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gilded frames are made to look as if they had been applied later. The complex layer of forms and
illusions comes to a climax in the central scene.
The subject matter of the Love of the Gods, incompatible with the ecclesiastic status of its
patron, veils a deep Christian meaning that accounts for the complex organisation and for central
climax. The four smaller lateral scenes represent incidents in which the loves of gods for mortals
were accepted, the two horizontal framed pictures depict episodes in which mortals refused, the two
end ones reproduce the love of Cyclops Polyphemus for the nymph Galatea, and the central panel
portrays the Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne. This central scene is flanked by Mercury and Paris
and by Pan and Selena. The composition in which the chariots of the god and the mortal are borne
along in splendid procession, accompanied by deities and Loves explains the framed pictures and
justifies the four unframed lateral scenes. The entire complex structure of eleven scenes symbolises
the Triumph of Divine Love. After the Mannerist interlude of public prudery, it was typical of the
new Baroque attitude that a cardinal could commission a monumental Christian interpretation of
ancient erotic myths. It is essential for our understanding of the Baroque that divine love, conceived
as the principle at the heart of the universe, should be the motive power that draws together all the
elements of the ceiling and resolves all conflicts in an unforeseeable act of redemption. The
painting of the Farnese Gallery is a superb creation. The substance and the drive of the Farnese
Gallery had a great impact on other ceiling compositions of the seventeenth century, and on
Baroque monumental painting in general; especially the work of Peter Paul Rubens was greatly
influenced by Annibale's style.
In addition to the principles of ceiling painting, Annibale Carracci excelled in his painting of
romantic landscapes as well as historical subjects. He established a new type of landscape with
figures in his Landscape with the Flight into Egypt, of about 1603-4. The sacred figures in relation
to the vastness of the landscape are tiny. They are on a level with the observer and the landscape is
no longer fantastic but based on a real one. The landscape was derived from studies made outdoors
but constructed in the studio. Although a prolific artist Annibale Carracci painted little later in life.
He died at Rome and was buried in the Pantheon near Raphale.
Make sure you know how to pronounce the following words:
Baroque [
]; chariot [
]; Bologna [
]; Pan [
]; caryatid
[
]; Cyclops [
]; Selena [
]; Paris [
]; nymph [
];
Polyphemus [
]; Galatea [
]; Bacchus [
]; Ariadne [
]
NOTES
Love of Gods - "Метаморфозы"
Landscape with the Flight into Egypt - " Пейзаж с Бегством в Египет"
TASKS
I. Read the text. Make sure you understand it. Mark the following statements true or false.
1. The pioneers of Baroque monumental painting in Florence were the brothers Carracci.
2. The major undertaking of Baroque painting in Rome was the gallery of the Palazzo Fornese,
painted entirely by Ludovico Carracci.
3. The subject matter of the Love of the Gods was incompatible with the ecclesiastic status of
its patron.
4. After the Mannerist interlude of public prudery a cardinal could commission frescoes on the
subjects of ancient myths.
5. Divine love, conceived at the heart of the universe, is regarded as the motive power that
draws together all the elements of the ceiling.
6. In the Love of Gods the Carracci established a new landscape with figures.
II. How well have you read? Can you answer the questions?
1. What was in progress in sixteenth-century Bologna? What kind of Renaissance did the
Carracci try to form? What was the Carracci's aim?
2. What did the Carracci adopt for their ceiling frescoes from the Sistine Ceiling? Why did the
Carracci apply simulated architecture and sculpture to the barrel vault?
3. What does the subject matter of the Love of Gods veil? How is the Love of Gods interpreted?