Forging the Baroque: Histories of Neapolitan Art in the Long 17th Century

Interesting online course from the London Art History Society looking at how the artists of Naples developed a Baroque style in the 17th century.

Giulia Martina Weston, an associate lecturer at the Courtauld Institute of Art, led us through the topic with six well planned lectures. Day one focused on the effect of Caravaggio having worked in the city and how artists either adopted or rejected this style. We then looked at Luca Giordano and his work in the city as well as in Florence, Rome and Venice.

Day two concentrated on architecture in particular the work on Cosimo Fanzago. The first lecture focused on the Certosa de San Martino talking us through its design and decoration in detail. The second lecture then broadened out to look at his work for the religious orders and his secular commissions.

The final day looked at Mattia Preti and Salvator Rosa, artists from Naples who worked further afield. We ended by looking at the art market examining how much different artists were paid for different genres of art.

I knew know little about Baroque art, partly as I am not that fond of it, and I’d hoped this course might convert me to it. I’m afraid it didn’t succeed and I still find it overblown.