Top Famous Paintings of the 17th Century and Their Stories

Alright, let’s yak about some famous paintings from a long, long time ago, like, the 1600s or somethin’. They call it the 17th century, fancy, huh? Back then, folks painted pictures, just like they do now, but different, you know? More… dramatic, I guess.

The 17th Century: Big and Bold Paintings

Top Famous Paintings of the 17th Century and Their Stories

One thing them painters loved back then was makin’ a big fuss. They called it “Baroque,” sounds like somethin’ broke, but it ain’t. It means, like, everything’s movin’ and shakin’ in the picture. Lots of action, lots of showin’ off, if you ask me.

They say movement, grandeur, splendor was the thing. Like, if you paint a picture of a fight, it ain’t just two guys standin’ there, it’s muscles bulgin’, horses rearin’, and dust flyin’ everywhere. They wanted you to feel like you were right there in the middle of it all.

  • Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Bruegel, them two, they painted somethin’ called “The Battle of the Amazons”. I ain’t never seen no Amazons, but lemme tell ya, these women were tough, fightin’ like wildcats. Horses crashin’, swords clashin’, it’s a whole lotta commotion. They painted this around 1615, a long, long time ago.
  • Then there’s this fella, Caravaggio. He painted “The Calling of St. Matthew”. Now, I ain’t too religious, but this picture, it’s somethin’ else. Light and dark, all dramatic-like. It’s like Jesus is sayin’, “Hey Matthew, come with me!”, and Matthew’s all surprised. Caravaggio, he knew how to make a picture tell a story, that’s for sure.
  • And don’t forget about Artemisia Gentileschi. This woman, she was somethin’ else! She painted “Judith Slaying Holofernes”. It’s a bit gruesome, to be honest. Judith, she’s a real firecracker, takin’ care of business, if you catch my drift. Powerful stuff, not for the faint of heart. They say she painted it around 1612.

Not Just Churches and Battles, But Regular Folks Too

But it wasn’t all just battles and Bible stories. These 17th-century painters, they also painted regular folks, like you and me… well, maybe not exactly like me. They painted rich folks, mostly, the ones who could pay for it.

Diego Velazquez, he was a real whiz at paintin’ portraits. He painted somethin’ called “Las Meninas”. It’s a big ol’ picture with a bunch of people, including the King and Queen of Spain and their little princess. It’s like a snapshot of their life, only, you know, painted. Velazquez was a master, they say, makin’ folks look real and fancy all at the same time.

Top Famous Paintings of the 17th Century and Their Stories

Now, over in the Netherlands, things were a bit different. They had these middle-class folks, merchants and such, who wanted their pictures painted too. So, you had painters like Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. They weren’t always so dramatic like them Baroque fellas, but they were good, real good. They painted pictures that looked so real, you could almost reach out and touch ’em.

Lots and Lots of Pictures

They say them Dutch painters painted a whole heap of pictures back then, hundreds of thousands of ’em! Seems like everyone wanted their face painted. Can you imagine? Nowadays, we just snap a picture with our phones, but back then, it was a big deal to get your portrait painted. It was like sayin’, “Hey, I’m important! Remember me!”

So, yeah, the 17th century was a time when paintin’ was a big thing. From big, dramatic battles to quiet portraits of everyday folks, these painters, they captured it all. They used light and shadow, color and movement, to tell stories and show off their skills. And even now, hundreds of years later, we’re still lookin’ at their work and sayin’, “Wow, them folks sure could paint!” And that’s somethin’ special, ain’t it?

A Quick Note About Fancy Art People

Top Famous Paintings of the 17th Century and Their Stories

Now, these fancy art people, they like to use big words and talk about all sorts of things I don’t understand. They say the church wanted these powerful pictures to make folks believe, you know, the Counter-Reformation, or somethin’ like that. And they talk about how these paintings show the “realist tastes” of the middle class. All I know is, they painted pretty pictures and some not-so-pretty pictures, but they all tell a story, even if I don’t always get the fancy parts.

But you know what? You don’t need to know all that fancy stuff to enjoy a good picture. Just look at it, and see what you see. That’s what I do, anyway. And that’s good enough for me.

Tags: [17th Century Art, Baroque Art, Peter Paul Rubens, Jan Bruegel, Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi, Diego Velazquez, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Portrait Painting, Dutch Masters, Religious Art, Historical Paintings]

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