I. The essay

A. Rejected dogma, secular, objective, skeptical; “hold on a second, let’s think about that”

B. Michel de Montaigne – son of a salted herring and wine peddler who essentially starts the modern essay

C. Life devoted to “serious thought”

D. Calm, patient, deliberate, open-minded

E. Unworried about others’ opinions

II. Literature

A. Elizabethan and Jacobian (King James) periods of music, literature (late 1500s and early 1600s)

B. William Shakespeare

1. Renaissance themes: classics, Italian comedies

2. Patriotic themes

3. Tragedies

C. King James Bible

1. compilation/revision of earlier versions

2. vernacular of 1600s

3. encouragement of laity to read Scriptures

III. Baroque

A. later viewed as too busy, overdone, simply too much

B. start – revitalized Catholic church and Rome wanted to appeal to emotions to ignite the soul

C. emotion, drama, passion, motion, Wow! Factor

D. Peter Paul Rubens – best and most representative; beefy nudes, Christian scenes, gods/goddesses, saints, angels, “water nymphs”

E. Johann Sebastian Bach – organ music, emotional, sweeping music

IV. abcgallery.com – “Movement Index” then “Baroque Art”

A. Look at – Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Jan Vermeer, Carraveggio, Diego Velazquez