Baroque Influencers: Jesuits, Rubens, and the Arts of Persuasion

The Jesuits deployed the Baroque visual language of the time to persuade the public of their vision on humankind, religion, and society. This beautifully illustrated book explores how painters such as Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck produced works for the Jesuits and how more modest forms of art, such as religious folk prints, illustrated lives of the saints, schoolbooks, emblemata books, and prayer books, were used to kindle the enthusiasm of as many believers as possible.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Cannibal/Hannibal Publishers

In the captivating world of 17th-century Antwerp, the Jesuits harnessed the powerful visual language of the Baroque era to convey their profound vision of humanity, religion, and society. This beautifully illustrated book, adorned with numerous artworks by renowned artists like Peter Paul Rubens, explores the intricate ways in which the Jesuits employed this artistic language to captivate and persuade the public.

Set against the backdrop of Antwerp, the Jesuit Orders' headquarters in the Netherlands, the city thrived as a bastion against Calvinism in the Northern Netherlands Republic. The fine arts reached unprecedented heights, with painters like Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck creating masterpieces for the Jesuits and actively participating in the vibrant Catholic community life organized by the order. Large groups of devoted believers gathered together, united by their shared faith.

This publication delves into the Baroque Saint Ignatius Church, now known as the Saint Charles Borromeo Church on Hendrik Conscienceplein, for which Rubens crafted magnificent ceiling paintings. The authors also showcase how more modest forms of art, such as religious folk prints, illustrated lives of the saints, schoolbooks, emblemata books, and prayer books, played a crucial role in igniting the enthusiasm of believers both in their homeland and in distant overseas territories.

Baroque Influencers – Jesuits, Rubens, and the Arts of Persuasion is a testament to the collaborative efforts of researchers affiliated with prestigious universities such as the Universities of Antwerp, Louvain, and Stuttgart, as well as various heritage institutes. Their written contributions shed light on the profound impact of the Jesuits on the arts and their strategic use of visual language to shape public perception and promote their vision of a better world.

Weight: 1244g
Dimension: 238 x 289 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789464666311