 Started in Rome (Italy), and then it
spread across Europe.
 Chronology: 17th Century
 Where does the name come from? Its not clear…

It might come from the Portuguese word “barroco”  name given to irregular &
imperfect pearls.

It might come from the word “verruga ”  something that is considered defective.
It was first used in the 18th Century, by Neoclassical artists, in a
pejorative way to criticize the extravagant & distorted artistic
forms of the previous century.
CHARACTERISTICS:
• PROPAGANDISTIC ART: it tries to
impress, amaze & persuade
people.
 Catholic Church  used it to
promote its doctrines against
Protestantism.
 Absolute Monarchs  used it to
display their power & enhance their
authority.
 Bourgeoisie  used it to
demonstrate their economic success.
• Considered OPPOSITE TO THE RENAISSANCE, despite it also uses
element taken from the Classical art:
 Rejects Renaissance principles (proportion, symmetry, simplicity, order…). It rather
prefers theatrical, excessive, pretentious & complex forms.
 It tries to amaze & attract people appealing to their emotions, not their reasoning.
• Great interest in DEPICTING FEELINGS, and pursuits DYNAMISM,
MOVEMENT & TENSION.
ARCHITECTURE: ChAracteristics
• Use of classical elements (columns, arches,
pediments, entablatures…) but used with total
freedom  no proportion (giant order), balance, order,
simplicity… they rather pursue a visual & emotional
impact.
• Taste for curved lines to create sense of movement
& a theatrical effect:
 Curved walls to create chiaroscuro effects
(lights/shades)
 Broken pediments
 Solomonic column (twisted shaft)
 Elliptical plans
• Extensive decoration  specially the façades, as they
are considered “store windows” to attract people inside
the buildings.
RENAISSANCE
“Villa Capra” or “Villa la Rotonda”
(Palladio)
VS
BAROQUE
“Church of Saint Charles at the
Four Fountains” (Borromini)
Italy: CARLO MADERNO
Transformations of Saint Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city):
 Enlarged the central nave to convert its plan to one of Latin cross
Italy: CARLO MADERNO
Transformations of Saint Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city):
 Redesign of he façacde of the Basilica  use of giant order
Italy: BERNINI
 Most renowned Baroque artist.
 Architect & sculptor.
 Sponsored by the Popes.
Baldachin of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city)
Bronze covering structure over the altar supported by huge Salomonic columns
Italy: BERNINI
Baldachin of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city)
Italy: BERNINI
Theatrical effect  its’ shape symbolizes the big arms of
the Catholic Church that embrace the whole humanity.
St. Peter’s Square
(Vatican city)
Italy: BERNINI
St. Peter’s Square (Vatican city)
The Egyptian obelisk commemorates the martyrdom of St. Peter at the Circus of
the roman emperor Neron.
Italy: BERNINI
St. Peter’s Square (Vatican city)
Giant order
columns
Italy: BERNINI
San Andrés del Quirinal (Rome)
Muro cóncavo, portada convexa
Italy: BERNINI
San Andrés del Quirinal (Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI
Famous for his great display
of movement
San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI
San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI
San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI
San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS
Borromini:
Church of San Ivo della Sapienza (Rome)
OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS
Borromini:
Church of San Ivo della
Sapienza (Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS
Borromini:
Façade of the Church of Santa Inés (Piazza
Navona, Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS
Borromini: Oratorio de San Felipe Neri
(Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS
Baltasar Longhena:
Church of Santa Maria della Salute
(Venice)
Pietro da Cortona:
Church of Santa Maria della Pace (Rome)
France
French
Baroque
architecture
was less
complex:
• Straight lines
• Less decoration
Mansart:
Palace of Versailles (Paris)  comisioned by the “Roi Soleil”
France
Palace of Versailles (Paris)
France
HALL O MIRRORS
(Galería de los Espejos)
Creaban una escenografía auténticamente barroca
para exaltar la figura del Rey Sol:
• 17 ventanales… a los que corresponde otros tantos
espejos en la pared de enfrente.
• Abundancia decorativa.
• Bóveda con pinturas sobre las victorias de Luis XIV.
• Iluminación a base de 3.000 lámparas duplicada por
los espejos.
France
Palace of
Versailles
(Paris)
France
• Versalles became the model of Royal palace in Europe.
Palace of Schönbrunn (Viena)
Palace of “La Granja de
San Ildefonso” (Segovia)
France
“Les Invalides” (Paris)
• Commissioned by
Louis XIV, as a hospital
and a retirement
home for war
veterans.
• Burial place of
Napoleon Bonaparte.
ACTIVITY 1
1) What similarities & differences does Baroque art have
with Renaissance art?
2) Why do we say that Baroque art was propagandistic?
3) Who were the main patrons of Baroque art?
4) Devise a diagram to summarize Baroque architecture.
Include:
• Characteristics
• Artists
• Examples
SCULTURE & PAINTING:
GENERAL ChAracteristics

Naturalism

Expression of feelings

Movement  achieved by dynamic & complex compositions (“figura
serpentinata ”), unstable poses, treatment of clothing, excessive gesticulation

Strong chiaroscuro  big contrasts of lights & shades to increase dramatism.

Topics:
 Mainly religious  in Catholic countries (Italy, France, Flanders, Spain...)
 New topics addressed to the bourgeoisie (especially in Protestant countries)
 Mythological
 Scenes of everyday life
 Portraits
 Landscapes
 Still lifes (bodegones)
ACTIVITY 2
1) Fill in the chart as you follow the explanation:
Artists
SCULPTURE
Examples
Italy
Italy
PAINTING
Flanders
Holland
Spain
2) Match the artists with their characteristics:
Caravaggio
Court painter of Felipe IV
Rubens
Master in painting portraits
Rembrandt
Tenebrism & great realism
Velazquez
Movement, colour & voluptuous women
Italy: BERNINI
David
RENAISSANCE
VS
BAROQUE
Italy: BERNINI
David
Italy: BERNINI
Apolo & Dafne
Italy: BERNINI
Ecstasy of
Saint
Theresa
Italy: BERNINI
Tomb of Pope Urban VIII
(Vatican City)
Italy: BERNINI
Portrait bust of
Louis XIV
PAINTING:
specific characteristics
 Realism: no idealization; reality & nature are represented as they are
(ugliness, pain, deformity…)
 Triumph of color over line. Fluid brush-strokes.
 Illusion of depth & distance (3D) through aerial perspective & a
magnificent use of chiaroscuro.
 Main artists:
 Italy  Caravaggio
 Flanders  Rubens
 Holland  Rembrandt
 Spain  Velazquez
Italy: CARAVAGGIO
The Calling of St.
Mathew
(Vocación de San Mateo)
 Tenebrism (very
pronounced form of
chiaroscuro)
 Great realism (total
absence of
idealization) 
humble people &
environments.
St. Mathew
St. Peter
Jesus
Italy: CARAVAGGIO
Conversion of Saint Paul
(La Conversión de San Pablo)
Crucifixion of St. Peter
(Crucifixión de San Pedro)
Italy: CARAVAGGIO
La Flagelación de
Cristo
El entierro de
Cristo
Judit y
Holofernes
La Decapitación de San Juan Bautista
Italy: CARAVAGGIO
Baco
•
•
Still life (bodegón)
Absence of idealization (vulgar
character, symptoms of
inebriation…)
Flanders: RUBENS
Characterized by:
 Movement  curved lines,
complex & dynamic
compositions…
 Colour  clear triumph of
color over line. Fluid brushstrokes. Brilliant colours.
 Curvy & voluptuose
women with white skin 
ideal of female beauty
The Three Graces
(Las tres Gracias)
Flanders: RUBENS
El juicio de Paris
Flanders: RUBENS
La adoración de los magos
El alzamiento de la cruz
El Descendimiento
Flanders: RUBENS
María de Medici
Retrato ecuestre del
Duque de Lerma
Holland: REMBRANDT
Famous for his portraits
The Night Watch
(La ronda de noche)
Holland: REMBRANDT
Los síndicos del gremio de pañeros
Lección de anatomía del doctor Tulp
Holland: REMBRANDT
Selfportraits
Holland: OTHER ARTISTS
Vermeer de Delft  everyday life
scenes, portraits, landscapes…
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
La Fragua de Vulcano
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
La Rendición de Breda (Las lanzas)
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Portraits of Felipe IV
& his family
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
La Venus del Espejo
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Las hilanderas
Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Las Meninas