Baroque Art

Baroque characterizes a style of European architecture, music and art that was practiced starting from the 17th century and through the 18th century. Featuring creative endeavors characterized by the implementation of curved lines to emphasize exuberance, the word entered into the English language from the French ‘barrouqe’ which means irregularly shaped. The French themselves may have borrowed the word from Latin or Portuguese.

Famous Artists

Caravaggio was one of the most controversial and celebrated artists of the time, often credited with being a torchbearer for the Italian Baroque movement. His personal life was plagued by tragedy and turmoil that may have reflected in his religious paintings, which were often visceral and bloody, yet an honest reflection of the time. Using chiaroscuro, he implemented the use of heavy contrast between light and dark in his works. 

Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a pioneer of the Flemish baroque movement and was known for his use of religious and mythological subjects in his paintings. A versatile painter, he was also a noted tapestry cartoonist. His paintings are renowned for their expression of sensual movement and great vitality.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini wore many hats, being a prominent architect, craftsman, painter and playwright. He is credited with conceptualizing the baroque style of sculpture and his proficiency in marble made him a prolific and celebrated artist. What Michelangelo was to the Renaissance, Bernini was to baroque.

Patrons Of Art

As with a lot of creative pursuits of the time, baroque was first conceptualized in Rome before spreading to France, the Iberian Peninsula and even to Central and Eastern Europe. While the simple notes of renaissance art had fallen out of favor with the Catholic church, this new emerging style was encouraged for its attention to detail and emphasis on movement. This newfound encouragement meant religious works were commissioned, especially in high baroque architecture, which further meant domed ceilings with intricate stucco work and highly ornate altar pieces. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is a prime example of this with two beautiful works of Bernini being on display to this day.

Legacy

The baroque style came into decline toward the end of 18th century. The seeds of this were sown much earlier though, when painters and architects from France in 1750 developed a love for Classical art after a sojourn in Italy. Art styles now promoted antiquity and the wild gestures of baroque were abandoned for subtlety.

The baroque period gave the world some of its most enthralling and lively art and some of its most talented artists and architects. With examples of its influence all over Europe it’s one of the most prominent styles available for viewing today.