BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE
Cronology and geography• From the end of 16th century until
1750.• Geography: whole Europe+ America.• Characteristics of the period:
– Religious and political conflicts– Geographical colonization– Scientific development– New astrological discoveries Sun
centre of Universe
Baroque Style• The word "baroque" comes from the
Portuguese word barroco, meaning misshapen pearl.
• New naturalism that reflects the scientific advances
• Taste for dramatic action and emotion:– Colour and light contrasted– Rich textures– Asymmetrical spaces– Diagonal plans– New subjects: landscape, genre, still-life
Baroque Style• Variety within the style• Art at the service of power• Two main centres:
– Rome: Pope’s authority– France: powerful monarchy
• Influence of the Counter-Reform• Worry about plastic values
Architecture: Characteristics• Long narrow naves replaced by
broader or circular forms
• Dramatic use of light
Architecture: Characteristics• Dramatic use of light
• Large-scale ceiling frescoes
Architecture: Characteristics• Large-scale ceiling frescoes
• Interior a shell for painting and sculpture
Architecture: Characteristics• Illusory effects
• Ekialdeko Europan tipula-kupulak
Architecture: Italy• They evolved from the Renaissance
forms• Movement toward grand structures with
flowing, curving shapes• Landscape was frequently incorporated• New elements as gardens, squares ,
courtyards and fountains.• Influence of the rebuilding of Saint Peter,
in which classical forms integrated with the city.
Architecture: Italy• Maderno
– He made the Vatican’s façade– His work destroyed partially
Michelangelo’s design– His work combined the dome with the
creation of an space where the Pope could appear publicaly
– Other works:• Santa maria della Vittoria• Palazzo Barberini
Vaticano’s façade
Santa Maria della Vittoria
Palazzo Barberini
Architecture: Italy• Longhena
– He worked mainly in Venice– His design was selected for building
Santa Maria della Salute– It is building of central plan with a great
dome that became the symbol of Venice.
Ca’ Rezzonico
Santa Maria of Nazaret
Santa Maria della Salute
Architecture: Italy• Bernini
– He created a fusion of architecture, painting and sculpture
– He used false perspective and trompe-l’ oeil to impact
– He used a palace façade that became a model with massive pilasters above a rusticated base.
– Works:• Saint Peter’s square• Baldaquin
San Peter’s colomnade
San Pete’r Baldaquine
Architecture: Italy• Borromini
– His works spring from the contrast between convention and freedom
– He used tradition as a basis, but not as a law
– Works:• San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane• San Carlo Borromeo• Oratorio degli Fillipenses
San Carlo alle quattro fontane
San Ivo’s dome
Oratorio degli Filipensi
Palacio Spada (trompe l’oeil)
Stairs
Architecture: France• It was elegant, ordered, rational and
restraided• It is a rectilinear model, closer to
classicism• It aimed at showing the power of
Louis XIV monarchy.• The main works are:
– Louvre: Le Vau and Perrault– Versailles: Le Brun, Le Vau, Le Notre
Louvre palace
Versailles palace
Architecture: Central Europe• It began later due to the Thirty Years’ War• Austria developed the Imperial style with
Fischer von Erlach and Hildebrandt• In Germany, in the Catholic South Jesuit
models were followed while in the Protestant North works were less important
• Palace architecture was important in the whole area
Fisher von Erlach: Karlskirtche and Schönbrunn
Hildebrandt: Belvedere palace
Architecture: England and Russia
• In England is important Wren• Baroque was the style used to design
town planning• In Russia it is very decorative, in
quite traditional churches sometimes made of brick; later it was imported from the Low Countries and finally it became an extravagant art.
Wren: San Paul
Wren: Cambridge Emmanuel chapel
Cambridge library
Architecture: Spain• At the beginning it continued the pattern of
the Escorial• Decoration tends to concentrate just in the
façade• The Rococo was the time of the development
of the Churrigueresque style, with exaggerated decoration around the door
• The Plateresque (last Renaissance that imitates the work on silver) and the Churrigueresque were exported to America, mainly to Mexico.
Jose Benito Churriguera: Salamanca’s San Esteban convent altarpiece
Alberto Churriguera: Salamanca’s main square
Rococo
• French style for interior decoration• It developped mainly at the end of 1720• It was used in other countries as a
French Style• Characteristics:
– Galante: luxurious things– Contraste: asymmety– Chinoiserie: exotic character imitating
Chinese arts
Rococo Architecture
• It caught the public taste• Small and curious buildings• Elegant parlours, dainty sitting-rooms and boudoirs• Walls, ceiling, furniture and works of metal as
decoration• Ensemble of sportive, fantastic and sculptured
forms• Horizontal lines almost completely supressed• Shell-like curves• Walls covered by stucco• White and bright colours.