Файл: МИньяр-Белоручева от Джотто.pdf

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software

http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

70

UNIT XV HALS (1581/85-1666)

Recognized today as one of the most brilliant of all portraitists, Frans Hals was probably born in Antwerp and was brought to Haarlem as a child. Interested in human face and figure, Hals was blessed with a gift for catching the individual in a moment of action, feeling, perception, or expression and recording that moment with unerring strokes. Among his early commissions were group portraits of the militia companies that had been largely responsible for defending the new Dutch republic in the hostile world; these paintings radiate its self-confidence and optimism. Hals usually shows the citizen-soldiers in the midst of the banquets. The compositions, picturing a dozen or more males, mostly corpulent and middle-aged, each of whom had paid equally and expected to be recognizable, were not conductive to imaginative painting. The predecessors of Hals had composed these group portraits in alignments hardly superior compositionally to a modern class photograph. It was the genius of Rembrandt to raise them to a level of high drama. But Hals in his

Banquet of the Officers of the Saint George Guard Company, of 1616 has a superb job within the limitations of the traditional type. The moment is relaxed, the gentlemen turn toward each other or toward the painter as if he had been painting the whole group at once, which was not certainly the case. Massive Baroque diagonals - the curtain pulled aside, the flag, the poses, the ruffs - tie the picture together into a rich pattern of white and flashing colours against the black costumes. Broad brushstrokes indicate the passage of light on colour with a flash and sparkle unknown even to Rubens.

The warmth of Hals's early style is seen in The Laughing Cavalier. The date 1624 and the subject's age 26 are inscribed in the background, and since the Cavalier's diagonal shadow also falls on it, it is clearly a wall. The Caravaggesque nowhere is thus converted into a definite here. The wall is irradiated with light and seems insubstantial. The armours proclivities of the young man are indicated by the arrows, torches and bees of Cupid and the winged staff and hat of Mercury embroidered in red, silver and gold on the dark brown of his slashed sleeve, with his glowing complexion, dangerous moustaches, snowy ruff and dashing hat, the subject is the symbol of Baroque gallantry. The climax of the painting is the taunting smile on which every compositional force converges.

The opposite of this glittering portrait is the sombre Malle Babbe, of about 1630-33. Nobody knows who the old creature was or the meaning of her nickname. Often called an "old crone" she might be from forty to sixty years old. Hals has caught her in the midst of a fit of insane laughter. Possibly she is a town idiot and the owl on her shoulder is a symbol of foolishness. The expression seized in a storm of strokes is rendered with a demonic intensity.

About 1664 when he was past 80, Hals showed a still different side of his character and ability in the Regentesses of the Old Man's Almshouse. Painted almost entirely in black and white and shades of grey, this solemn picture is united by diagonal movements. The painter had only devastated faces and white collars of the women as component elements. Each of the subjects has reacted in a separate way to age and experience, yet all participate in a calm acceptance of the effects of time. In its simplicity the composition shows an expressive depth unexpected in the generally excited Hals.

Make sure you know how to pronounce the following words:

Hals [h{ls]; Haarlem [PhÓl@m]; Antwerp [P{ntwýp]; cavalier [k@v@Pli@]; banquet [Pb{nkwit]; regentess [PrÖdÆ@ntis]

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software

http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

71

NOTES

Banquet of the Officers of the Saint George Guard Company - "Ïортрет офицеров гильдии святого Ãеоргия "

The Laughing Cavalier - "Ïортрет молодого офицерà"

Malle Babbe - "Ìàле Áàбе"

Regentesses of the Old Man's Almshouse - "Ðегентши приютà для престàрелых"

TASKS

I. Read the text. Mark the following statements true or false

1.Today Hals is recognized as the most brilliant portraitist.

2.Hals shows citizen-soldiers in the midst of the banquets.

3.Malle Babbe is a glittering portrait.

4.The warmth of Hals's early style is seen in the Regentesses of the Old Man's Almshouse.

5.The Laughing Cavalier is the symbol of Baroque gallantry.

6.The subjects of the Regentesses of the Old Man's Almshouse participate in a calm acceptance of the effects of time.

II. How well have you read? Can you answer the following questions?

1.What gift was Hals blessed with?

2.What were Hals's early commissions? Why were not Hals's portraits conductive to imaginative painting? How did Hals's predecessors compose their group portraits? Who could raise group portraits to a level of high drama?

3.What is the Banquet of the Officers of the Saint George Guard Company noted for? What has Hals pictured in this work of art? What ties the picture together?

4.Where is the warmth of Hals's early style seen? How old is the subject? What makes the subject the symbol of Baroque gallantry? How did Hals interpret the Caravaggesque nowhere?

5.What is the opposite of The Laughing Cavalier? When was it painted? Whom has Hals depicted in it?

6.In what painting did Hals show a different side of his character? How old was he at that time? What did the painter show in this work?

III. i. Give Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

to catch the individual in a moment of action; group portraits in alignments; unerring strokes; a moment of perception; to be blessed with the gift; effects of time; to radiate one's selfconfidence; Caravaggesque nowhere; a slashed sleeve; sketchy brushstrokes; armours proclivities; a taunting smile; to be irradiated with light; snowy ruff; a dashing hat; devastated faces; to be conductive to; the predecessors of the painter; show the citizen-soldiers in the midst of the

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software

http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

72

banquets; to raise the portraits to a level of high drama; to tie the picture together; a glittering portrait; militia companies; a solemn picture; component elements.

ii. Give English equivalents of the following phrases:

опустошенные лицà; быть нàделенным дàром; широкие мàзки; сияющий портрет; лихо зàломленнàя шляпà; круглый плоеный жесткий воротник; стрелковые гильдии; предшественники художникà; след времени; полные, средних лет мужчины; связàть кàртину воедино; нàсмешливàя улыбкà; изобрàжàть стрельцов в рàзгàр веселого зàстолья; склонность к военному искусству; сиять сàмоуверенностью; групповой портрет, построенных в шеренгу людей; рукàв с рàзрезàми; эскизнàя мàнерà письмà; поздний период творчествà; поднять нà уровень дрàмы.

iii.Make up sentences of your own with the given phrases.

iv.Arrange the following in the pairs of synonyms:

a)strokes; radiate; traditional; indicate; predecessor;

b)conventional; precursor; brushwork; shimmer; show.

IV. Here are descriptions of some of Hals's works of art. Match them up to the given titles.

1.The model was caught in the midst of a fit of insane laughter.

2.The painter had only devastated faces and white collars of the figures as component

elements.

3.The climax of the painting is the taunting smile.

4.Broad brushstrokes indicate the passage of light on colour with a flash and sparkle unknown even to Rubens.

a.The Laughing Cavalier

b.Banquet of the Officers of the Saint George Guard Company

c.Regentesses of the Old Man's Almshouse

d.Malle Babbe

V. Translate the text into English.

Ôрàнс Õàлс - крупнейший портретист Ãоллàндии XVII в. Õàлс нàписàл серию групповых портретов. Ýто в основном изобрàжения членов добровольных стрелковых гильдий городà Ãàрлемà. "Ïортрет офицеров гильдии святого Ãеоргà" (1616) является одним из лучших. ßркие крàски, непринужденное рàсположение фигур - нрàвились современникàм Õàлсà. Ñ полотен смотрят плотные, уверенные в своих силàх люди средних лет. Õàлс изобрàжàет их обычно в товàрищеской пирушке. Ãрупповые портреты Õàлсà - одно из высших достижений голлàндской живописи.

Èндивидуàльные портреты Õàлсà носят черты жàнровой кàртины. Ëучшим примером этого является портрет стàрухи, "гàрлемной ведьмы", Ìàлле Áàббе, с совой нà плече. Ýскизнàя мàнерà былà типичнà для Õàлсà. Íезàдолго до смерти Õàлс нàписàл двà групповых портретà обитàтелей приютà для престàрелых, в одном из которых он окончил свои дни. Íà

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software

http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

73

портретàх изобрàжены стàрые люди, покорившиеся времени. Ìонохромный колорит портретов создàет особый трàгизм, подчеркивàя дрàмàтизм судьбы сàмого больного, одинокого и нищего художникà, создàвшего свои сàмые дрàмàтические произведения нà девятом десятке жизни.

Èскусство Õàлсà имело большое знàчение для рàзвития портретà, бытового жàнрà, пейзàжà и нàтюрмортà в целом.

VI. Summarize the text.

Vll. Topics for discussion.

1.Hals's style and characters.

2.Hals's artistic achievements.

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software

http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

74

UNIT XVI REMBRANDT (1608-1669)

Rembrandt van Rijn is the greatest Dutch master, one of the supreme geniuses in the history of art. To this day the art of Rembrandt remains one of the most profound witnesses of the progress of the soul in its earthly pilgrimage toward the realization of a higher destiny. The son of a prosperous miller, Rembrandt was born in Leiden in 1608. He was trained as a painter by two minor local artists. His rapid success promoted him to move to Amsterdam in 1631.

In 1632 Rembrandt's worldly success was assured. He had more commissions and pupils than he could accept. He married Suskia van Uylenburg, the lovely daughter of a wealthy family. He bought a splendid house, started a collection of paintings and rarities.

The universal artist dealt with many world subjects. Rembrandt painted, engraved and drew more than eighty self-portraits. Rembrandt was a master of portraiture. He created around fifty portraits.

The best group portraits painted by Rembrandt are the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, of 1632, and The Night Watch, of 1642. In the former Rembrandt has not only painted faces, beards and lace ruffles, he has given the composition a new drama. Mystery dominates in his painting, reminding the living of their own inevitable destiny. As for The Night Watch, the members of the Company of Captain F.B. Cocq were dissatisfied with the colossal group portrait. The subject of the painting is the formation of the militia company for a parade. Through wonderful effective lightning Rembrandt has turned a narrative prose into a dramatic poetry. Real events are submerged in the symphonic tide of the colouring. All the men paid equally to have themselves depicted, yet some are sunk in a shadow, one man is concealed except for his eyes. It was inevitable that Rembrandt would lose popularity as a portrait painter, although not at once.

In Amsterdam Rembrandt began to paint in a highly imaginative Baroque style. He was influenced by Caravaggio's sharp light-and-dark contrasts and by Rubens's spiral compositions. A brilliant example of this is the Angel Leaving Tobit and Tobias, of 1637. Rembrandt has followed the book of Tobit available to him as a source in the Apocrypha. The formerly blind Tobit cured by the Archangel Raphael, prostrates himself in gratitude, while his son Tobias looks upward in wonder at the departing figure. Seen sharply from the back the angel is taken from the sight into an open cloud in a flash of light. Along with luminary effects goes a new technical freedom. The smooth, detailed early manner is gone. The forms are quickly sketched.

In 1642 Saskia died. Rembrandt's commissions slackened off as a result of his unconventional painting. In 1655 Rembrandt found himself in the midst of several financial troubles. At that period he painted The Polish Rider. The precise meaning of this painting has not been determined. Probably it is an allegory of the man's earthly journey, its many dangers and uncertain destination. In the grim and rocky valley a pool can be seen. Against the dark hill there is a hut. Near the crest there is a ruined castle. The youth rides in light, alert, with his weapons at ready. The figure and his horse stand forth in a new sculptural grandeur, intensified by the fact that many of the impastos have been laid on with a palette knife. The artist carved the pigments, especially in the dark rocks and the bony forms of the horse.

Etching played a special role in Rembrandt's vast production. He produced more than 290 etchings. For him it was an independent art form. The painter was unique in exploring various etching techniques. His etchings differed from those of his contemporaries in the loose, freehand style. Rembrandt had a large collection of drawings and prints by other artists including Man-tegna, Carracci, Titian, Raphael and Bruegel. He used their works for inspiration, but there was also an element of competition: Rembrandt tried to surpass his predecessors.

Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software

http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.

75

Probably in 1669, the year of his own death, Rembrandt painted the Return of the Prodigal Son. This painting stands at the ultimate peak of Christian spirituality, illuminating the relationship of the Self to the Eternity and can be interpreted as union with divine love. This parable was a favourite in the Baroque art. In Rembrandt's dark background one can distinguish two dim faces, a seated figure, and more brightly lighted the law-abiding eldest son. In a spontaneous gesture of loving forgiveness, the gentle, aged father comes into light to press to his bosom the cropped head of his ragged son. Faces are reduced. Only the hands of the father and the tired feet of the son are painted in detail. The painting is an allegory of the earthly pilgrimage of man finding rest and meaning in divine redemption. Rembrandt's language in this work is entirely that of colour and texture. Rich tans and ochres in the prodigal's worn garments are inundated by the glowing red of his father's festal cloak against the deep brown of the encompassing dark; solid masses in thick impastos gleam against the translucent glazed.

The biblical theme was very important to Rembrandt. In 1634 the artist created the Holy Family, John the Baptist Preaching, Ecce Homo. In Ecce Homo Jesus stands before Pilate, the procurator, the man who is to judge him. Pilate, convinced of Christ's innocence, presents him to the people with the words "See, the man!" - in Latin: "Ecco Homo". But the people and the priests cry out that Jesus must be crucified. The Passion of Christ was a popular subject. Rembrandt painted a series of seven pictures illustrating this episode. Abraham's Sacrifice was produced by Rembrandt in 1635. In Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen, of 1638, Rembrandt shows Mary's shock of recognition.

Moses Breaking the Tablets was created in 1659. The Old Testament recounts that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness. At Mount Sinai he received God's laws - the Ten Commandments - written on 'stone tablets'. But while Moses was on the mountain the people built an idol: a golden calf. When Moses came down from the mountain he saw the people dancing around the idol. In the anger he smashed the stone tablets. Rembrandt illustrates the moment just before Moses threw down the tablets.

Besides many paintings of biblical scenes Rembrandt took themes from mythology. In

Diana Bathing with her Nymphs, with the Stories of Acteon and Callisto, c. 1634, Rembrandt combined two stories taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In the Rape of Ganymede, of 1635, the artist shows how Jupiter, turned into an eagle, carries Ganymede off to Olympus, to place him later in the Heavens as one of the signs of the Zodiac, Aquarius.

Rembrandt was not understood in his own life-time. He died in poverty. But it is the spirituality of his art that distinguishes Rembrandt from his Dutch contemporaries and makes him the greatest artist of the world.

Make sure you know how to pronounce the following words:

Rembrandt [Prembr{nt]; Leiden [Plaid@n]; Amsterdam [{mst@Pd{m]; Metamorphoses [met@Pmþf@sis]; commandment [k@PmÓndm@nt]; Sinai [Psainai]; Ovid [Povid]; Pilate [Ppail@t]; Apocrypha [@Ppokrif@]; Abraham [Peibr@h{m]; pilgrimage [PpilgrimidÆ]; archangel [þkPeindÆ@l]; Aquarius [@Pkwe@ri@s]; Jupiter [dÆüpit@]

NOTES

Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp - "Óрок àнàтомии докторà Òулпà"

The Night Watch - "Íочной дозор"

The Polish Rider - "Ïольский всàдник"