Introduction
Considering the works of art of mentioned three painters, it should be mentioned, that he time they lived and created in was almost the same: the Renaissance, which slightly shifted to Baroque. The time of creation is one of the main predetermines of the quality of the pictures, their main features and themes. The rise of Church and the themes connected with it in art were the main conditions, in which the paintings of Caravaggio, Carracci, and Rembrandt were created.
Main Body
Analyzing the time of creation of the pictures and the place, where artists lived, it may not be avoided that art during Renaissance period mattered a lot, moreover, the works had to be not just beautiful, but also purposeful and meaningful. Renaissance art also touched the themes of religion and church, but not so directly as during Baroque period (Paoletti & Radke, 2005, p.14). The launching of the Counter-Reformation by the Catholic Church fell out on the beginning of the new stream in art development. Comparing renaissance and Baroque art referencing to religion, it may be mentioned that “whereas Italian Renaissance artists often had reveled in the precise, orderly rationality of classical models, Italian Baroque artists embraced a more dynamic and complex aesthetic” (Gardner, Kleiner & Mamiya, 2005, p.571).
Caravaggio’s The Calling of Saint Matthew, Carracci’s The Flight into Egypt, and Rembrandt’s The Resurrection of Christ are the paintings, which directly fit the time, they were created in. The biblical theme was one of the directions, which were developed in the middle Aged Italy, and these artists tried to follow the fashion and depicted for the world audience the paintings, which were close to their ideas and their consideration, as well as dictated by the time.
Concentrating on form, content, and subject matter of Caravaggio’s, Carracci’s, and Rembrandt’s paintings, which are introduced in the paper, the first which strikes attention is the color palette, which is dark, with the dominance of grey. The shade in Caravaggio’s work plays almost the main role, and in the combination with light, which comes from the window aside, it created the mysterious atmosphere. The painting The Flight into Egypt by Annibale Carracci is also introduced in grey colors, but looking at it, it seems light, and even bright. The form of the painting is significant, the arc. Rembrandt’s painting is introduced in the contrast of colors, black and bright yellow, like gold, that attracts attention. The combination of colors and shade add to the subject mater of the paintings, and show the bible and God ways in the pictures, and it is the people’s choice whether to follow these ways, or to avoid them.
Conclusion
The symbolical meaning of Caravaggio’s painting is in the contrast of light and shade, which as if contrast inner worlds of Christ and those, who lead unstructured and sin life. Light gives the opportunity to change the lifestyle, opens the new ways to people, who have already sink in sins. The picture The Flight to Egypt is showed under the arc, the half of cycle and the cycle has always been considered as the way to God. So, the picture has both direct and indirect meaning of the God following. The sky and the river mirror each other and the boat seems to be the continuation of life with God, the same streaming and endless. Light in Rembrandt’s picture symbolizes the divine powers, the powers of good, which contest with dark representatives on the Earth.
References
Gardner, H., Kleiner, F. S., & Mamiya, C. J. (2005). Gardner’s art through the ages: the western perspective. Cengage Learning, London.
Paoletti, J. T. & Radke, G. M. (2005). Art in Renaissance Italy. Laurence King Publishing, London.