Eugenio Cajes takes his starting point in the biblical narrative about the evil angels and their leader, Satan, who were originally part of the heavenly host. Enemies of God and friends of evil, they were eventually cast down into Hell by the Archangel Michael. During their fall, vividly depicted by Cajes, the rebel angels sprouted tails, claws and other demonic traits. Cajes became acquainted with a new manner of painting during a trip to Italy, the so-called 'chiaroscuro'. With the advent of chiaroscuro, artists began mixing local colours with blacks and browns to create shaded areas. Cajes used this new manner of painting to evoke a sense of dread and horror in Hell, creating a contrast to the divine realm at the top where Michael and his army are portrayed in shimmering pastels.
Christ's Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane-Carlo Dolci-1616-87-Italian
This work is typical of Domenico Gargiulo from Naples. The figures have a statuesque serenity, and the clear composition accentuates the horizontal and vertical lines. The colour scheme is classical with it's use of the primary colours red, green and blue. The work depicts a scene from Genesis where Abraham sends out his servant Eliezer to find a bride for his son, Isaac. Eliezer waited by a well and decided that he would propose on Isaac's behalf to to the woman who would give water to both him and his camels. When Rebecca arrived at the well and Eliezer asked her for the water she also poured water for his camels. Then Eliezer knew that she was the right bride for Isaac.
The Adoration of the Shepherds-Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari-1654-1727-Italian
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