What Is Baroque Art History?

Art|Art History

Baroque Art History is a period of European art history that began in the late 16th century and lasted until the mid-18th century. It was a period of great artistic, political, and religious upheaval, marked by the emergence of new styles in painting, sculpture, architecture, and music. The Baroque style was characterized by dramatic compositions with intense emotion and movement, illusionistic effects created through light and shadow, and elaborate ornamentation.

The Baroque style was developed in Rome during the early 17th century by artists such as Caravaggio and Bernini. It quickly spread throughout Italy and eventually to other parts of Europe, where it took on different characteristics in each country.

In Spain, for example, Baroque art was characterized by grandiose and highly decorative works designed for grand public spaces. In France it featured lighter colors and more restrained compositions.

Baroque art made use of many different techniques such as trompe l’oeil (trick of the eye) to create an illusionistic effect; chiaroscuro (light-dark contrast) to create dramatic lighting effects; and sfumato (smoke-like) blending to soften forms. Many of these techniques were used to enhance religious subjects such as altarpieces or scenes from the Bible.

The Baroque style also began to influence other areas of art such as literature, theater, and dance. Writers such as Molière used exaggerated characters in their plays while dancers like Jean-Baptiste Lully used complex choreography with multiple figures on stage.

What Is Baroque Art History?

Baroque Art History is a period of European art history that lasted from the late 16th century until the mid-18th century. It was a time marked by great artistic innovation as painters, sculptors, architects, musicians, writers, dancers all embraced new styles that featured dramatic compositions with intense emotion and movement augmented by elaborate ornamentation. The Baroque style spread throughout Europe where it took on different characteristics in each country that still influences our understanding of art today.