CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY ART
IN EUROPE
23
Multiple Choice
1. What element of Caravaggio’s painting style was the subject of criticism and occasionally
deemed inconsistent with the artistic guidelines established by the Council of Trent?
A. his dramatic lighting effects that implied a spiritual presence
B. his brutally naturalistic renderings that were deemed unsuitable for religious subjects
C. his use of common folk for models in lavishly decorated interior spaces
D. the erotic undertones of his paintings of men under the guise of Roman gods
2. A painting long thought to be the work of Franz Hals was recently discovered to be the work
of
A. Leyster.
B. Gentileschi.
C. Rembrandt.
D. Caravaggio.
3. What is the term for still-life paintings with a moralizing theme that were very popular in the
seventeenth century?
A. intaglio
B. quadri riportati
C. caravaggisti
D. vanitas
4. French academicians who favored Classical principles of subject and design were known as
A. conservatives.
B. rubénistes.
C. poussinistes.
D. radicals.
5. English artists excelled in which field during the seventeenth century?
A. portrait painting
B. landscape painting
C. architecture
D. stained glass
6. How does Bernini’s David (Fig. 23-4) distinguish itself from Renaissance images of the same
subject?
A. He captures the action of the figure moving through space.
B. He based the figure on ancient sculptures of athletes.
C. He depicts David at a dramatic moment of quiet contemplation.
D. He shows David as a young contemporary man.
7. What detail of Bernini’s Cornaro Chapel (Fig. 23-5) helps viewers identify with the event?
A. metal supports that make the sculptural grouping appear to float
B. portrait sculptures on both sides, witnessing the event
C. a hidden window illuminating the figures with natural light
D. rays of gold streaming in from the space above
8. How did Rubens portray Marie de’ Medici in the series of portraits she commissioned?
A. He represented her as a powerful Greek goddess in well-known myths.
B. He depicted scenes from her life as a continuous triumph overseen by Classical gods and
goddesses.
C. He emphasized her religious convictions by showing her praying and performing good deeds.
D. He depicted her as a powerful presence who physically dominated each composition.
9. Which Italian artist became known in the Netherlands because of the influence he had on
Dutch painter Hendrick ter Brugghen?
A. Annibale Carracci
B. Bernini
C. Gaulli
D. Caravaggio
10. How does Anthony van Dyck convey the king’s powerful status in Charles I at the Hunt
(Fig. 23-29)?
A. He makes the environment appear submissive.
B. He idealizes Charles’s figure.
C. He shows an active hunting scene.
D. He enlarges the horse and servant.
11. What innovative device did Hals introduce in the painting of group portraits?
A. placing the figures symmetrically according to height
B. including distinctive symbols that identified each sitter
C. depicting figures as engaged in a lively social event
D. showing figures in allegorical roles from myths or biblical stories.
12. Genre scenes were popular in the Netherlands for their
A. idealized portrayal of the peasant lifestyle.
B. symbolic references to moral virtues.
C. biting political satire of the Spanish monarchy.
D. detailed depictions of flowers and fruit.
13. The play of flickering light against mirrors in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles (Fig. 22-51)
created
A. a conduit between the King’s original hunting lodge and the lateral wings added later.
B. a sacred space where God’s presence is symbolized through reflected light all around.
C. a tableau in which the king and courtiers saw themselves as they promenaded.
D. a grand entrance and hallway meant to awe those who visited the palace.
14. The Le Nain brothers are best known for their paintings of
A. peasants.
B. religious subjects.
C. aristocrats.
D. mythological scenes.
15. Despite the extravagant surroundings and clothing in Hyacinthe Rigaud’s portrait of Louis
XIV, the artist also made the king appear
A. tired and aged.
B. as a beneficiary of the people.
C. like a Roman aristocrat.
D. surprisingly human.
16. Claude Lorrain is known for his landscapes that typically include
A. musical iconography.
B. poesie themes.
C. atmospheric lighting effects.
D. erotic overtones.
17. The columns surrounding the drum on the exterior of St. Paul’s Cathedral (Figs. 23-59 and
23-60) recall
A. Bernini.
B. Bramante.
C. Vignola.
D. Hardoin-Mansart.
18. What is the name for the period of spiritual renewal, from about 1545 to 1648, that was, in
part, a reaction to Protestantism?
A. Counter-Reformation
B. Council of Trent
C. Congregation of the Oratory
D. High Renaissance
19. The undulating façade and building of the Church of San Carlo Alle Quattro Fontane (Fig.
23-6) is the work of
A. Pietro da Cortona.
B. Caravaggio.
C. Borromini.
D. Maderno.
20. In Malle Babbe (Fig. 23-33), how did Frans Hals stray from his formal portraits?
A. an informal costume
B. an interior space
C. a looser manner
D. a more detailed style
21. In the fourth state of the Three Crosses (Fig. 23-38), Rembrandt modified the scene by
A. adding God the Father at the top.
B. increasing the amount of figures.
C. expanding it to include more landscape.
D. making it darker and simpler.
22. Bernini’s Baldacchino (Fig. 23-3) symbolized the Pope’s authority and was executed as a
shrine for.
A. Pope Paul III.
B. St. Longinus.
C. St. Peter.
D. Pope Urban VIII
23. What did members of the Carracci family consciously reject, instead fusing their style with
that of the Italian High Renaissance?
A. etching
B. Mannerism
C. tenebrism
D. the poussinistes
24. The term for painted imitations of gold-framed easel painting used by Annibale Carracci on
the Gallery ceiling of the Palazzo Farnese (Fig. 23-8) is
A. di sotto in su.
B. quadratura.
C. tenebrism.
D. quadro riportato.
25. According to art historians, Artemisia Gentileschi frequently painted heroic biblical women
to
A. claim her rightful place in a male-dominated art world.
B. provide women with a pious model for behavior.
C. show her understanding of Old Testament text.
D. steal commissions from other artists.
Short Answer
1. What moralizing elements were included in Gerard ter Borch’s The Suitor’s Visit (Fig. 23-42)?
2. What is one impact that scientific discoveries had on art of the seventeenth century?
3. Why was Rubens so successful as an artist?
4. How did portraiture change during the Baroque era?
5. Why did women artists gain success and notoriety in seventeenth-century art?
6. Why did Rembrandt’s fortunes rise and fall?
7. How did Vermeer make his paintings?
8. How did the architects and artists of Versailles celebrate the Sun King in the buildings and
gardens?
9. What improvements were made to the design of the Banqueting House (Fig. 23-57) during the
Baroque period?
10. Who were the patrons of Dutch Baroque art?
Essay
1. How did Rubens’s The Raising of the Cross (Fig. 23-26) exemplify Baroque ideals?
2. How did the Catholic Church use art and architecture as propaganda for the Counter-
Reformation?
3. How was Bernini’s David (Fig. 23-4) different from sculptures by Michelangelo and
Donatello on the same subject? Discuss the artist’s viewpoint, the expression, the moment in
time, and the techniques.
Answer:
4. What were some of the themes and styles of the Dutch painters of the Baroque era? Cite
specific examples.
5. What are the subjects of debate regarding the enormous portrait Las Meninas (Fig. 23-21) by
Velázquez? Discuss the many interpretations of this painting.