The Baroque style originated in Rome in the 17th century and later spread across Europe. It rejected some principles of the Renaissance like symmetry and proportion in favor of complex, dramatic forms intended to astonish viewers. Baroque art was often propagandistic, used by the Catholic Church and absolute monarchs to promote their authority. Key characteristics included dynamism, movement, and depicting strong emotions. Major Baroque artists included Bernini in Italy, Rubens in Flanders, Rembrandt in Holland, and Velazquez in Spain, each known for their realistic styles and masterful use of color, light, and composition.

2.  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.

3. 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.

4. • 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.

5. • Great interest in DEPICTING FEELINGS, and pursuits DYNAMISM,
MOVEMENT & TENSION.

7. 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.

8. VS
RENAISSANCE
“Villa Capra” or “Villa la Rotonda”
(Palladio)
BAROQUE
“Church of Saint Charles at the
Four Fountains” (Borromini)

9. Transformations of Saint Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city):
 Enlarged the central nave to convert its plan to one of Latin cross
Italy: CARLO MADERNO

10. Italy: CARLO MADERNO
Transformations of Saint Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city):
 Redesign of he façacde of the Basilica  use of giant order

11. Baldachin of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city)
Bronze covering structure over the altar supported by huge Salomonic columns
Italy: BERNINI
 Most renowned Baroque artist.
 Architect & sculptor.
 Sponsored by the Popes.

12. Italy: BERNINI
Baldachin of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican city)

13. St. Peter’s Square
(Vatican city)
Italy: BERNINI
Theatrical effect  its’ shape symbolizes the big arms of
the Catholic Church that embrace the whole humanity.

14. St. Peter’s Square (Vatican city)
Italy: BERNINI
The Egyptian obelisk commemorates the martyrdom of St. Peter at the Circus of
the roman emperor Neron.

15. St. Peter’s Square (Vatican city)
Italy: BERNINI
Giant order
columns

16. San Andrés del Quirinal (Rome) Muro cóncavo, portada convexa
Italy: BERNINI

17. San Andrés del Quirinal (Rome)
Italy: BERNINI

18. San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI
Famous for his great display
of movement

19. San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI

20. San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI

21. San Carlos de las Cuatro Fuentes
(Rome)
Italy: BORROMINI

22. Borromini:
Church of San Ivo della Sapienza (Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS

23. Borromini:
Church of San Ivo della
Sapienza (Rome)
OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS

24. Borromini:
Façade of the Church of Santa Inés (Piazza
Navona, Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS

25. Borromini: Oratorio de San Felipe Neri
(Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS

26. Baltasar Longhena:
Church of Santa Maria della Salute
(Venice)
Pietro da Cortona:
Church of Santa Maria della Pace (Rome)
Italy: OTHER BAROQUE BUILDINGS

27. Mansart:
Palace of Versailles (Paris)  comisioned by the “Roi Soleil”
France
French
Baroque
architecture
was less
complex:
• Straight lines
• Less decoration

28. France
Palace of Versailles (Paris)

29. 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

30. France
Palace of
Versailles
(Paris)

31. Palace of Schönbrunn (Viena)
Palace of “La Granja de
San Ildefonso” (Segovia)
• Versalles became the model of Royal palace in Europe.
France

32. “Les Invalides” (Paris)
France
• Commissioned by
Louis XIV, as a hospital
and a retirement
home for war
veterans.
• Burial place of
Napoleon Bonaparte.

33. 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

35.  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)
SCULTURE & PAINTING:
GENERAL ChAracteristics

36. ACTIVITY 2
1) Fill in the chart as you follow the explanation:
2) Match the artists with their characteristics:
Artists Examples
SCULPTURE Italy
PAINTING
Italy
Flanders
Holland
Spain
Caravaggio
Rubens
Rembrandt
Velazquez
Court painter of Felipe IV
Master in painting portraits
Tenebrism & great realism
Movement, colour & voluptuous women

37. David
Italy: BERNINI
VS
RENAISSANCE
BAROQUE

38. David
Italy: BERNINI

39. Apolo & Dafne
Italy: BERNINI

40. Ecstasy of
Saint
Theresa
Italy: BERNINI

41. Tomb of Pope Urban VIII
(Vatican City)
Italy: BERNINI

42. Portrait bust of
Louis XIV
Italy: BERNINI

43.  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
PAINTING:
specific characteristics

44. The Calling of St.
Mathew
(Vocación de San Mateo)
JesusSt. PeterSt. Mathew
Italy: CARAVAGGIO
 Tenebrism (very
pronounced form of
chiaroscuro)
 Great realism (total
absence of
idealization) 
humble people &
environments.

45. Conversion of Saint Paul
(La Conversión de San Pablo)
Crucifixion of St. Peter
(Crucifixión de San Pedro)
Italy: CARAVAGGIO

46. La Flagelación de
Cristo
La Decapitación de San Juan Bautista
Judit y
Holofernes
El entierro de
Cristo
Italy: CARAVAGGIO

47. Baco
• Still life (bodegón)
• Absence of idealization (vulgar
character, symptoms of
inebriation…)
Italy: CARAVAGGIO

48. Characterized by:
 Movement  curved lines,
complex & dynamic
compositions…
 Colour  clear triumph of
color over line. Fluid brush-
strokes. Brilliant colours.
 Curvy & voluptuose
women with white skin 
ideal of female beauty
The Three Graces
(Las tres Gracias)
Flanders: RUBENS

49. El juicio de Paris
Flanders: RUBENS

50. La adoración de los magos
Flanders: RUBENS
El alzamiento de la cruz
El Descendimiento

51. María de Medici
Retrato ecuestre del
Duque de Lerma
Flanders: RUBENS

52. The Night Watch
(La ronda de noche)
Holland: REMBRANDT
Famous for his portraits

53. Los síndicos del gremio de pañeros
Holland: REMBRANDT
Lección de anatomía del doctor Tulp

54. Selfportraits
Holland: REMBRANDT

55. Vermeer de Delft  everyday life
scenes, portraits, landscapes…
Holland: OTHER ARTISTS

56. Spain: VELAZQUEZ

57. Spain: VELAZQUEZ
La Fragua de Vulcano

58. Spain: VELAZQUEZ
La Rendición de Breda (Las lanzas)

59. Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Portraits of Felipe IV
& his family

60. Spain: VELAZQUEZ

61. Spain: VELAZQUEZ

62. Spain: VELAZQUEZ

63. La Venus del Espejo
Spain: VELAZQUEZ

64. Las hilanderas
Spain: VELAZQUEZ

65. Spain: VELAZQUEZ
Las Meninas