed, anyone who visited her converted to Christianity. As a result, Maximum ordered St. Catherine to be executed upon a spiked wheel. Somehow the wheel was destroyed, therefore she was beheaded.

I hope you have enjoyed my blog about my experience at the Wadsworth Atheneum. Please let me know what you think. Here are some more paintings I was captivated by.

Salvator Rosa

Italian, Nepolitan, 1615 - 1673

Lucrezia as Poetry

This is also from the Baroque in Catholic Europe. The model is actually the artists mistress. Look at her facial expression, what is she thinking or did something funny/irritating happen.

1756 - Colonel John Trumbull - 1843

Battle of Bunker Hill June 17, 1775

Death of General Joseph Warren

American Revolution

Oil on Canvas

The caption noted that this painting does not focus on the outcome of the battle but about the many events taking place at that time. He even included an individual that is trying to decide weather to stay or flee. It was fantastic that the captioned was so detailed. My dad has an art book with this painting. I've looked at this painting with fascination for years.

and of course :o)

Norman Rockwell

American, 1894 - 1978

The Young Lady with the Shiner, 1953

Oil on canvas