Caravaggio/Rembrandt

 

The Jewish Bride 
Rembrandt

Judith Beheading Holofernes
Caravaggio

• How did Schama approach Rembrandt differently than Caravaggio?
  (aside from the facts)

        Schama approached Rembrandt differently than Caravaggio by creating a different vibe. The film on Rembrandt was a little more relaxed, melodic, and had less drama that the one about Caravaggio. The film about Caravaggio was filled with more action and grunge. I think that this shows how different Caravaggio and Rembrandt were not only as artists, but also as people. I think that the main difference between the approaches of each film was the use of soundtrack and action. In the film about Caravaggio, there was a lot more of an eerie and mysterious feeling coming from the music, whereas the film about Rembrandt used much lighter, floaty music. There was also a lot more emphasis on Caravaggio's interesting life story in the film about him, whereas the film about Rembrandt focused more on his brilliance with the use of oil painting and portraits. It seemed like overall there is just a bit more drama when it comes to Caravaggio, and a little more structure and elegance to Rembrandt in the way that Schama approached their stories. 

• Schama combined historical locations with theatrical reenactment.
  Which was more effective? Why?

        Schama's use of historical locations and theatrical reenactment was a very interesting way to tell a story. I think that the use of theatrical reenactment was more effective. I am pretty sure this is more of a personal preference, but I get more out of a film when there is more action. I think this is why I was a little more drawn to the film on Caravaggio because I felt there were more reenactment scenes in that film compared to the Rembrandt film. However, I do still think there is validity to using historical locations, and when you combine the two together, there is a lot more intrigue to the film. Sometimes historical stories or films can be a little bit less engaging than, say, fiction stories or films, however, when you add that use of "fiction" with actors reenacting what the narrator is talking about, it brings more interest to the film. I just find the films more inviting when there is a theatrical element to it, and that could also be because of my love for film and the power that some actors and actresses have in films. 

• Schama does not use expert interviews like Marlow, Bruce (from previous lessons videos) and Hockney.
  How does this affect your experience? Does it seem more / less credible? Please be specific and explain your thoughts clearly.

        Because Schama does not use expert interviews like Marlow, Bruce, and Hockney, I was actually more intrigued and felt I could watch the films without feeling forced to. I feel my experience changed for the better because I was more attracted to the film style, and Schama's use of narration, historical locations, and theatrical reenactment. This style does not seem any less credible than the past videos we have watched. You can tell that Schama knows what he is talking about and has done plenty of research on the subjects of his films. Many of the facts that Schama said in his films was information that aligned with the sources that I found on Caravaggio and Rembrandt, so I do not feel like his information was any less credible because he didn't have expert interviews. For example Schama talked about Rembrandt's painting style, "impasto" with oil paint. Also, Schama talked about how Caravaggio chose to "forgo drawings and work directly onto the canvas" just like the source I found said (just a few of the facts that aligned). Overall, I really enjoyed this film and the style that Schama used to present information. I thought it was done very classically and provided interesting visuals like reenactment scenes that kept me engaged the entire time. 

Outside Sources:

Beranek, Dr. Saskia. “Rembrandt, the Jewish Bride.” " Rembrandt, The Jewish Bride, smarthistory.org/rembrandt-jewish-bride/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

“Caravaggio - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, artsandculture.google.com/entity/caravaggio/m020bg?hl=en. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

“Judith Beheading Holofernes.” Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1599 by Caravaggio, www.caravaggio.org/judith-beheading-holofernes.jsp. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

“Rembrandt - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, artsandculture.google.com/entity/rembrandt/m0bskv2?hl=en. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.