Gardners Art through the Ages A Global History

areas of the New World (see Chapters

23 and 32). By the beginning of the

17th century, however, the Habsburg

Empire was struggling, and although

Spain mounted an aggressive effort

during the Thirty Years’ War (see Chap-

ter 25), by 1660 the imperial age of the

Spanish Habsburgs was over. In part,

the demise of the Spanish empire was

due to economic woes. The military

campaigns Philip III (r. 1598–1621)

and his son Philip IV (r. 1621–1665)

waged during the Thirty Years’ War

were costly and led to higher taxes. The

increasing tax burden placed on Span-

ish subjects in turn incited revolts and

civil war in Catalonia and Portugal in

the 1640s, further straining an already

fragile economy. Thus, the dawn of

the Baroque period in Spain found the

country’s leaders struggling to main-

tain control of their dwindling empire.

But realizing the prestige that great artworks brought and the value of

visual imagery in communicating to a wide audience, both Philip III

and Philip IV continued to spend lavishly on art.

Painting

In the 17th century, Spain maintained its passionate commitment to

Catholic orthodoxy, and as in Counter-Reformation Italy, Spanish

Baroque artists sought ways to move viewers and to encourage greater

devotion and piety. Particularly appealing in this regard were scenes of

death and martyrdom, which provided Spanish artists with opportuni-

ties both to depict extreme feelings and to instill those feelings in view-

ers. Spain prided itself on its saints—Saint Teresa of Avila (FIG. 24-8)

and Saint Ignatius Loyola (FIG. 24-24) were both Spanish-born—and

martyrdom scenes surfaced frequently in Spanish Baroque art.

JOSÉ DE RIBERAAs a young man,José (Jusepe) de Ribera

(ca. 1588–1652) emigrated to Naples and fell under the spell of Cara-

vaggio, whose innovative style he introduced to Spain. Emulating

24-26Francisco de Zurbarán,Saint Serapion,1628. Oil on

canvas, 3 111 – 2  3  4 –^34 . Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford (The Ella

Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Collection Fund).

The light shining on Serapion calls attention to his tragic death and

increases the painting’s dramatic impact. The Spanish monk’s coarse

features label him as common, evoking empathy from a wide audience.

666 Chapter 24 ITALY AND SPAIN, 1600 TO 1700

1 ft.

24-25José de Ribera,Martyrdom

of Saint Philip,ca. 1639. Oil on canvas,

7  8  7  8 . Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Martyrdom scenes were popular in

Counter-ReformationSpain. Scorning

idealization of any kind, Ribera

represented Philip’s executioners

hoisting him into position to die on

a cross.

1 ft.

24-25AMURILLO,
Immaculate
Conception,
ca. 1661–1670.