Explorations in Art

 Annibale Carracci painted Christ Appearing to Saint Peter on the Appian Way in 1601-2. This directly coincided with the timing of the Counter- Reformation and the Council of Trent, so these events likely influenced Carracci's religious fervor in this piece.  In this painting the resurrected Jesus is walking back to Rome carrying a cross to be re-crucified and runs into Peter who has just escaped jail in Rome. The scars from the previous crucifixion are visible on Jesus and his red mantle (symbolizing his humanity and the blood he has shed) accompanies his crown of thorns. Peter is depicted in his usual blue and yellow robes and distinguished by the keys he carries (see previous post).  Carracci is an early baroque artist, and many of the characteristics of his work come from Renaissance era themes. For example many of his works feature rich blended colors and symmetry (for example in my Renaissance post the work is very symmetrical). The main feature of this piece that c...

  For this post I will be discussing  Delivery of the Keys  by Pietro Perugino, a Renaissance painter.   In Delivery of the Keys Jesus is depicted gifting the keys to Heaven to Saint Peter, the first pope of the Catholic Church. The painting was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV to decorate the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where is still stands today.    In this painting a linear perspective is used in order to create depth. The buildings being further behind the people, fading into the hills, with the focus, Jesus and Peter, in the front. You can also see how the artist used bright colors to contrast the people in their bright robes from the more drab colors in the background. This is also a very balanced painting with evident symmetry between the people and the buildings. This painting relates to the reinvention of Rome by the Catholic Church because, it was the money from this reinvention that payed for the painting. With the reinvention...