One of the most influential and revered movements in art history is the Baroque. What does it mean? What does it have to do with us? How did it happen? Why did it happen? What did it lead to? In this post I’ll present 5 things the Baroque got right (or at least more right than we sometimes think).
The Baroque is a movement in art that began around 1600 and lasted into the mid-18th century. The word baroque means “irregularly shaped pearl” or “misshapen pearl.” I don’t know if that makes it any easier to understand, but it’s pretty cool.
The characteristics of the Baroque movement include elongation of forms, clear organization of elements within a composition, and an overall sense of drama. There are no Baroque buildings left standing today, but some of its most influential works were churches.
The five things the Baroque got right are:
Symmetry – The Baroque was all about balance and symmetry. This is one of those qualities that can be overdone without changing the essential quality at all. Symmetry is what makes the body beautiful, after all. Strong Structure – The Baroque was also about simplicity and strength. Nothing should be superfluous or excessive. Balance – Symmetry and simple forms make for balance in every way, from color to texture to shape. Depth – Don’t think something is just what it seems to be on the surface. Look deeper for meaning and you’ll find more than you expected. Drama – Asymmetry is beautiful too,
The Baroque era, a period in European art that flourished in the 17th and early 18th centuries, is characterized by ornate decoration, grandiosity and theatrical effects. In short, it’s what happens when you take Renaissance values to their extreme.
Baroque art was an attempt to create an emotional experience for the viewer, and it succeeded with flying colors. Here are 5 reasons why the Baroque got art right:
The Baroque era is often compared to the Enlightenment era (a time of scientific discovery and reason). While the two eras seemed to be polar opposites, they both had a few things in common – most notably, a high regard for education. Just as members of the Enlightenment were encouraged to educate themselves on various topics (especially scientific topics), artists and patrons of the arts during this time period also encouraged self-education in order to fully understand what they were looking at. Scholars were often hired by wealthy patrons to give lessons on art history to their guests before their parties so that they could better appreciate what they were seeing.
One example of this is Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture ‘Apollo and Daphne’, which was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. The sculpture is located in the Borghese
The Baroque was a style of art that developed in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It is characterized by richly decorative, elaborate, sensuous and theatrical style. The term comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning irregularly shaped pearls.
Tastes changed over time and the Baroque evolved into several different styles. While there is no approved list of Baroque artists, many of the great artists of this period were Spanish and Italian, such as Velazquez, Bernini, Caravaggio, or Rubens.
The most important thing that Baroque art got right was drama. The Baroque was an exuberant style that included elements of both tragedy and comedy. People were drawn to it because they were tired of the strict rules of Renaissance art that demanded paintings be realistic and had religious themes. The Baroque era was one where people were not afraid to experiment with new things and let their emotions show through in their art.
To find out more about Baroque art you can browse our blog for interesting facts about this exciting period of history.**”
We are so used to seeing Baroque as an outrageous style, an orgy of excess, that we forget its virtues.
There is a reason for this confusion. The Baroque period was born when Catholic Spain was at the height of its power, and it spread across Europe as Spain’s empire declined. As a result, Baroque art has been viewed in Europe as a symbol of imperialism and colonialism. It has been seen as an art of conquest and oppression. And the great European empires have indeed used its imagery to promote a feeling of cultural superiority.
In the 20th Century, many artists reacted against the Baroque by rejecting ornamentation and pastoral scenes in favor of stark realism and social commentary. But in doing so they were only continuing the trend which started during the Reformation: to use art to make political points rather than simply being pleasing or beautiful. We remember these artists (Picasso, Goya) more than we do their predecessors (Velázquez) because they are easier to understand—and because they speak our language.*
The Baroque style of art had its beginnings in Italy around 1600. Before that the Renaissance was in full swing, the Catholic Church was where all the money was, and most artists were commissioned to produce work by the Church. But things began to change.
First of all, during this time Protestantism was spreading into various countries in Europe. After some painful experiences with Catholic rule, these people began to have a problem with Catholicism and its artwork. They didn’t like it. They thought it was too showy, too grandiose, too worldly and not spiritual enough.
Troubled by this rejection of traditional art, artists turned to new ideas and new ways of creating art. Many of these men got their start in Rome studying classical antiquities and copying them for wealthy patrons. As they moved away from this classical tradition they used their talents to convey highly emotional content that seemed more natural and less affected than that of the classicists.
Second, there was a shift in patronage from the Church to wealthy individuals who would commission works to hang in their homes – private citizens who didn’t have an ecclesiastical agenda they needed satisfied through art.
Third, a new generation of artists emboldened by these changes came up with a new style that flew in the face
Back in the days of the Baroque, artists were expected to be more than just craftsmen. They were supposed to be poets, dramatists and philosophers too. And what made them so accomplished was not some divine gift but training.
The Baroque artists had a specific training regimen by which they could master their trade. And here is what it was:
