"Printmakers of the Baroque: 17th-Century Explorations of Space and Light," Co-Curated by Susan Dixon and Carmen Vendelin, La Salle University Art Museum, December 16, 2013 – February 28th, 2014.
This exhibition presents prints from the permanent collection by 17th-century European printmakers who employed the print media to serve a range of functions. The exhibition includes works by artists such as Rembrandt, Claude Lorrain and Salvator Rosa who were known for their paintings but who used printmaking as an alternative means of artistic expression. There are prints by Hendrick Goudt and Jérôme David, who reproduced other artists’ paintings. The exhibition also highlights works by dedicated printmakers, such as Jacques Callot and Stefano della Bella. Among these are works by members of printmaking families, such as the Perelle father and sons, and Jan Van de Velde II.
The selected works demonstrate two major themes often associated with Baroque art: space and light. Building on Renaissance developments in illusionism and single-point perspective, Baroque artists pushed the boundaries of visual representation, creating complex pictorial narratives that featured interesting vantage points, scenes within scenes, and striking light sources. In presenting images that were at once expansive, intimate and participatory, Baroque artists sought to engage their viewers in moralizing narratives, religious meditations, aesthetic appreciation, and social commentary.
Co-curated by La Salle Associate Professor of Art History Dr. Susan Dixon, this exhibition also provided a foundation for a Baroque art history course taught in spring 2014. The gallery labels and exhibition catalogue entries were written by undergraduate students enrolled in the course. The catalogue is available for purchase at the Museum, or online at www.lulu.com.
Click any image below to begin browsing through the collection.
< back to Browse the Collections
