The Baroque Research Paper
THE BAROQUE
Historical Background
Welcome to “History through Art”. Today we’ll be looking at the history, culture and art of the Baroque, a period of turbulence that began about 1545. It was a time when the Renaissance celebration of all humanity switched its focus to the rich, self-centered privileged class who could afford to sponsor artists to immortalize their opulent life-style. The wealthy also were patrons to artists who depicted both religious and secular scenes with great motion, light, and sensuality. Today, you can see the Baroque influence in the ornate curlicues around the doors of old buildings and antique picture frames, and even in the string quartets and chamber groups that play at formal weddings and parties. As is usually the case, the art, music, and writing of the Baroque reflect the world in which they were created. The Baroque period was one of great turmoil, particularly in two intertwined areas: politics and religion. For instance, Elizabeth I, England’s Protestant queen, was busy fighting Phillip II, Spain’s Catholic king. You can get a sense of the Queen’s wealth and power just by looking at this portrait of hers. When the Queen’s navy defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, it was considered a religious as well as a political victory. Meanwhile, both …show more content…
Painters, sculptors, and architects from all over the world flocked there to study the monuments of the city and to make their own special contributions to the sacred beauty of Rome. There was Bernini, the sculptor, and Borromini, the disturbed and imaginative architect. Caravaggio came from northern Italy, and Peter Paul Rubens journeyed from Flanders. There was Nicolas Poussin, a Frenchman and El Greco, the Greek on his way to Spain. The works of these artists made Rome into an inspiring and magnificent center for the new Catholic church – embarked on its campaign of
Historical Background
Welcome to “History through Art”. Today we’ll be looking at the history, culture and art of the Baroque, a period of turbulence that began about 1545. It was a time when the Renaissance celebration of all humanity switched its focus to the rich, self-centered privileged class who could afford to sponsor artists to immortalize their opulent life-style. The wealthy also were patrons to artists who depicted both religious and secular scenes with great motion, light, and sensuality. Today, you can see the Baroque influence in the ornate curlicues around the doors of old buildings and antique picture frames, and even in the string quartets and chamber groups that play at formal weddings and parties. As is usually the case, the art, music, and writing of the Baroque reflect the world in which they were created. The Baroque period was one of great turmoil, particularly in two intertwined areas: politics and religion. For instance, Elizabeth I, England’s Protestant queen, was busy fighting Phillip II, Spain’s Catholic king. You can get a sense of the Queen’s wealth and power just by looking at this portrait of hers. When the Queen’s navy defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, it was considered a religious as well as a political victory. Meanwhile, both …show more content…
Painters, sculptors, and architects from all over the world flocked there to study the monuments of the city and to make their own special contributions to the sacred beauty of Rome. There was Bernini, the sculptor, and Borromini, the disturbed and imaginative architect. Caravaggio came from northern Italy, and Peter Paul Rubens journeyed from Flanders. There was Nicolas Poussin, a Frenchman and El Greco, the Greek on his way to Spain. The works of these artists made Rome into an inspiring and magnificent center for the new Catholic church – embarked on its campaign of