Baroque
For the Baroque blog, I have chosen to write about "The Smoker" by Joos Van Craesbeek. The exact date that "The Smoker" was painted is unknown, at least to me. Some sources claim it was created in 1626, while others claim mid 1630's-ish.
Many of Craesbeek's paintings are of individuals that parts of society consider scum, himself, or himself as said scum. "The Smoker" is one such self portrait, as it depicts him holding a pipe and a bottle of alcohol, the consumption and usage of which many people consider criminal and immoral. While I'm not an artist and therefor don't depict myself as anything through art, I do have an online presence, and certainly depict myself a certain way online. The only photos of myself that I have personally put on the internet(not photos other people have posted) are photos of me cross dressing, and I am also openly transgender on most of my accounts. Cross dressing has become increasingly stigmatized by a large part of the United States, particularly the part that is also against the existence of transgender individuals, so to them my depiction of myself online could be considered scummy, gross, or otherwise offensive. While societies standards for what makes someone a low-life has changed dramatically, I feel a connection to how the artist depicts himself and the "backstory" of the art in that way.
By time Voos Van Craesbeek had begun painting, the Netherlands had been split between support of the protestant reformation and support of the catholic church. While Craesbeek was geographically on the side in support of the Catholic Church, his artwork doesn't much help discern where his opinions fell on the conflict. While Protestants typically were against religious artwork, one of Craesbeeks most notable pieces, "The Temptation of St. Anthony", features a religious figure, which would imply him being in favor of the Catholic Church and the Counter-Reformation. This piece, however, also depicts nudity and doesn't portray St. Anthony in a very righteous way, two things which went directly against the Council of Trent's guidelines for how Catholic art should be created.
Sources:
Wikimedia Foundation "The Temptation of St. Anthony (Joos van Craesbeeck)", 28 Feb 2021
Wikimedia Foundation "Joos van Craesbeeck", 2 March 2015
Wikimedia Foundation "History of religion in the Netherlands", 6 Nov 2020
Wikimedia Foundation "Counter-Reformation", 10 Nov 2023
The Collector "The Art and Artists of the Protestant Reformation" 22 Dec 2023
Daily Dose of Art "'The Smoker' by Joos van Craesbeek" 12 September 2022
Hello Sawyer It's fascinating to hear about your personal connection to the painting, especially your memory of encountering it in a meme and how your perspective on the subject matter has evolved over time. Your reflection on the societal stigma associated with certain behaviors, such as smoking and cross-dressing really adds depth to the discussion and shows how the artist's exploration of social norms and perceptions is .
ReplyDeleteI like that you chose this painting to blog about for the Baroque blog! My eyes are drawn to the man's messy hair, and immediately to the smoke he is blowing out of his mouth. The complexion and color of his face are bright, and as I transition into his dark, messy hair, I feel both warmth and brightness. I am wondering if he is smoking a cigarette, but by the looks of it, it could be something else. My eyes are drawn to his hands and what appears to be a bottle and a pipe of some sort. This is a painting I would own; it is magnificent.
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