The Tenebrism in the Art
The movement based on the use of light was one of the most important of the Baroque and sigNificantly influenced later periods.
For there to be light, there must be darkness. And darkness, at the same time, feeds on light.
This symbiotic relationship was applied by a series of painters throughout the seventeenth century in what has come to be known as tenebrism (from the Latin tenebrae, ‘darkness’); this movement sought a strong contrast between light and shadow in an intentional, very forced way. This excessive use of light emphasized the symbolism while breaking with the mannerism established since the end of the Renaissance.
The trend emerged as a response to artistic rules that some considered too rigid and limited the strength of the narrative in the paintings. Tenebrism became the alternative to mannerism and focused attention on feelings. This dramatism was pushed to the limits thanks to chiaroscuro, which was nothing more than the extreme contrast between light and darkness.
When discussing tenebrism, a direct connection is established with the Italian painter Caravaggio, the leading exponent and the artist who popularized the movement around Europe. His influence was immense in later generations, which completed the change in the…
