Revised Visual Analysis 2

            Barocci makes use of many straight lines consistently throughout the painting. A few circular shapes are used in the painting; however, straight lines dominate most of the piece. If one were to make a diagram of the painting, most likely the following details would be included: A general outline of the central figures, the unique building in the distance, and the entryway through which the figures are running. I would exclude the banister and staircase, the soldiers fighting in the background, and the rubble in the bottom right corner because these are portions of the painting that are not necessary to its overall integrity.

            It is easy to see that Barocci uses a lot of contrast in this painting. Dark shades are mostly used, especially in the background. Two other prominent colours used in the garments and battle scene are red and green. Overall, the painting itself is highly saturated. When used with the contrast in the painting, the colours add to the realism and place an emphasis on the danger that Aeneas and his family are trying to flee from.

            Upon first glance, the viewer is drawn to the central figures, Aeneas and his family. The rich red and green used in their garments catch the attention of the viewer, as well as their pale skin colour which contrasts with the dark, burning city of Troy. By using this contrast, the artist is able to successfully make Aeneas and his family the focal point of the piece.

            The central figures of Barocci’s painting are from Virgil’s epic poem, the Aeneid. The main character in the Aeneid is Aeneas, shown just off center, carrying his elderly father, Anchises, over his shoulder. To the right of Aeneas is his wife, Creusa, who is slightly separated from her family. This almost foreshadows her disappearance and death shortly after this scene in the Aeneid. Finally, on the left of Aeneas, is his son, Ascanius. In this particular scene, Barocci choses to show the family fleeing from Troy after the city fell to the Greeks. Barocci is able to effectively express the emotion in the family’s faces. The viewer can clearly see the distress on Ascanius and Creusa’s face. On Aeneas’ face, Barocci manages to capture a more reserved, calm emotion. It is Anchises’ face that really stands out, however, showing uncertainty and a greater fear than what we can see in the rest of the family’s expressions. The environment that Barocci has created is grand, showing the magnificence that was the city of Troy. It is also dark, showing the time when Aeneas and his family fled, and dangerous. This is shown by the flames slowly engulfing the city, and the soldiers at war in the background.

            During my research, I came across many instances where an emphasis was placed on the patronage of the piece. The piece was originally commissioned by Emperor Rudolph II in 1586 and while Barocci was known for his religious pieces, the Emperor did not prefer devotional images (Richards). That being said, the central argument for my paper will focus on the Classicism of the piece, the figures, and the architecture.

Bibliography

Bertela, Giovana Gaeta. Disegni di Federico Barocci. Citta di Castello: Leo S. Olschki, 1975. Print.

"Classicism." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6^th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 23 Feb 2012

Friedlaender, Walter. "Federico Barocci." The Burlington Magazine (1964): 186-187. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/874281>.

Gillgren, Peter. Siting Federico Barocci and the Renaissance Aesthetic. Ashgate Publishing, 2011.

Index, Myth. Aeneas. 2007. Electronic. 22 02 2012. <http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/A/Aeneas.html>.

Lingo, Stuart. Federico Barocci. London: Yale University Press, 2008. Print.

Paul, Carole. The Borghese Collections and the Display of Art in the Age of the Grand Tour. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. Print.

Richards, Louise S. "A Study for Aeneas' Flight from Troy." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art (1961): 63-65. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25142447>.