domingo, 2 de septiembre de 2018

THE 17th CENTURY.

 1. TRANSFORMATIONS AND CONFLICTS.

1. 1. Transformations of the XVII century.

  • Political.
  1. End of the spanish hegemony: Teatry of Westfalia, the Pyreness peace. 
  2. Apparition of the absolutist monarchy.
  3. Apparition of the parlamentary system.
  • Economic.
  1. Apparition of the financial capitalism due to the rise of the bourgueoisie.
  2. Apparition of the mercantilism.
  • Social.
  1. Changes in the estamental society, due the ascension os fhte bourgeoisie.
  • Cultural and artistic.
  1. Apparition of the Scientific revolution: modern science and the scientific method.
  2. Apparition of the Barroque art.

1. 2. The european conflicts.

The two main conflicts of the XVII century were:
  • The Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Was:
  1. Internal german conflict between the austrian emperor, a catholic who wanted an unified empire and the german princes, protestants who wanted autonomy.
  2. International conflict between Spain and Austria in one side, and all the enemies of Spain in the other: Denmark, Sweden, Holland and France.
The war ended with the spanish defeat in Rocroi (1643) and the Peace of Westfalia (1648) which recognised the religious freedom inside the empire and the independence of Holland.



During the first years of the war, Spain and Austria were able to defeat the bohemian and german protestant rebels, Denmark and Sweeden but in 1635 France declared war to Spain and in 1643 defeated the spanish army in the battle of Rocroi. Spain and Austria were forced to accept the Peace of Westfalia that supposed the end of their hegemony in Europe and the Holy Empire.


Ratification of the Teatry of Munster (a part of the Peace of Westfalia). The Peace of Westfalia recognised the right to choose their religion to the german princes, reducing the power of the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. On the other hand, Spain was forced to recognise the independence of the Netherlands.



  • The Franco-Spanish War (1648-1659).Was:
  1.  a war between Spain and France, aided by England from 1654.
  2. Spain was defeated in the battle of the Dunas (1658).
  3. In 1659, France and Spain signed the Peace of the Pyreness. France occupied the Rousillon and several places in the Lower countries. Start of the French hegemony of Europe.

Peace of the Pyreness (1659). The Hispanic Monarchy was forced to give to France the Rousillon and some territories in the Lower Countries (England was given the city of Dunkirk but sold it to France in 1662), but its most important consequence was the start of the french hegemony in Europe File: PazDeLosPirineos.svg User:FlyingPC. License: (CC BY-SA 4.0).


 2. THE POLITICAL REGIMES.

The main political regimes of the XVII century were: the absolutism and the parlamentary system.

2. 1. Absolutist monarchy:

2. 1. 1. Characteristics.

The main caractheristics of the absolutist monarchy were:
  • The king had all the powers.
  • The king rules without the intervention of the traditional institutions like the Cortes.
  • Reinforcement of the power of the monarchy due to:
  1. The theory of divine right: the power of the king came from God. Was developed by Bossuet.
  2. Administrative centralisation.
  3. The process of decision-making is concentrated in the court.
  4. Apparition of a civil service, based on the capital, in order to control the army, the economy and enforce obedience to the royal authority.

2. 1. 2. France under the rule of Luis XIV.

Luis XIV (1683-1715) was the best example of an absolutist monarch:
  1. He created a new court in Versailles and ruled over all France from there.
  2. Controlled all the powers: executive, judicial and legislative.
  3. Created a single administration for his kingdom.
  4. Organised an efficient system of tax collection.



 2. 2. The parliamentary system.

In a parliamentary system the political power resides in an elected assembly. There were three examples of a parliamentary system in the 17th century Europe:
  • England. In England there were a conflict between the monarchy which wanted to impose its power and the parliament which rejected this. As a consequence there were two revolutions:
  1. The English Civil War (1642-1651). Was a conflict between the parliament and the king, Charles I. The parliament won and Charles was executed. The parliament established a republic (protectorate), but in 1660, the monarchy was restored.
  2.  The Glorious Revolution (1688). James II tried to impose an absolutist regime in England and was deposed by the parliament. Then, the parliament crowned a dutch aristocrat William of Orange, as William II. In 1689, he signed the Bill of Rights which obliged him to obey the laws approved by the parliament.
  • United provinces (Holland). After the independence from Spain, became a republic with seven provinces, each with its pairlament, which were centralised in the States-General.
  • German empire. There was an imperial diet composed of all the different german princes.

3. Population and economy.

3. 1.  Demographic stagnation.

During the 17th century the european population rose from106 to 130 million, a growth of an 23%. The causes of this slow demographic growth were:
  • The Thirty Years War. The population of Germany fell from 18 to 10 million.
  • The resurgence of the bubonic plage.
  • Poor harvests.

3. 2. Agrarian crisis.

During the 17th century the agrarian production fell due to: 
  1. The climatic change 
  2. Wars.
  3. Poor farming techniques.
 Nevertheless, also took place the first steps of the agrarian revolution in England and the Netherlands:
  1. New agrarian techniques: use of forage planting instead of lef the soil fallow.
  2. New crops.

3. 3. Urban manufacturing crisis.

There was a manufacturing crisis due to the incapacity of the guilds to increase the artisanal production, but appeared new forms of production:
  1. Factories.
  2. Large workshops, owned by an entrepeneur, where the artisans worked for a wage.

3. 4. Trade and financial capitalism.

  • There were a huge growth of trade, specially in France, England and the Netherlands. This trade was based in:
    1. Colonial crops such as sugar, tobacco and coffe.
    2. Slaves from Africa.
  • Also, they created their own colonial empires and chartered companies, which were supported by the state and granted a commercial monopoly. They were formed by partners who owned shares in the company.
  •  Development of financial capitalism due the rise in trade. Apparition of stock exchanges where shares of the companies were sold and bought.

 

 4. The hispanic monarchy in the 17th century.

In the 17th century Spain started a period of decline, but continued to be an important international power. Spain suffered a political, demographic and economic crisis.

4. 1. Political crisis.

4. 1. 1. The monarchs and their validos.

In the 17th century, Spain was ruled by the monarchs of the junior branch of the House of Austria (in spanish, los Austrias menores): Philip III (1598-1621), Philip IV (1621-1665) and Charles II (1665-1700). They were weak kings and the real rulers were the validos: the royal favourites who govern in the name of the king. There were several validos:
  • Lerma and Uceda with Philip III.
  • the count-duke of Olivares with Philip IV.
  • Nithard and Valenzuela with Charles II.

4. 1. 2. Philip III.

Philip III followed a pacifist exterior policy:
  • In 1609 he signed the Twelve Years Truce with the Netherlands.
  • in 1604 teatry of peace with England.
  • Nevertheless in 1618, Spain entered in the Thirty Years War in support of Austria.

 4. 1. 3. Philip IV.

During his reign, the Hispanic monarchy suffered a huge crisis:
  • Spain suffered several defeats and had to sign the peaces of Westfalia and the Pyreness, beginning the start of the spanish decline.
  • The attemped centralization of the monarchy by the count-duke of Olivares provoked uprisings in Catalonia and Portugal:
  1. The catalan rebellion was suffocated in 1652 after Philip promised to respect the catalonian laws.
  2. Portugal became independent in 1668. 

4. 2. Demographic crisis.

The spanish population fell from 8 to 6 million due to:
  • wars.
  • poor harvests.
  • epidemics of bubonic plague.
  • emigration to America.
  • the expulsion of the moriscos by Philip III in 1609. 3000 were forced to exile. Many villages became empty. Agriculture specially in the kingdom of Valencia suffered.







Spain during the reign of Philip IV. During the reign of Philip IV, Spain was defeated in the Thirty Years War and the French-Spanish War. Furthermore, there were several rebellions and uprisings. The most important were the uprising of Catalonia that ended in 1652 and the the uprising of Portugal that became independent in 1668.


5. ESTAMENTAL SOCIETY.

We can distinguish three states in the 17th society: two privileged states and one non privileged state.

5. 1. Privileged states.

There were two privileged states (nobility and clergy):
  •  Nobility:
  1. Lost a part of its power to the absolute monarchy.
  2. Became tied to the court where they sought to gain access to the monarch and win his favour.
  3. Their income suffered due the agrarian crisis and as a consequence increased their demands on rural peasants.
  4. In Spain, the number of members of the nobility increased due the sell of nobiliary titles by the monarchs.
  •  Clergy. Suffered the crisis less than the other social groups. Was divide in:
  1. Senior clergy with a way of life similar to the one of the nobility.
  2. Lower clergy (priests and monks).

5. 2. The commoners or third state.

The non privilege state was divided in different social groups:
  • Peasants. Their life condistions worsened due to the wars, the agrarian crisis and the demands of the nobility. There were different situtations:
  1. Oriental Euorope, most of the peasants were still serfs.
  2. Occidental Europe, most of them were free.
  • Bourgeoisie. Grew in number and became wealthier due its involvement in commerce and bussines. In Spain was weaker and invested its money in adquiring lands and aristocratic titles.
  • Urban groups.
  1. Small traders and artisans became impoverished due the crisis of the handicrafts.
  2. Spain, the crisis increased the number of paupers and ruffians.

 5. 3. City life.

  •  Cities were unhealthy, due the lack of sewers.
  • In Spain, the centre of the daily life was the main square (in  spanish, plaza mayor): an open space surrounded by buildings with porticoes supported by arcades. Were important because:
  1. There were held markets.
  2. Were located workshops, guild offices, municipal warehouses.
  3. Was the setting of entertainments and political and religious festivities.
  4. Punishment of criminals and autos de fe.

6. SCIENCE AND CULTURE.

6. 1. The scientific revolution.

The scientific revolution supposed the birth of modern science based on:
  • Empiricism, formulated by the English philosopher Francis Bacon. Only through observation and practical experiments can be formulated scientific laws (knowledge come only from sensory experience).
  • Rationalism, developed by the French philosopher Descartes. Defended the use of the reason in order to understand reality.

 6. 2. Science and technology.

The scientfic method led to the discarding of traditional beliefs and major advances in science and technology.
  • Sciences:
  1. Mathematics: the cartesian coordiante system developed by Descartes, logarithms discovered by Napier.
  2. Physics: Galileo Galilei discovered the principle of inertia; Newton the law of gravitation.
  3. Astronomy: Galileo confimed the heliocentric theory of Kepler.
  • Technology: the telescope by Galileo; the mecacnical calculator by Pascal; and the microscope.

  6. 3. Cultural splendour.

In Europe appeared great writers such as Milton (England), Molliere and Racine (France) and philosophers such as Descartes, Hobbes and Locke.
Spain continued the Golden Age of the Spanish culture:
  • Literature: Cervantes, Don Quijote; Quevedo, conceptism; Gongora, cultism.
  • Theatre became a form of mass entertainment. The plays were perfomed in the corrales de comedias, set up in interior patios. Lope de Vega.

7. The artistic legacy. The baroque.

During the 17th century, appeared a new artistic style: the baroque.
The baroque continued the traditions of the classic antiquity, but introduced new elements; movement, contrasts, taste for the theatrical and desire to provoke emotional responses.

Judith beheading Holoferenes, Caravaggio.



The baroque was not an homogeneus style. We can distinguish three currents:
  • Religious baroque, a symbol of the counter-reformation and promoted by the Pope and use to promote the doctrine of the Catholic Church.
  • Courty baroque, more classical and used by the absolut monarchs to display their power.
  • Bourgeoisie baroque, a secular and intimate style, used by the bourgeoisie in order to demostrate their economic sucess and standard of living.


Inmaculada, Murillo. An example of religious baroque.

Equestrian statue of Philip IV, Pietro Tacca. An example of courty baroque.



Family portrait, Van Dyck. An example of ourgeoisie baroque.

 Architecture.

The main characteristics of the baroque art were:
  • Use of architectonic elements derived from classical antiquity: columns, archs, pediments, etc.
  • Use of curved lines to create a sense of movement.
  • Use of eliptical and mixtilinear planes.
  • Use of great variety of arches and columns (salomonic column), along with open and broken pediments.
  • Use of vaulted roofs of increased height.


Karlskirche, Vienna. File:Karlskirche Vienna June 2006 475.jpg User:Gryffindor. License: (CC BY 2.5)

Use of curverd lines. San Marcello al Corso, Roma. An example the use of curved lines to create a sense of movement. File:San Marcello al Corso.jpg User: Torvindus. License: (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Eliptical plan of the Bernini's Saint Peter's Square. Bernini's colonnade, seen from the air. Google Earth.


Eliptical plan. Karlskirche'plan, Vienna

Salomonic columns.


Broken pediment. San Marcello al Corso, Roma.


Vaulted roof of Sant' Andrea al Quirinale, Bernini. File: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sant%27Andrea_al_Quirinale_-_Dome_HD.jpg User: Architas License: CC BY-SA 4.0)




Painting and sculpture.

The main characteristics of the baroque's painting and sculpture are:
  1. Naturalism.
  2. Expression and movement achieved through poses and treatment of clothing.
  3. Contrast of light and shadow (claroscuro).
  4. Use of complex compositions.
  5. Depiction of religious subjects in catholic countries, but also mythological and scenes of the daily life.
The death of the virgin, Caravaggio. An example of naturalism, Caravaggio used the body of a drowned woman as a model for the Vigin.


Rape of Leukipo's daughters, Rubens.





Claroscuro. Saint Joseph the carpenter, George de la Tour.


Crucifixion of Saint Peter, Caravaggio. Religious subjects were more common in catholic countries.






THE BAROQUE IN ITALY.

The popes tried to highlight the role of Rome as the head of the Catholicism. The most important representatives of the baroque in Italy were: Carlo Maderno, Bernini and Borromini.
  • Carlo Moderno. His works are considered a transition between Renaissance and Baroque.  His main works were the transformation of the Saint Peter's basilica and the facade of the Saint Peter's basilica.
Saint Peter's basicila facade, Carlo Maderno.

  • Gian Lorenzo Berini.
His main works were the badachin of the Saint Peter's basilica and the Saint Peter's square.



Saint Peter's badaquin. The badaquin is a bronze ciborium covering the altar and supported by salomonic columns.

Saint Peter's Square with the Bernini's colonnade, Bernini.


Saint Peter's basilica and Saint Peter's square.



Saint Peter's square. Colonnade (detail).

Saint Andrew at the Quirinal, Bernini.

Saint Andrew at the Quirinal (interior), Bernini. File: Lazio Roma SAndreaQuirinale tango7174.jpg User:Tango7174 License: CC BY-SA 4.0)



  • Francesco Borromini. He built churches marked by a great display of movement.

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. Francesco Borromini.

Saint Ivo, Borromini, File:Église Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza.JPG User:LPLT CC BY-SA 3.0










Sculpture and painting.


The most important sculptor of the baroque in Italy was Bernini. He made works of differente themes:
  • mithological: Apollo and Dafphe, the Rape of Persephone.
  • Portraits of popes and kings: Tomb of Urban VII and Louis XIV. 
  • Counter-Reformation themes: Ecstasy of Saint Theresa.


David, Bernini. File:Museo_borghese,_sala_del_sole,_g.l._bernini,_david,_1623-24,_03.JPG https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Sailko License: CC BY 3.0




Rape of Persephone (detail), Bernini

Rape of Persephone, Bernini. File:The Rape of Proserpina (Rome).jpg User: Architas. License: (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Apollo and Daphne, Bernini. File: Apollo and Daphne (Bernini).jpg User: Architas License: License: (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ecstasis of Saint Theresa, Bernini.





Tomb of Alexander VII.


Portrait of Louis XIV, Bernini.

Gabriele Fonseca, Bernini. File:Gianlorenzo_bernini,_busto_di_gabriele_fonseca,_1668-73,_02.JPG User: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Sailko



Bust of Constanza Bounarelli, Bernini.















Painting.

The most important painter was Caravaggio.The main characteristics of his paintings were:
  • Naturalistic treatment of the figures.
  • Use of chiaroscuro: predominant use of shadow that contrast with brightly illuminated areas. His most important works were: The calling of Saint Matthew, The conversion of Saint Paul.

The calling of Saint Andrew, Caravaggio.





Conversion of Saint Paul, Caravaggio.











THE BAROQUE IN THE REST OF EUROPE.

France.

The main characteristics of the baroque architecture in France were:
  • the use of straight lines.
  • a lesser degree of decoration.
The best example is Versailles.

Versailles.

Holland.

The main representatives of the Baroque in Holland is Rembrandt. His main works were self-portraits, everyday scenes and religious paintings.



Night Watch, Rembrandt.

The anatomy lesson, Rembrandt,

The Syndics of the Amsterdam Draper's Guild, Rembrandt.





Flanders.

The main representatives of the baroque in Flanders were Peter Paul Rubens and Anton Van Dyck. The main characteristics of the works of Rubens were: movement, dinamism and the use of colour.


The rape of the daughter of Leucippus, Rubens. Source: https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/en/artist/peter-paul-rubens/raub-der-toechter-des-leukippos License: CC BY-SA 4.0

The Three Graces, Rubens Source: https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-three-graces/145eadd9-0b54-4b2d-affe-09af370b6932

The Descent from the Cross, Rubens.

La adoración de los magos, Peter Paul Rubens. Source: https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/la-adoracion-de-los-magos/b6440da1-0c0c-4ead-84b7-f5a017e2fd17





Van Dyck worked in England and is famous specially for his portraits.

Charles I in three positions, Van Dyck.










THE BAROQUE IN SPAIN AND AMERICA.

The evolution of architecture.

The main characteristic of the baroque architecture in Spain and America was the use of poor materials, stone was used in the facade of the buildings.
We can distinguish two phases in the evolution of the architecture in Spain and America during the 17th century:
  • First half of the 17th century. Purist architecture:
  1. Its main characteristics was the decorative austeristy.
  2. Its main representative was Gomez de Mora: Plaza Mayor and the House of the Villa.
  • From 1660 to the first years of the 17th century. Decorative trend or Churrigueresco (because was developed by the Churriguera brothers):
  1. Main characteristic: exhuberant decoration of the buildings.
  2. Main representatives: Churriguera brothers (Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, Cathedral of Granada and Cathedral of Jaen).
  • America. Was used by the Crown and the Church to comunicate both political and religious ideology.
Plaza Mayor of Madrid, Goméz de Mora.


House of the Villa (in spanish Casa de la Villa), Goméz de la Mora. File:Casa_de_la_Villa_(Madrid)_04.jpg Author: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlascar/ (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Plaza Mayor of Salamanca, Churriguera brothers.

Mexico Cathedral, Mexico CIty. File:Catedral_de_México.jpg Author: Carlos Martínez Blando CC BY-SA 3.0

Sculpture and centres of sculptural practice.

The main characteristics of the spanish barroque sculpture were:
  • Almost exclusively religious subjects.
  • Use of polychrome wood.
  • Realism and expressivity.
The main centres were: Valladolid (Gregorio Fernández), Seville (Martínez Montañes), and Granada (Alonso Cano).

The spanish schools of painting.

  We can distinguish several groups inside the spanish painting of the XVII century:
  • Valencian school, tenebrist painters. Ribera and Ribalta.
  • Andalusian school. Zurbaran  who painted still lifes, portraits and religious works; Murillo who painted works of great luminosity and colour.
  • Madrid school. Carreño de Miranda and Claudio Coello were remarkable retratists, but the most important figure is Velazquez.

 

 

 

Still life, Zurbaran.

 

 

 
The Triumph of Baccus (in spanish El Triunfo de Baco also known as The drunkards Los borrachos), Velazquez).

 

Pablo de Valladolid, Velazquez. https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/pablo-de-valladolid/774285f3-fb64-4b00-96a9-df799ab10222

 
The toilet of Venus (in spanish La Venus del espejo), Velazquez.

 

Las Meninas, Velazquez. https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/las-meninas/9fdc7800-9ade-48b0-ab8b-edee94ea877f

Inocencio X, Velazquez.