Baroque

Baroque Art


What are we Seeing in this Piece?

    Today, I present a stunning piece of baroque art done by the famous Rembrandt. Below, you see "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee". It depicts a part of the Bible where Christ and his disciples are on the storming sea of Galilee. Done in 1633, this work is a strong representation of the trademark contrast of light and dark and drama that Baroque art is so well-known for.

    There is both peace and chaos in this work. Everything we see contrasts these, as the light shines of the fearful faces of the disciples, and Christ, who is at peace, is in the dark. The wave crashing over the side also adds emotion and depth to what we see and feel in this piece.


Art Elements

    The rays of light raining down from the sky give us both line work and contrast. Their lines run perpendicular to those created by the boat's mast and rigging. The contrast is between these rays and the darkness of the clouds and water. These two elements bring also bring us contrast shown in the story itself. Christ, who is in the darker side of the boat (Wikiart), is calmer than his disciples, especially those that are illuminated.

Influence

    Alas, it is difficult to find out what influenced this painting! However, it is classified as a Dutch seascape painting, and these were often influenced by the rise of the merchant classes. Even though this work was done to show Rembrandt's faith, it is not clear if the Council of Trent was more of an influence than the merchants. (Wikipedia)

Sources

The storm on the Sea of Galilee (2024) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Storm_on_the_Sea_of_Galilee (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

Rembrandt (1970) The storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633 - rembrandt, www.wikiart.org. Available at: https://www.wikiart.org/en/rembrandt/christ-in-the-storm-1633 (Accessed: 18 June 2024).

Comments

  1. Brayden Bartos-JewkesJune 19, 2024 at 8:13 AM


    Hi Jack,

    I enjoyed your analysis on the chaos of this piece, as the wave crashes and hits the boats it almost gets launched in the air, as the color shines brightly on the human figures where their faces were full of fear. You mention Christ and his disciples and I found a clear connection as there are 12 human figures in pure chaos and we Christ in the lower darker boat, completely calm, we can also see right next to Christ a disciple throwing up over the boat.
    This biblical scene pitches nature against human frailty both spiritually and physically. Nature's upheaval is both a cause and a metaphor for the terror that holds in each disciple, magnifying the emotional turbulence and the images dramatic impact.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rusty GrayJune 25, 2024 at 2:06 PM

    Hi Jack,
    I really enjoyed this piece. I've always had an unnatural draw to the sea, so I love seascapes in general. It either makes perfect sense or no sense at all since I grew up landlocked in the Midwest. This piece in particular is very unique in a couple of ways. First, it's the only seascape the artist painted and second, it was never recovered after being stolen in a rather famous museum heist.
    The use of color could also depict some sort of salvation off the bow of the boat, possibly meaning they're heading in the right direction. I think your analysis is spot on. It may have been commissioned by a merchant who saw himself in the biblical sea story. This was a common practice during the Catholic Reformation. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. jlarsonJune 29, 2024 at 7:42 AM

    I absolutely love this painting and its intricate details! The use of light and shadow really draws the eye and creates a sense of drama and emotion. It's fascinating how the artist captured the essence of the Baroque era with the rich color palette and the dynamic composition. The way the figures are depicted in such dramatic poses really exemplifies the Baroque style. I also appreciate how the artist incorporated elements of chiaroscuro to add depth and intensity to the painting. Overall, this piece is truly a captivating representation of the Baroque era.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JJ SimsJuly 2, 2024 at 1:53 PM

    Hey there couldn't help but to stop by and comment on this religious painting. I think that the use of the light and darkness in this portrait, but in this instance the fact that the light is shown on the chaos and the darkness on the calm is truly a clever use. And the dark clouds, water splashing over the surface, ropes flying and sails flailing all over really catches the realism that Baroque art goes for. I'm glad you specified which story of the Bible this was because the only Jesus sea story I remember is the Peter/Jesus story, when he had Peter walk towards him on the water!

    ReplyDelete
  5. pfacioJuly 2, 2024 at 4:06 PM

    Hi! I love this piece, I think you did a fantastic job highlighting the art elements in this piece as well as trying to find the influence of the painting. I love the contrast that the art portrays, and I appreciate you doing some digging to find the influence! It is always fun to find random facts about the topic you're writing about while researching. Good post!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Taylor ElrodAugust 6, 2024 at 9:23 AM

    Hello Jack,
    Wow, what an incredible painting. The Baroque Era’s light and dark contrast in this piece is done so well by Rembrandt. It’s not hard to see the emotion present in this piece as you have pointed out. I can really feel the light, chaos side. That worry of the boat tipping over.
    Interesting to hear that this is classified as a Dutch seascape painting, thank you for sharing this painting, Jack.

    ReplyDelete

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