Baroque period
The Baroque period was an influential era in artistic history that spanned from the late sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century, originating in Italy and later spreading across Western Europe. Characterized by extravagance and emotional intensity, the Baroque style encompassed various forms of creative expression, including painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, and music. This period emerged partly as a reaction to the ideological shifts of the Renaissance and was heavily influenced by the religious upheaval of the Protestant Reformation and the scientific advancements of the time.
Baroque art often depicted dramatic scenes with vibrant colors and exaggerated forms to evoke strong emotional responses, particularly in religious contexts. Notable artists such as Caravaggio and the Carracci brothers were pioneers of this style, creating works that reinforced the Catholic Church's spiritual ideals. In music, the Baroque era saw the rise of significant composers like Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, and Johann Sebastian Bach, whose innovative compositions reshaped musical practices. By the late eighteenth century, the Baroque style began to decline, giving way to the Rococo movement, which favored lighter themes but retained the intricate details characteristic of Baroque art. Overall, the Baroque period represents a rich tapestry of art and culture that reflects the complexities of its time.
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Baroque period
The Baroque period refers to an era of artistic history that began in the late sixteenth century and lasted until the early eighteenth century. The Baroque period originated in Italy and later spread throughout Western Europe. Though the term was not used to identify the period until it had already passed, "baroque" came to describe multiple forms of creative expression produced during the era including painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, and music. The Baroque style was known for its extravagance. Paintings and sculptures often featured dramatized depictions of historic or religious events. Baroque composers produced grandiose musical works characterized by elaborate musical embellishments. Architecture of the Baroque period featured highly stylized interiors meant to amaze those who beheld them. The Baroque period partly emerged in reaction to the ideological and scientific progress of the Renaissance. It developed in the midst of the scientific revolution, a period that challenged the accepted beliefs of the established world, as well as the Protestant Reformation, which threatened the stability of the Catholic Church. These factors greatly influenced the artistic style of this historical period.
Background
The term "baroque" has two potential derivations. The earliest root can be traced back to the Portuguese word "barroco," a word used as early as the thirteenth century to describe an irregularly shaped pearl. Classical logic also used the phrase "in boraco" to describe a very specific style of reasoning that involved resolving an argument by formula. The term took on a negative meaning when Renaissance thinkers began applying it to logic they considered too rigid. Toward the end of the Baroque period and the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment, the term's usage had extended beyond the realm of logic and became synonymous with words like "bizarre" and "capricious" as well as phrases such as "in bad taste." Enlightenment art and music critics began using variations of the term to negatively describe the styles of art they considered too magnanimous and chaotic for Enlightenment tastes, which emphasized reason and relatability. With this shift in sentiment, the exaggerated art and décor of the period prior to the Enlightenment became "baroque," a label that persisted for centuries after it was first used.
Most historians place the beginning of the Baroque period in the early 1600s, a time of intense religious, political, and social turmoil in Europe. The Roman Catholic community was losing members as the Protestant Reformation took hold, propelling Europe into a state of sectarian mayhem. Scientific knowledge of the universe was also rapidly advancing during this time, posing further problems for the religious authority. Galileo Galilei's 1632 claim that Earth revolved around the sun challenged the accepted theory that Earth was the center of the solar system. Galileo's theory invalidated the Christian view that humanity, at the center of the universe, was endowed with the gift of divine power over everything else. The claim also displaced God and the Heavens, further frustrating church authorities.
To regain their prominence, officials within the Roman Catholic Church began to emphasize the need to inspire followers. To reaffirm church views, religious art soon became a vehicle by which Catholic officials reinforced spiritual ideals to churchgoers. Early Baroque artists such as Carravagio and brothers Agostino and Annibale Carracci produced some of the earliest examples of Baroque style ecclesiastical art. These artists drew inspiration from Mannerism, an artistic style characterized by awkward poses and dissymmetry. The Baroque soon carried over into other art forms. Over the next century, Baroque became the dominant art form before being superseded by the Rococo art movement of the early eighteenth century.
Overview
The Baroque period encompasses a wide range of creative endeavors produced between the late sixteenth and early eighteenth centuries. The Baroque style got its start in the religious themed paintings and sculptures commissioned following the Protestant Reformation. The movement gradually took hold of other artistic undertakings such as music, literature, and theater. Baroque was classified by its combination of classic Renaissance art with the sentiments attached to the religious revival of the sixteenth century. As the period was marked by a series of power struggles, this sentiment was often reflected in art. Baroque churches and palaces contained magnificently ornate interiors with features such as sweeping staircases. The splendor was meant to inspire awe in visitors, leaving them impressed by their host's power. Baroque paintings were created to stir the viewer's emotions. Impassioned scenes containing vibrant colors and exaggerated postures aimed to glorify the painter's religious subjects and reiterate the importance of church values. Books and plays also became settings for rich visual experiences. The theater also developed many new stage technologies during this era that gave playhouses the ability to further embellish their productions.
Another important contribution of the Baroque period was Baroque music. Music during the Baroque defied conventional composition and led to a number of musical accomplishments. The opera got its start in the very early Baroque period. The Baroque also introduced a number of new terms to musical language such as fugue and concerto. The Baroque era supplied some of the most important composers in art music history, including Claudio Monteverdi, Arcangelo Corelli, and Antonio Vivaldi. Monteverdi composed the famous "Vespro della Beate Vergine" (Vespers of the Blessed Virgin) in 1610 as well as some of the earliest operas still performed in modern times. Monteverdi's compositions challenged the traditional musical practices of the time, as he placed his emphasis on the poetic harmony of music rather than strictly adhering to established music theory. Corelli and Vivaldi also produced several works that influenced the technique of musicians for generations to come. Baroque music was distinguishable for its tonal urgency and novel instrumentation. The late Baroque period ushered in several more prominent composers including Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.
By the 1720s, the popularity of the Baroque style of art and music lost favor within the creative community. By the late eighteenth century, a new style known as the Rococo movement took hold of Europe. Rococo rejected the political and religious themes of the Baroque, preferring lighthearted subject matter that presented as pleasantly quirky. Rococo maintained the Baroque era's preference for intricate details, however, and some historians refer to the Rococo period as the "late Baroque" period due to its preservation of this practice.
Bibliography
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