ARTS OF THE RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE PERIOD

During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Churchs emphasis on the spiritual realm
discouraged realistic representation of the physical world in art. The Renaissance saw the
reemergence, or rebirth, of realistic portrayals of nature and the human figure by artists inspired by
ancient Greek and Roman art and culture. Early Renaissance works of the 14th and 15th centuries
show lingering medieval features, while Renaissance masterpieces of the late 15th and early 16th
century reveal the harmonious proportions and balanced compositions associated with the ideals of
the Classical world.
Art of the Baroque period of the 17th century embodied a dynamic energy that mirrored the
restless spirit of its age. In painting, dramatic images of faith driven by the Catholic
Churchs Counter-Reformation contrast with lively presentations of the everyday, secular world
commonly produced in the Protestant north. The Art Institute's collection of Renaissance and
Baroque objects dates back to the earliest years of the museum's history. It has been enhanced by
the contributions of major collectors such as the Deering family and continues to grow today