Exploring the effects of context through the
works of Johannes Vermeer and Peter Lely
The 17th century was a time of change, change of
fashion, change of attitude and religion. I have chosen to look at two
paintings from this time period, one a Dutch painting the other a British
painting. I find both paintings channel the attitudes of the society they
originate from very accurately. Johannes Vermeer, a Dutch painter who was
situated in the Netherlands for all of his career painted for money and wealth.
He had a remarkable technique and skill for capturing light and even though his
skill was so remarkable and is the reason he is remembered and celebrated
today, four hundred years ago Vermeer was not at all celebrated to any degree that
he is today. Sir Peter Lely on the other hand painted for the British court and
was admired greatly for his powerful and marvellous paintings. Unlike Vermeer,
Sir Peter Lely was greatly celebrated in his time. However today Lely’s
paintings are remembered because of the paintings subject and their history,
and not for the paintings great use of light, colour or realistic texture of
fabric.
Johannes Vermeer, during his lifetime, was not considered to
be a great artist. Situated in the Nederland’s Vermeer was well known for his
simple middle class lifestyle paintings, which were always set in either of two
rooms in his house. However Vermeer was also know for his exquisite use of
light in his paintings and this is a reason he is acclaimed as one of the greatest
painters of the Dutch Golden Age.
I have chosen to analyse Vermeer’s painting ‘The Glass of
Wine’. It is a painting that has been associated with the ’Baroque style’,
characterised by its great drama, deep colour, intense light and dark shadows. The
use of colour in this painting extremely effective as the setting is created
using a mixture of royal blues, touches of red and gold to create a wealthy
atmosphere. However, the girls striking red satin dress really stands out in a
room of harsh coloured objects. This exotic colour of the dress in a room of
dull blue walls and faded tiles stands out making the girl the object of attention
in this scene, not only to the viewer but also to the man stood in the
painting.
Many Baroque style paintings are scenes of angles flying or
gods running out of heaven or of Christ being carried to his tomb. Vermeer’s
painting simply shows a perfectly normal encounter of two young people who may
or may not have intimate relations. The girl holds here glass in a courteous way
and the gold brocade on the dress both implies that the girl is of respectable
family and hoping to make a good impression on the man. Music sheets and
guitars lay almost hidden on the bright blue chairs, to distract the viewer’s
attention that this man may be courting this girl. However, what really makes
this very normal scene so memorable and marvellous it Vermeer’s use of light to
make colours brighter, hide objects and make characters and other objects stand
out. It is this dark shadow and beautiful daylight streaming through the
brightly coloured stain glass window that creates a dramatic and mysterious
atmosphere. The use of light also brings the attention to how realistically the
silk of the girls garment is painted and the creases of the man’s cloak.
During the 17TH century, the Netherland’s economy
was thriving, poverty was low and many people had jobs in the shipping
community. Socially there was little class divide and the Dutch accepted many
different forms of religion. In the 17th century many people in
society saw paintings of religious purpose, of myths legends, angels and
demons. It is not surprising that when Vermeer painted these simple homely
scenes that many people ignored the skills and techniques this exquisite
painter used, and simply took for granted the skills Vermeer is acclaimed for
today.
Sir Peter Lely spent his entire career in England. He was
well known for his religious and mythological paintings in the early 17th
century, and was considered, like Vermeer, to be a painter of the ‘Baroque
style’ variety. Soon his great painting skills led him to Hampton Court
Palace where he painted many members of Charles II’s royal court, and is the
great painter of the “Windsor Beauties” Charles II’s many Mistresses.
Louise De Kérouaille
was Charles II’s muse, Mistress as well as celebrity and icon to many women all
over the country. Due to his background in mythological paintings, Lely has
achieved a sense of Louise being goddess like. For example his erotic painting
of the naked Nell Gwyne. With the dark haunting use of shadows in the
background Lely has focused the light directly onto Louise to show her beauty
and create a whimsical atmosphere, by the reflection of light on her gown. The
Grey gown looks like silver in the light and does not distract the attention
from her beautiful features.
The
provocative way in which Louise is sitting with her fingers in her long black
hair and dress only just staying on, shows her status as a woman of noble blood
and class. By the composition of these factors she appears as a goddess a woman
of higher status and class with all her finery. The painting being so well
painted and to such a grand scale shows the extent of her importance and status
at court. A woman was important if she had a painting of herself on the walls
of the palace ordered there by the king. Her direct and hypnotizing gaze at the
viewer emphasizes this woman’s power and status in the royal court. Jþ
Through painting
mythological and realistic works Lely was able to perceive these higher class
courtiers with the royal hierarchy and god like praise that was expected of the
lower classes. It made their power and wealth appears all the more glorious and
regal. Lely’s paintings made the English people see the influence and power
these women had over King Charles II, the court and Political situation in the
country in the 17thcentury. Lely’s paintings of the “Windsor Beauties” led many
people in England to idolise these women as fashion icons, political, powerful
and sex icons. This new view of women changed many views of women during the
17thcentury. Many women were respected more, owned land and points of views
were respected and heard.
Consequently,
Lely manages to portray the brake from puritan strict rules, to the freedom of
the 1660s in the angelic painting. The dress of Louise almost coming off shows
the shocking break from the confined fashions of puritan dress and way of life.
J
This
period witnesses a tremendous shift in the tide of social, political, and
artistic life in Great Britain and Ireland. At the end of the Elizabethan age,
England is a major economic power, with London as its bustling cultural hub.
Shortly after the accession of the first Stuart monarchs, the political and
financial strength of the kingdom wavers. The Stuarts' rule by the Divine Right
of Kings undermines the authority of subjects represented by Parliament, and
their Catholic sympathies stir a new wave of religious unrest. These tensions
culminate in the outbreak of civil war in 1642, the trial and execution of King
Charles I (r. 1625–49), and a decade of Puritan rule. After the Puritan rule
was over Charles II was restored to his rightful place at the throne, and
restored England to a society of entertainment, good economy and in many ways
freed the people of England from the shackles of the puritan rule. His joyful
and merry rule was reflected by his many mistresses in his court.
Arguably Lely’s paintings allowed the public
to look into the world of royal hierarchy; Lely’s paintings making the
courtiers appear more like gods and goddesses than people. J Vermeer painted real life
settings, he didn’t exaggerate the looks or features of his characters unlike
Lely who exaggerated many features of courtiers to create a sense that they
were magical and powerful beings. Both of these paintings were painted in the
17th century. However, on one hand there was Lely, from Britain, who
was given the task of creating history, recording the courtiers and noblemen of
the century and maintaining the prestige of Royalty and patriarchal society in
England. On the other hand, Vermeer painted what he saw. He painted for money,
for a living, yet Vermeer’s paintings are much more memorable today for his
techniques, use of colour and exquisite likeness in his creations. Both
paintings share a Baroque style, however both from different countries both
artists perceive this style in many different ways.
Bibliography
“The
Glass of Wine” Johannes Vermeer
April
21, 2011
vermeer0708.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/the-glass-of-wine-johannes-vermeer/
A
collaborative project by 4th year students of English Language, courses 2007/08
and 2008/09, from Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao (Spain)
Jonathan
Janson – Essentail Vermeer
June
2001
www.essentialvermeer.com/catalogue/glass_of_wine.html
Author Unknown - Famous painters – Vermeer
Date
Unknown
whatafy.com/famous-painters-vermeer.html
Author
Unknown
Documentary
on BBC 4 – Women through History
Wives,
Whores and Ladies at Court.
Date
Unknown
www.wikitree.com/wiki/De_Querouaille-1
Dr Caroline Campbell - PETER LELY: A LYRICAL VISION
11
October 2012 - 13 January 2013
http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/exhibitions/2012/peter-lely/index.shtml
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