Baroque is the general term given to the style of artistic expression from the late 16th century to the middle of the 18th. Ironically, the term was first used contemptuously by critics to describe architecture and paintings that failed to meet their standards of beauty. Baroque art is an "intense movement of explosive energy." It is a powerful, awe inspiring, resplendent style that is full of flamboyant concepts and an overall dramatic quality. There are three categories of Baroque art: Counter-Reformation Church of Rome; the aristocratic courts of Louis XIV of France and the Stuarts of England; and the bourgeois merchants of Holland.
Counter-Reformation Baroque was created by the Jesuits in 1534. Michelangelo Merssisi da Caravaggio startled the world with his The Conversion of St. Paul. The paintings' biblical scene was that of one never seen before. Caravaggio displayed chiaroscuro throughout th
Aristocratic Baroque's first leader was Peter Paul Rubens. With his rich pleasing attributes, Rubens created The Assumption of the Virgin and almost instantly established his reputation as a renown artist. This reputation-creating painting was stunning with it's bold coloring and consistent energy flowing throughout the painting. The Assumption of the Virgin is a brilliant portrayal of the Aristocratic style. Nicolas Poussin also carried the same brilliant portrayal for aristocratic style although his works were entirely different from Rubens. Poussin used control and definite barriers between different objects and shading. Poussin did not favor color because he felt that it was "accidental with light." In Holy Family on the Steps, Poussins' style is quite evident. The exactness of the lines and his use of perspective show the uses of control and absolute value.
The third category was in Holland and called Bourgeois Baroque. It is un
All papers and essays are for research and reference purposes only!
Copyright 2002-2009
Direct Essays , LLC. All Rights Reserved. DMCA Webmasters make $$$$