Baroque Art

Baroque Art

    In fine art, the term Baroque (portuguese 'barocco' meaning, 'irregular pearl or stone') describes a fairly complex idiom, originating in Rome, which flowered during 16th century, and which embraced painting, sculpture, and architecture. After the idealism of the Renaissance, and the slightly 'forced' nature of Mannerism, Baroque art above all reflected the religious tensions of the age - notably the desire of the Catholic Church in Rome (as annuciated at the Council of Trent) to reassert itself in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Thus it is almost synonymous with Catholic Counter-Reformation Art of the period.

Style/Types of Baroue Art

    In order to fulfill its propagandist role, Catholic-inspired Baroque art tended to be large-scale works of public art, such as monumental wall-paintings and huge frescoes for the ceilings and vaults of palaces and churches.

Baroque painting illustrated key elements of Catholic dogma, either directly in Biblical works or indirectly in mythological or allegorical compositions. Along with this monumental, high-minded approach, painters typically portrayed a strong sense of movement, using swirling spirals and upward diagonals, and strong sumptuous colour schemes, in order to dazzle and surprise. New techniques of tenebrism and chiaroscuro were developed to enhance atmosphere.

Baroque sculpture typically larger-than-life size, is marked by a similar sense of dynamic movement, along with an active use of space.

Baroque architecture was designed to create spectate and illusion. Thus the straight lines of the Renaissance were replaced with flowing curves, while domes/roofs were enlarged, and interiors carefully constructed to produce spectacular effects of light and shade. It was an emotional style, which, wherever possible, exploited the theatrical potential of the urban landscape - as illustrated by St. Peter's Square (1656-67) in Rome, leading up to St. Peter's Basilica. Its designer, Bernini, one of the greatest Baroque architectures, ringed the square with colonnades, to convey the impression to visitors that they are being embraced by the arms of the Catholic Church.