rnini's is the most dramatic, the most realistic portrayal of “David.” The only serious rival to Bernini in sculpture was Alessandro Algardi (1596-1654) His greatest contribution was “The Meeting of Pope Leo I and Attila” (1646) at St. Peter’s, The Vatican, Rome. By varying the depth of the carving, he nearly convinces us that the scene takes place in the same space as ours. The foreground figures are in such high relief that they seem detached from the background and the stage on which they are standing projects several feet beyond its surrounding niche. This illusionism is characteristic of Baroque.During the sixteenth century, Spain had produced great saints and writers, but no artists of the first rank. The Spanish court and most of the aristocracy preferred to employ foreign painters and held native artists in low esteem. Because of this, the main influences came from Italy and the Netherlands. The impact of Caravaggism was especially felt in Seville, the home of the most important Spanish Baroque painters before 1640. Diego Velzquez (1599-1660) was one of Spain's greatest baroque painters. “The Maids of Honor” (1656) displays Velazquez’ mature style at its fullest. While his use of side lighting and strong contrasts of light and dark are reminiscent of Caravaggio, Velazquez’ technique is far more subtle. Velazquez explored the optical qualities of light more fully than any other painter of his time. Francisco de Zurbarn (1598-1664) stands out among the painters of Seville for his quiet intensity. Zurbarn worked almost exclusively for monastic orders and his most impressive baroque compositions are deeply moving for their direct and realistic approach to religious subject matter. The work of Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1617-1682) is the most cosmopolitan, as well as accessible, of any Spanish Baroque artist. His “Virgin and Child” (1675-1680) unites the influence of ...
