2nd Quarter Lesson 2

Baroque Art
 The French term “Baroque” came from the words perola barroca-
a Portuguese phrase referring to a false jewel or an irregular shaped pearl.
The term originally had negative connotations, as its excessive
ornamentation, noisy details, extremely complex lines and bizarre
redundancy were too much for people who have been awed by the clearer
and restrained rationality of the Renaissance. Baroque painter, sculptors,
architects and other artists were mostly focused to light, color, and space,
as well as on the relationship between the viewer and the art subject, to
produce a strong, but subdued emotional experience.
The Development of Baroque Art Intellectual and
cultural factors that shaped Baroque art
In later portion of the 16th century, Mannerism had started
to wane as a means of expression, and there was a general feeling
that the Mannerist style did not fit with religious art
The artistic program that the Catholic Church had been
engaged in resulted in a paradoxical kind of Baroque, which was
characterized by both the sensuous and the spiritual.
The absolute monarchies in Europe became the main
patrons of art.
 The Development of Baroque Art Intellectual and
cultural factors that shaped Baroque art

They displayed power and grandeur by commissioning

artists to build them monumental Baroque palaces such as
that of the royal palace and gardens at Versailles.

The broadened interest in nature and the expanding

of human intellect, along with an aligned interest in the
sceneries and exploration of new lands in other parts of the
Pietro da Cortona’s Venus world, were also influential to the rise of Baroque art.
Appearing to Aeneas as a
Huntress
The Development of Baroque Art Intellectual and
cultural factors that shaped Baroque art
Baroque Sub-movements
In the early Baroque or Proto-Baroque
phase, artist favored a more intuitive appeal
and intentionally moved away from the
cerebral and amusing qualities of Mannerism.
Iconography during this phase was simple,
direct and dramatic, and it aimed to stimulate
the senses. Early Baroque art was dominated
by Antonio da Correggio, Annibale Carracci,
Annibale Carraci,
Federico Barocci and Michaelangelo Merisi da
Pieta
Caravaggio.
Baroque Sub-movements
The next phase, the High Baroque or the classicist
Baroque movement, was led by Peter Paul Rubens, Gian
Lorenzo Bernini, Diego Velazquez, and other artist who took a
more “sensual” path, focusing on the highly emotion nature
of art. Their aim was not only to create a naturalistic images,
but to have these images move the viewers. It was the
phase when Baroque artists were inspired by Greek and
Roman designs. Other artist during this time was Nicolas
Poussin and Rembrandt van Rijn.
Baroque Sub-movements
The late Baroque phase (sometimes
called the subsequent Rococo movement)
retained the energy and the delicate
curves of the previous phases. However,
highly emotional scenes were softened,
resulting in a lighter, more graceful, and
more playful style. Francios Boucher was
one of the most famous late Baroque
artists, who is known for his painting title
“The Birth of Venus”.
Baroque Painting
There was no singular Baroque style during
this period mainly because of the coexistence of
the naturalist and classical style with typical
Baroque art.
In the 1620s, a specific style of Baroque
painting was developed in Rome, which are still
observable until now in the monumental painted
ceilings and other church decorations of Pietro da
Cortona, Guido Reni, Giovanni “Guercino” Francesco
Barbieri, and Domenico “Domenichino” Zampieri. Diego Velazquez,
Las Meninas
Baroque Painting
Colors was played around for emotional effects.
Baroque art was known for the use of the
chiaroscuro technique, where there is an interplay
between light and dark. It is often used in paintings
to create a very high contrast and dramatic
atmosphere under dimly lit sceneries.
Other Baroque painters depict religious
ecstasy, physical sensuality, or individuality in their
creations.
Baroque Sculpture
Movement is the most important characteristic of
Baroque sculptures, with the dynamism and the vigor of
the human form taking center stage.
Human figures who are seen twisting their bodies,
extending their arms outward, stretching their necks and
other parts of their bodies, and floating upward were
common subjects in Baroque sculpture.
Basically, Baroque sculptures were used to
decorate cathedrals, piazzas, and other architectural
settings.
Nicola Salvi, Trevi Fountain,
Rome Italy
Baroque Architecture
Dynamism, or a sense of motion, was a key attribute of
Baroque architecture. This attribute was typically shown
through pronounced curves, ornate designs, and complex
features that are observable in Baroque-styled structures.
Renaissance architecture was planar or flat due to
classical Greco-Roman influences.
Baroque architecture was more three-dimensional
Baroque Architecture
Baroque Architecture
Baroque architecture was known for
massive structures that used some aspects of
urban planning and landscape architecture such
as that of Bernini’s elliptical piazza in front of St.
Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Good illustrations of Baroque architecture
are the gardens, fountains, and palace at
Versailles. A façade of Guarino
Guarini’s Palazzo
Carignano