IV - Baroque

"Baroque Works"

The Baroque period was roughly a 150-year span of time (1600-1750), between the Renaissance and Classical periods, where a specific progression of visual art, music, theatre, and culture can be noticed. The artistic minds of this period dove head-first into the basin of creative freedom, where new styles and approaches to visual art, theatre, and music were developed and carried to the height of popularity among the connoisseurs and collectors of the time.

Magdalena Penitente (17th century)

Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa (1600-1667)

    This painting is a magnificent Oil on Canvas rendition of Mary Magdalene (or Saint Maria Magdalena), a follower of Jesus Christ, repenting her sins. Either there is little information on this particular piece, or the information is in Spanish and on websites I cannot access. 

     This work of art is a brilliant display of Espinosa's talent as a painter. He uses soft lines and distinct shapes to denote the grace and femininity of the figure, her hair, and clothing. The tone is theatric and emotional, juxtaposing shades of color to create a splendid and dramatic contrast between the light and dark aspects of the painting. There is texture everywhere in this work. Different brush strokes and layerings of pigmented oil work together to give sensation to different aspects of the painting, from the thick and wavy locks, draping her shoulders and seat, to the polished smooth and warmthless skull she holds in her lap. 

    There are various aspects of the painting that are notably Baroque. Portraiture of religious figures was still very popular, though this began to shift from a religious and royal-dominated style to one more focused on common folk or the average human. Tenebrism is easily significant in this work, which depicts a scene cast in deep shadow as though the only light in the room was emanating from a lit candle, an open doorway, or perhaps the moon shining through a roof lantern. Espinosa stupendously implemented Heightened Realism in this work, focusing on accurately depicting anatomy, skin texture, coloration, and blemishes, and even going so far as to incorporate very fine details such as minute creases and folds in skin and clothing and faintly rendering the woman's vascular structure. 

    I would love to have this painting in my home or personal collection. In my opinion, it is a beautiful and complete representation of the Baroque style and movement. While I am not a religious person, I would admire this piece in my home for its beauty, its histories, and all of the interpretative conversations it might inspire. I would love to spend hours uninterrupted, studying this painting, cross-referencing brushstroke techniques and painting themes/styles, and incorporating the information into my artistic toolkit.

    I would like to relate this man, his art, and his history to the Rise of the Merchant Class. His father, Jerónimo Rodriguez de Espinosa, was not a wealthy man, and Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa married a woman from the merchant class. 

Espinosa, Jerónimo. Magdalena Penitente. Oil on Canvas, 1600. Museu de Prado, C. de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23, 28014 Madrid, Spain.

Espinosa, Jerónimo Jacinto. “Magdalena Penitente.” Museodelprado.es, Museo del Prado, 1700, www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/magdalena-penitente/08a94dd4-81e2-4657-9070-707f86a227d0. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023.

https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/magdalena-penitente/08a94dd4-81e2-4657-9070-707f86a227d0

Wikipedia Contributors. “Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 July 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jer%C3%B3nimo_Jacinto_de_Espinosa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jer%C3%B3nimo_Jacinto_de_Espinosa

Wikipedia .jpeg File:

File: La Magdalena, de Jerónimo Jacinto Espinosa (Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia).jpg

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_Magdalena,_de_Jer%C3%B3nimo_Jacinto_Espinosa_(Museo_de_Bellas_Artes_de_Valencia).jpg