"Saint Anne with the Christ Child"

Paper Summary:

The paper analyzes the painting "Saint Anne with the Christ Child" by the French artist, Georges de la Tour. The paper examines the painting's formal and contextual characteristics and analyzes it as an example of Baroque art, compared to other artists of the baroque style. The paper looks at how the painting relates to religious, political, cultural and social changes that took place at that time. Finally, the paper examines how this work speaks about the religious propaganda happening at the time.

From the Paper:

"Georges de la Tour' Saint Anne with the Christ Child is an oil on canvas, believed to have been painted around 1639-1641. The painting represents a night scene, illuminated only by a single candle, of the Virgin's Mary's mother watching the baby Jesus. This painting is at the same time a very religious painting, but also an intimate painting showing a woman looking lovingly at a sleeping child. Her face and clothes are very detailed. It has a mystical as well as a natural feel at the same time. It is actually part of a larger painting, a nativity that included Mary on the side. The most striking characteristic of the painting is the master use of shadow and light and in particular the candlelight that is depicted in the painting. There is overall silence and stillness in the composition both gently broken by candlelight and baby's breathing."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Wright, Christopher. Georges de la Tour. New York: Phaidon, 1977.
• Andersen, Liselotte. Baroque and Rococo Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, 1969
• Haskell, Francis. Patrons and Painters. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1980
• Bajou, Thierry. De La Tour. Milan: Hazan, 1985
• Held, Julius & Posner, Donald. 17th Century and 18th Century Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, 1972

More papers on "Saint Anne with the Christ Child":

• Analytical Essay # 131099 : "Georges de la Tour's 'Saint Anne with the Christ Child'"
• Book Review # 146522 : "The Hurried Child" Book Review"
• Analytical Essay # 56419 : "The Virtual Child"

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