Symbol and Science: Water Imagery, 1500 – 1700
Saturday, March 20, 2010 - Sunday, August 1, 2010
The inexorable power and shifting beauty of water has captured artist’s imaginations through the centuries. Some have been inspired by its strange and supernatural qualities, while others preferred a more scientific depiction. This exhibition of sixteenth and seventeenth century prints examines the influence this pivotal era had on visual interpretations of this basic element.
The years 1500–1700 were characterized by important shifts in ideology and power. The Renaissance was sparked by an existential curiosity satisfied by the rediscovery of art and texts from the ancient world. The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century had a profound impact on religious ideas and art patronage: the Catholic Church no longer was the sole source of religious doctrine or the single most important patron of art. New ideas began to circulate more freely and resulted in the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment, bringing with it an ever-increasing interest in the scientific study of nature. These changes all profoundly affected how artists saw and depicted the natural world.
The prints displayed here were intended for a wide audience and reflect many of the concepts and interests prevalent at the time of their making. Because of its universal symbolism water could be adapted and interpreted by artists of any school of thought and used to convey a variety of ideas. Some methods of depiction became standard repertory throughout Europe, while other styles gradually disappeared, ebbing and flowing like the element water itself.
The years 1500–1700 were characterized by important shifts in ideology and power. The Renaissance was sparked by an existential curiosity satisfied by the rediscovery of art and texts from the ancient world. The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century had a profound impact on religious ideas and art patronage: the Catholic Church no longer was the sole source of religious doctrine or the single most important patron of art. New ideas began to circulate more freely and resulted in the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment, bringing with it an ever-increasing interest in the scientific study of nature. These changes all profoundly affected how artists saw and depicted the natural world.
The prints displayed here were intended for a wide audience and reflect many of the concepts and interests prevalent at the time of their making. Because of its universal symbolism water could be adapted and interpreted by artists of any school of thought and used to convey a variety of ideas. Some methods of depiction became standard repertory throughout Europe, while other styles gradually disappeared, ebbing and flowing like the element water itself.