What is the meaning of life? Rembrandt tries to answer it using Aristotle.

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." - Aristotle

Aristotle is a greek philosopher who will we will shine the limelight on but in the case of the Baroque era is represented here in this painting by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. 

Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (1653 Rembrandt)

A brief reflection summarizing the Baroque era:

From the renaissance period we receive the naturalistic and idealization of humans and their lives. The classical antiquities worldly divine powers reaching down through the artists and painting it into the canvas, sculptures, and music. The prominence of characteristics such serenity, beauty, and religious distinction is indicative of the divine powers connection to the 'human' experience. 

Unlike that of the Renaissance period, the the Baroque period throws out this divine connection and the idealizing of the human experience. The Baroque era is a period of artistic representation expressing drama, realistic, and intense artistic forms. In a mere century the Baroque era of artistic development pushes out the Renaissance and likewise the Renaissance pushes out the Middle Ages. 

Barocco as described in the lecture in Portuguese is an irregularly shaped pear, the way I see it the Baroque which was defined later on is a half eaten fruit. One can consider the dilemma of the 'glass half full' or the 'glass half empty'. I think the Baroque is a period of one realizing that the natural world filled with beauty contains just a bit of darkness. One can pull back briefly and consider the up's and down's of the artistic movement shifts. From the dark ages we follow it with the light of the Renaissance and then immediately after we once again go down towards the darkness of the Baroque era. 

Appreciation of "Aristotle with a Bust of Homer":

Aristotle defines two functions as superior in human beings 'touch' and 'sight'. Rembrandt depicts these two key functions both directly and indirectly in the 1653 quintessential Rembrandt Baroque piece that is currently located in the New York Metropolitan Museum. Painted approximately in 1653 in Leiden, Netherlands. 

This painting is unique in that it takes two literary and philosophical icons of Aristotle and Homer who are represented in this Baroque art piece by Rembrandt. The reason for my selection of this piece was my initial curiosity with this prestigious and lamentable scene of Aristotle placing a hand on Homer's bust, looking out with a soulful look into the unknown, all the while wearing and clutching on to the glory of gold and his prestigious career. 

These Baroque aesthetics that are indicative of the artistic era can be distinctly seen in a few parts of the painting: 1) Tenebrism, 2) Realism, and 3) Dramatization

Firstly, regarding Tenebrism. Tenebrism which is dramatic illumination used by the artistic technique of chiaroscuro. As seen in the image referenced below, one can see the darkness of the background surrounding Aristotle and the Bust of Homer. The darkness of the clothing in correlation to the gold colored frame of this painting located in the NY Met (New York Metropolitan Museum). One can see the other Baroque paintings featured next to Rembrandt one all have the same 'tenebrism' effect of illuminating the figures just slightly all the while containing the dark tone where Aristotle and the bust of Homer are being swallowed by the darkness.

Located in Metropolitan Museum in New York - Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (1653)

Secondly, there is realism. The realistic components of the piece make it extremely understandable and relatable in that. Aristotle who in the painting by Rembrandt is wearing a golden chain, symbolic of the prestige and wealth of status he has gained over time is debating with himself on the value of the material wealth he has in comparison to the legacy that Homer has on the world. Aristotle is wondering the significance of his existence which brings a real sense. Furthermore, if one looks at the gold chain, clothing, and set up of the painting one can consider Rembrandt to be recognizably similar to a king (I am here expressing those of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar). The hand gesture motioning towards the medallion which like that actually of Alexander the Great shows the real issues that Aristotle is realistically questioning. Between the period of Homer's greatness and now Aristotle's greatness, Aristotle wonders if he will ever be as Homer once was or will be remembered as. 

The Gold Medallion painted is similar to that of Alexander the Great in showing the prestige he has as a 'King' and the wealth that Aristotle now has. Rembrandt uses this 'gold' color and theme to contrast with the extreme darkness of the background. 

Rembrandt uses a sort of characteristic of the Baroque era in which Aristotle is grasping onto a material reality and struggling greatly instead by grasping only a part of his wealth. 

Thirdly, dramatization. This component of the Baroque era is extremely realistic and indicative of the down-to-earth sentiment of the Rembrandt painting. One can look at the facial expression of Aristotle 'soulful' in many ways. Worried about the future, reminiscing about the past, and pondering his existence currently. If you look into eyes you can feel the foreshortening effect of being pulled into his thoughts of existence. You can see the age gaining on Aristotle at this later point in his life where the wrinkles show experience of life, but at the same time also a sort of exhaustion. 

The Influence of Aristotle with a Bust of Homer:

As mentioned before with the Baroque characteristics, this piece is influential and quintessentially 'Dutch' per se but also a signature style of Rembrandt's dark palette and sculptural buildup of paint. The primary influence that this piece had would probably have to be that of royalty and the rise of merchant class interest in art. 

To begin, the merchant class interest in philosophy and culture gave rise to this collaboration per se. As mentioned the piece was painted for a Sicilian patron at the time in 1653 when the Rembrandt style was beginning to fall out of fashion in Amsterdam (NY MoMa). The depiction of Rembrandt in this painting is that of 'Aristotle' a known character transcending time and place. An individual who both wears a Greek toga in the School of Athens (1509-1511) to in this painting distinctly wearing white and black robes, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and gold chains (Khan Academy). This Baroque representation shows forth the distinctness of Aristotle being someone else, relatable in wealth and in intellectual physique. 

The relation to that of royalty has been previously mentioned. The royal sense of the gold chain, medallion, and the age of Aristotle are indicative of this direct connection. The relatability of royalty to Aristotle and then furthermore with a bust of Homer shows the intellectual ingenuity of Aristotle. To Rembrandt this painting as patrolled for a Sicilian shows only the wealth of knowledge of the individuals, but also the extremely realistic human side of them. The Homer bust being represented as someone who was iconic, Aristotle in the painting being temporally unsure of his significance, and the audience wondering if then Rembrandt may be while painting wondering of his status. Then furthermore, in relation to us the audience whether or not royalty is present in our lives. These components of royalty is distinctly shown and expressive. 

Relation to Renaissance:

Raphael, School of Athens, 1509-511

In brief, my pondering have this painting and its relation to the Renaissance has brought me to wonder where else in paintings has Aristotle appeared? My wandering has brought me to that of Raphael's School of Athens a truly iconic Renaissance painting. There in the blue robe standing in the middle is Aristotle. Aristotle holds his book Ethics where he defines his ideals as I mentioned previously of sight and touch as superior functions. One can see distinctly a younger, brighter, and more exquisite setting of philosophers like Aristotle, Plato alike. Showing off their vernacular dress of robes unlike that of the Baroque painting by Rembrandt showing white tunics, dark garments, and a wide-brimmed hat. Yes, it was a different time period and that of a different interest in expression. But, this painting of the School of Athens is bright, naturalistic, and contains a sort of grandeur that the Rembrandt depiction does not have. The piece shows Aristotle as a component of the painting while in the Rembrandt depiction Aristotle is the focal point. The realism of Aristotle unlike that of in School of Athens where he is merely half of the painting. His half of his followers in his ethical beliefs and Plato in the other. There is one unique similarity that I will point out in which Aristotle in both the Rembrandt and Raphael are holding a hand out, gazing to the side, and clutching something. This representation of Aristotle being split in his ideological beliefs and understandings pushes forth the notion that his ethics are the consistent. His facial expression if viewed up close is likewise darkened, worried, and concerned about the existence of his decisions. This similarity shows that though Raphael and Rembrandt are from two different artistic eras, they are painting the same person with the same humanistic issues on the question of thought. 

Sources:

Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437394. 

“Rembrandt, Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/baroque-art1/holland/a/rembrandt-aristotle-with-a-bust-of-homer. 

“School of Athens by Raphael (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/renaissance-art-europe-ap/a/raphael-school-of-athens. 

Image Sources: 

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/baroque-art1/holland/a/rembrandt-aristotle-with-a-bust-of-homer
• https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437394
• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/renaissance-art-europe-ap/a/raphael-school-of-athens