Baroque: Art and Science

 

Baroque: Art and Science Together as One

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, Rembrandt, 1632

History:

In the Baroque era, both art and science were making huge advancements. During this time, Rembrandt became known as "the foremost artist of the Dutch Baroque period" due to his 40 year career of printing, sketching, and painting (Dr. Bryan Zygmont, 2015). in 1606, he was born in the town of Leiden, where the Catholic church commissioned many of his works, which helped his career take off. During his schooling in Laiden, he showed that he had an extraordinary amount of intelligence, leading many to believe that he was destined for greatness, specifically in the scientific field. Although later on, he declared that he wanted to become an artist, relocating to Amsterdam in 1631. Amsterdam at the time was full of wealthy families who would be able to afford to commission his work. 

Anatomy is an ancient form of medical study that has been around since the beginning of research. There have been documented dissections from as far back as the third century. However, many advancements were made in the 1600s. The sketches and paintings made during this time "contributed to anatomical knowledge", allowing scientists to further expand their proficiency in the field (Habbal, 2017). Artists were also known to study science and take part in dissections, where they were able to learn how the body works and how to better represent it. 

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp was created by Rembrandt in Amsterdam, 1632, and later became one of the most well-known paintings in history. In the painting, the man with the hat is Dr. Tulp, who was a lecturer at that time. The cadaver is Adriaen Adriaenszoon, who was executed for thieving. The lecture in the painting was taught on January 16, 1632, although the way it is portrayed is not entirely correct. Rembrandt chose to use his artistic license to change some details of this lecture to add emphasis to the teaching. For example, when performing a dissection, it typically begins at the chest and works its way to the limbs, Dr. Tulp would not have started at the arm. Also, the act of dissecting would most likely be done by an assistant instead of Dr. Tulp himself because he would instead be lecturing. Although the scene is not painted exactly as the lecture was conducted, it still shows how much science advanced during that time, and brings new light to the medical accomplishments performed. 

Tone:

In this painting, tone is used to add emphasis on the cadaver and the mood associated with the dissection. The dark and slight vignette background allows the audience to place their attention on the dissection and the people in the group. All of the people are very bright compared to their surroundings, which makes them very noticeable. To me, it even makes them look as if they are unsettled by what they are witnessing. The gloominess in the room gives me an ominous feeling when I look at this painting, almost as if I were watching it myself. 

Color:

The colors in this painting are dark, making the scenery look more serious. I am not a fan of the colors in this painting because they make the scene feel more depressing and less like an educational occurrence. I believe that the dark colors also make the book in the foreground less noticeable. If slighter colors were used, I think that more detail and definition would have been possible, where it could have made the scene appear more realistic. 

Shape: 

This painting is a good example of a representational shape. The dissection is not distorted and everything appears to be anatomically correct. The books are painted to look worn and they have writing on the pages, the shadows are cast correctly, and even the different beards of the men look realistic and fitting for the time period. I like how this painting uses representational shapes because, even though the way the dissection is portrayed is not completely accurate, at least the anatomy and form of the people are realistic. 

Reflection:

I like how this painting represents the advancements being made in science. It shows how people were working towards a better understanding of the human body and how they were taught. I would not want to have this in my home only because there is very little representation in the painting. This is due to the time that it was created when many people were not allowed to get an education. I would rather have art that represents the diversity that we see today, with different genders, races, and ages all getting an education, allowing not only science but also society to advance and change for the better.

Citations:

 Dr. Bryan Zygmont, "Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp," in Smarthistory, August 8, 2015, accessed May 21, 2022

Habbal, Omar. “The Science of Anatomy: A historical timeline.” Sultan Qaboos University medical journal vol. 17,1 (2017), accessed May 21, 2022