Painted scene and feigned architecture in the ceiling paintings of the late-Baroque

János Jernyei Kiss

doi:10.3311/ppar.7471

Abstract

In the workshop practice of the Baroque ceiling painters, when executing large mural compositions, the architectural details were painted by specialists. However, we cannot consider it as a simple trimming independent from figural frescoes; it is not just a required contribution but a dominant element of the composition also from the artistic point of view.This paper illustrates the complex role of architecture-painting through the analysis of the frescoes of Maulbertsch, Kracker and Winterhalder. It shows that the former decorative painting of the cathedral in Vác worked as a tool for accomplishing an architectural concept. The study revealed that in the case of the ceiling painting belonging to the Lyceum of Eger, the reason for choosing a Gothic structure was the specific perspective problem that arose from applying a central focus in the ceiling decoration of the synod meeting room, which is a closed, rectangular interior.It discusses the representation problems of the painted scenes when arranged in a ‘board-painting’ way (Székesfehérvár, Carmelite Church), and by analysing the different versions (Pápa, Parish Church; Szombathely, Cathedral) it sketches the typical stages of the late-Baroque metamorphosis of the feigned dome in Pozzo.

Highlights

In the workshop practice of the Baroque ceiling painters, when executing large mural compositions, the architectural details were painted by specialists
In the workshop practice of the Baroque ceiling painters, when executing large mural compositions, the decorative and architectural details - mostly from the design to the painting - were the tasks of specialists commissioned for the work
The period of the highly respected Italian quadrature painters had passed, and in the second half of the 18th century, the decorators were ranked lower than the figure-painters [13], we cannot consider architecture-painting as a simple trimming, which can be separated from figural frescoes, functioning only as a required contribution

Summary

Introduction

In the workshop practice of the Baroque ceiling painters, when executing large mural compositions, the architectural details were painted by specialists. In the late-Baroque period, in another typical work field of the architecture-painters, namely in the painting method of architectural scenes articulating the picture within the ceiling, we notice entirely new solutions.

Results

Conclusion