Baroque Architecture

Introduction

The Opera, Paris (1861-75). This building by Charles Garnier remains an individual and highly entertaining building of immense presence and charm.

The term baroque refers to periods in literature and music, a style of art and architecture predominant in Europe and certain European colonies in the Americas throughout the 1600s.
The Baroque period, an era in the history of the Western arts roughly coinciding with the 17th century. Its earliest manifestations, which occurred in Italy, date from the latter decades of the 16th century, while in some regions, notably Germany and colonial South America, certain of its culminating achievements did not occur until the 18th century. The work that distinguishes the Baroque period is stylistically complex, even contradictory. In general, however, the desire to evoke emotional states by appealing to the senses, often in dramatic ways, underlies its manifestations.

The Spread Of Baroque

In the 17th century, Rome was the artistic capital of Europe, and the baroque style soon spread outwards from it, undergoing modification in each of the countries to which it migrated, as it encountered different tastes and outlooks and merged with local traditions. In some areas it became more extravagant (notably in the fervent religious atmosphere of Spain and Latin America) and in others it was toned down to suit more conservative tastes.

In Catholic Flanders it had one of its finest flowerings in the work of Rubens, but in neighboring Holland, a predominantly Protestant country, the Baroque made comparatively slight inroads; nor did it ever take firm root in England.

In France, the Baroque, also know as the Rococo, found its greatest expression in the service of the monarchy rather than the church. Louis XIV realized the importance of the arts as a propaganda medium in promoting the idea of his regal glory, and his palace at Versailles--with its grandiose combination of architecture, sculpture, painting, decoration, and (not least) the art of the gardener--represents one of the supreme examples of the Baroque fusion of the arts to create an overwhelmingly impressive whole. (The German term Gesamtkunstwerk--`total work of art'--has been applied to this ideal.) In France, as in other countries, the Baroque style merged imperceptibly with the Rococo style that followed it.

Bernini

Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini was probably the greatest sculptor cum architect of the 17th century. In sculpture he alone was virtually responsible for the creation of what came to be called the Baroque style. I have got a page about him. Just click on the link to know more about him.

Gothic Revival

The Glyptothek, Munich, Germany. A Greek revival sculpture gallery. The flat pediment heavily enriched with sculpture like the Parthenon, is typical of the period and bears comparison with the British Museum.

After the Renaissance broke up the Baroque extravaganza, architecture looked back to history for guidance. There followed a complete absence of originality, while architecture devoted itself to a reiteration of historical styles. From Greek to Gothic stone building stemmed two quite distinct types of architectural expression. It became a matter of taste as to which style was selected for a particular design. Having made the choice, architects used either style, or in some cases both styles, to design buildings expressing their own individuality.

Architects Of The Baroque Period

Artist and architect Gianlorenzo Bernini dominated baroque sculpture in Rome. His works created effects of realistic dramatic tension, strong light-and-dark contrasts, and the illusion of variegated colors. He also excelled in portraiture, as did sculptor Alessandro Algardi. Fountains were among the principal types of baroque public monuments, and those by Bernini are outstanding examples. The major Italian baroque architects included Carlo Maderno, Francesco Borromini, and Guarino Guarini.

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