Flemish Art and Architecture, 1585–1700

by Hans Vlieghe

• ISBN13: 9780300070385
• ISBN10: 0300070381
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 1999-01-11
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

This beautifully illustrated book provides a complete overview of the art of the Southern Netherlands from 1585 to 1700, file years between the separation of the Southern from Northern provinces and the end of Spanish rule. Eminent Flemish art historian Hans Vlieghe examines the development of Flemish and specifically Antwerp painting, the activity and influence of Rubens and such other leading masters as Van Dyck and Jordaens, the Antwerp tradition of specialization among painters, and the sculpture and architecture of this period. He also describes the socioeconomic and political conditions that facilitated file rise, evolution, and expansion of Flemish art, focusing particularly on the Counter Reformation. In the first half of the seventeenth century, Antwerp painting rapidly became one of the highlights of Baroque art. This was clearly linked to the activity of Rubens, who was immensely important not only for the astonishing stylistic quality of his work and for his enormous influence on several generations of painters, but also for his workshop practice modeled on the Italian method and his ability to familiarize others with Italian Renaissance and Early Baroque art. Yet Rubens's work can only be understood fully in the context of the Antwerp tradition. Vlieghe organizes the book around the pictorial categories of Antwerp's specialists -- and discusses the contributions of well known and lesser known artists to each type of painting.

Author Biography

Hans Vlieghe is Professor of Art History at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Louvain) and Research Director of the Belgian Nationaal Fonds.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii	(1)
Map	viii
PART ONE: Historical context	1	(12)
1. Painters and Painting between 1585 and 1700 Monumental decoration of churches and monasteries -- Devotional and biblical pictures for private use -- Secular history painting -- The humanist principles behind history painting -- The art market and connoisseurship -- Specialization and division of labour -- Portrait painting -- Genre, landscape and still-life painting -- The painter in society	4	(9)
PART TWO: History painting	13	(104)
2. From the Fall of Antwerp to the Twelve-Year Truce (1585-1609) Between innovation and tradition -- Abraham Janssen until about 1609 -- The young Rubens	13	(14)
3. The Period of the Twelve-Year Truce (1609-1621) Rubens's establishment in Antwerp -- Rubens's studio and his first assistants -- Jacob Jordaens's early work -- Anthony van Dyck's first Antwerp period -- Abraham Janssen's later work -- Survival and assimilation of earlier traditions	27	(20)
4. From the Twelve-Year Truce to the Treaty of Munster (1621-1648) Rubens's later work -- The mature work of Jacob Jordaens -- Anthony van Dyck's later work -- Rubens's enduring influence: stylistic changes among the older generation -- Rubens's enduring influence: younger painters -- Italianizing tendencies: Caravaggio's influence and other Early Baroque trends -- Italianizing tendencies: Variants of High Baroque -- The start of Van Dyck's influence	47	(45)
5. After the Treaty of Munster (1648-1700) Artistic trends after 1648 -- The later work of established masters -- Younger masters: the influence of Anthony van Dyck -- Younger masters: theatricality and classicism	92	(13)
6. Cabinet-sized history painting Before 1650: Mannerist-decorative tendencies -- Before 1650: the influence of Elsheimer -- Cabinet painters and Rubens's studio -- The later seventeenth century: aspects of Baroque	105	(12)
PART THREE: Specializations	117	(114)
7. Portrait painting The survival of tradition in portraiture up to 1620 -- High-Baroque portraiture	117	(32)
8. Genre Painting The Bruegel tradition -- Courtly company scenes -- Adriaen Brouwer -- The small-sized low-life company piece alongside and after Brouwer -- Monumental company pictures -- Battle scenes -- Italianate genre painting	149	(26)
9. Landscape and Architectural Painting From Mannerism to realism -- Rubens and his importance -- Decorative Baroque landscape painting in Brussels -- Italianizing painters -- Jan Siberechts -- Marine painting -- Architectural painting -- Perspective or allegory? Art collection paintings	175	(32)
10. Still-life Painting, Animal and Hunting Pictures Flower pieces -- From kitchen piece to trophies of the hunt: monumental still life -- From breakfast tables to pronk still lifes -- Animal pictures and hunting scenes	207	(24)
PART FOUR: Sculpture and Architecture	231	(50)
11. Sculpture Function and significance -- 1585-1640: the gradual development and main trends of a Southern-Netherlandish Baroque sculpture -- 1640-1660: classicism and expressiveness in High Baroque -- 1660-1700: Late Baroque	231	(27)
12. Architecture From 1585 to 1650 -- From 1650 to 1700	258	(23)
Notes	281	(22)
Bibliography	303	(26)
Index	329