This amazing piece of Flemish art is called The Union of
Earth and Water by Peter Paul Rubens painted in 1618, now located in The State Heritage
Museum in Russia. What really strikes me about this piece is the business of
it. Regardless of the business, Ruben still manages to make each piece of the
painting very detailed and just as beautiful as another part. My favorite part
of this piece is the extraordinary details even in the background, especially
the fruit on the far left I find remarkable. Also the real looking water
towards the bottom and I like the tiger that seems like kind of a hidden gem (it’s
on the far left near the fruit). I don’t really dislike anything about this
work but I find the people’s features funny because they are so large. For
example the woman’s feet and legs are huge and the man in the water on the bottom
is also very massive looking while the object he is holding looks normally
sized. This painting reflects the Baroque style because of the overly large
people, extreme detail, use of light to show depth, the weight and curvature of
the woman, and finally the general business of the painting. Ruben reflects
Flemish happenings in his painting because they are having their own Golden Age
and this painting is beautiful and intricate and shows beauty and general happy
things happening. The piece depicts water and light, along with fruit and a
blue sky which I feel has a happy and powerful connotation.
I agree completely with your connections between the painting and its baroque style with the era. However i feel you could have gone further with the analysis of the painting. Drawing on the influence of the use of Greek mythology and culture by their renaissance predecessors, and also the knowledge that during this time of Baroque style they preferred to paint people in their natural form - large and un-proportional. By this i can assume that perhaps by the trident in the right hand of the large man, and the rich flowering in the right hand of the woman that on the left is the Primeval Goddess Gaea of Earth, and the Sea-King God Poseidon. Also knowing Poseidon I can also strengthen that by the figure below him, blowing a conch-shell, Triton the fish-tailed son and herald of Poseidon. We can presume these figures gods as compared to the usual Baroque style, they are fairly anatomically correct in a renaissance and greek style of painting and sculpture.
ReplyDeleteA great analysis and painting. It certainly represents the baroque era and the happenings in the Netherlands at the time. The greatly exaggerated figures, flamboyant background and intense emotion are all characteristics of baroque artwork. In addition to reflecting the golden age of Holland, I would also say that the painting reflects the union and solidification of the state in that the Netherlands at the time was great sea power and also celebrates its victory against Spain on land.
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