Baroque, The Consequences of war
The consequences of war is a painting created by Peter Paul Rubens. The painting was created on an oil canvas on 1638-1639 at Palazzo Pitti, Florence.
A video created by Khan Academy titles “Rubens, The consequences of war” explains how the painting illustrates a husband by the name of Mars who pays no attention to his mistress Venus who is surrounded by Cupid and Amors nearby are partners of war. The woman on her back represents harmony there is also a mother with a child in her arms representing charity. The painting symbolizes the victory of warfare over peace.
An article titled “Ruben’s the consequences of war” created on March 11,2019 by Kelly Bageanov who is a researcher of Art history. This article explains that the painting was a response to Thirty years of War. The thirty years is when war was raging across Europe driven by conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.
I would own a copy of this artwork. This artwork is very emotional because it shows how Ruben feels about the on going war. Ruben symbolizes yet again the warfare over peace. The color Ruben uses looks like blue from a distance but up close is using browns.
Kelly Bagdanov. “Ruben's the Consequences of War.” Kelly Bagdanov, 31 Jan. 2022, https://www.kellybagdanov.com/2019/03/11/rubens-the-consequences-of-war/.
“Rubens, the Consequences of War (Video).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/baroque-art1/flanders-1/v/peter-paul-rubens-the-consequences-of-war-1638-39.
Hi Michelle! A great choice for your baroque analysis. This piece instantly depicts a dichotomy of light and dark. I find the contrasting light and shadows very interesting. The light illuminating the semi-centered figures of Venus, Cupid, and Amors is brightest on their nude bodies and fades away towards the bottom of the painting softly illuminating the nude torsos of the lower bodies. The painting’s shadow is darkest in the center and spreads to the top of the painting. I can barely see Mars’s face and had to search for the mother and baby you mentioned in your art analysis.
ReplyDeleteThis piece is dramatic and frightening. From the title of the artwork, I initially thought this piece represented the travesty of war and the figures in the shadow represented the innocent casualties, widows, and orphans of war. Another baroque characteristic that seems obvious is the movement of this painting. All the figures are leaning, falling, and reaching. Clearly, there is a struggle adding to the drama.
I find this piece interesting because it’s not representing biblical religious people but rather highlights Greek Gods. I wonder if this was an attempt by Ruben to appeal to a different class of people, to reach other markets. I agree with you that this artwork is very emotional and depicts how Ruben feels about the ongoing war.
I've never seen this painting before, and I find it very interesting! The use of contrasting light and dark evokes a feeling of hopelessness, with the darkness of war smothering the brightness of peace. The detail is also visually appealing, with the energy of each action captured perfectly, from Venus's despair to Mars's uncaring thirst for war. It's interesting that the painting uses Mars and Venus, the Roman names for the Greek gods Ares and Aphrodite, considering the piece was a response to a Christian conflict. I wonder if the artist had a reason for using deities from a non-Christian culture?
ReplyDeleteHello Michelle! I am familiar with this painting. I find the painting very beautiful. Has lovely shades of color and the tone of it all. I would want a copy of The Consequence of War painting. It has a lot of meaning to it and the beauty of the painting that comes along with the historical event behind it all. I have learned a little bit more about The Consequence of War Painting. You did a great job on this Baroque post.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle, great job on your blog. You picked a pretty interesting painting for your blog. I love the use of colors in this painting. Rubens was really successful with the Baroque, using bold color choices, good movement, and high contrast of light and dark colors to draw more attention to certain parts. This painting shows the sincere desire of the artist for peace and his justified horror at how war has ravaged Europe. This painting has allowed him and burdened him with considerable knowledge of the state of the continent and the consequences war had wrought. Thank you for sharing.
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