Baroque
Striving to Impress
Baroque: Definition
• A period of history
• A description of artistic/musical
style after the Renaissance
Causes and Origins
• Counter reformation movement
(glory of the church)
• Rulers wanted a style signifying glory
and power
• Artist’s desire to be more expressive
• Originated in Italy
Characteristics
• How does Baroque compare with the
Renaissance?
• Unique contributions
– Emotion/Religious fervor/Realism
– Dramatic (light and shade/perspective)
– Exploration of form (elaborateness,
exaggeration) but all in control
– Virtuosity
– Bernini
Architecture Style
• Main buildings:
palaces and
churches
• Classical
architectural
elements but in a
free way:
– Split pediments
– Arched walls
– Contrast light and
shade
Architecture Style
• Plans were oval or
circular
• Interiors  rich and
abundantly decorated
to impress the onlooker
demonstrate the
inmense power of the
Church or absolute
monarchs
Architecture Style
Palace of Versailles
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Baldacchino (Altar
covering in St. Peters)
Altar:
Baldacchino
St. Peter´s
Basilica
Sculpture
• They were made of
different materials:
Marble and wood
• Religious and
mythological themes.
Portraits
• Figures were realistic
often with exaggerated
and dramatic
expression
• Movement
Bernini
Ecstacy of St.
Theresa
Bernini
David
Bernini
Apollo and
Daphne
Pluto and
Persephone
Painting
•
•
•
•
•
Realistic style even unpleasant characters
Landscapes gained importance
Light and shadow tenebrism
Colour predominated over drawing
Caravaggio – Rembrandt, Rubens, Velazquez
Caravaggio
(Michelangelo Merisi)
• The
Calling of
Saint
Matthew
– Chiaros
curo
– Realism
Caravaggio
• The
Martyrdom
of Saint
Matthew
– Emotion
– Perspective
Caravaggio
• David with the
head of Goliath
– Emotion/realis
m
– Light/darkness
Artemesia Gentileschi
• Judith and
Holofornes
– Emotion
– Realism
– Perspective
Peter Paul Rubens
Henri IV
Receiving
the
Portrait
of Marie
De
Medici
Rape of the Daughters
of Leucippus
The Three Graces- Rubens
Rembrandt: Night Watch
Rembrandt
Dr. Tulp’s
Anatomy
Lesson
Diego Velazquez
Diego Velazquez
• Portraits, religious,
mythological and
historical themes
• Aerial perspective
(intensity of colours and
details reduced)
Diego
Velazquez
• Las Meninas
(Maids of Honor)
– Perspective
– Virtuosity (detail)
– The art of
creating art
(similar to the
view of literature
making literature
in Don Quixote)
Velazquez: The Surrender of
Breda (Las Lances)
• Perspective
• Virtuosity
Spanish architecture
• Basic materials(brick,
plaster…) covered with
decorative work
• Churriguera brothers
chuguirreresque style
characterised by
excessive
ornamentation
Spanish sculpture
• Religious themes
• Sculptures made by
polychrome wood
• Gregorio Fernández and
Juan Martínez
Montañés
Spanish painting
• Religious themes,
portraits and still lifes
• Main painters:
–
–
–
–
José Rivera
Zurbarán
Murillo: Virgins
Velázquez