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What is it? - Baroque is a style from the early 16th century that many different mediums adopted. If you go around Europe, you will find Baroque art, sculpture, music, and architecture. Most countries had their own version of the Baroque.

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When exactly? - Historians have pinned the Baroque period from around 1600 until the 1740s. Unlike Romanticism where people were aware of the movement as it unfolded, the Baroque style was only named and categorized after it was established. The name Baroque was actually used to criticize the new fashion.

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Baroque - The term Baroque comes seems to have come from two places. One is from the Latin baroco, which means something that is very complicated. The other is from the Portuguese barroco, meaning a misshapen pearl. Both serve to describe the style well.

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Where did it come from? - A little history is necessary to understand the beginning of the Baroque. It all started with the Reformation in 1517 when Martin Luther (1483-1546) called out the Catholic Church for not being truly godly.

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The split - Religion in Europe split into Protestantism and Catholicism. Protestantism called for simple churches, pure faith in God, and a direct connection between believers and the Bible. This meant that they were against priests and the Pope.

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The split - This was not good news for the Catholic Church because its whole foundation was the fact that the Pope and priests were intermediaries between God and the people. In response to the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church called together the Council of Trent (1545-1563).

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The Council of Trent - At the council of Trent, the Catholic Church reasserted its position by creating the Counter-Reformation. They reiterated the importance of the Seven Sacraments and created a Papal Index, a list of books that were banned.

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Counter-Reformation - The goal of the Council was to find a way to reengage people and fight against Martin Luther’s Reformation. One of the ways they did this was through church decorations.

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Counter-Reformation - Most people in the 16th and 17th century were not literate in the common language, not least in Latin. The problem was that most of the Bibles were written in Latin and so only the elite could understand the text.

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Counter-Reformation -

Therefore, the heads of the Catholic Church decided to make the art, ceremony, and music surrounding Catholicism emotionally enticing. They went in the opposite direction of Protestantism’s asceticism.

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Architecture - The Catholic Church wanted to make religious ceremonies feel like heaven on earth, as if the churchgoers were directly connected to God. One of the best ways to do this was to make churches imposing and grand.

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Italian Baroque - Rome was the center of the Counter-Reformation because it was where the Pope resided. The best example of the Italian Baroque style is St. Peter’s Basilica. It incorporates the Renaissance and Baroque styles.

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St. Peter’s Basilica - Although some consider the building as part of the Renaissance style, it is actually one of the first buildings that shows the transition into the Baroque style. It was built in 1626 with money raised by indulgences.

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Indulgences - One of the reasons the Catholic Church could pay for these lavish constructions was because Catholics were asked to pay indulgences. The devout could pay the church money to supposedly release their loved ones from purgatory (the place between heaven and hell). It was one of the key reasons Protestants turned against the Pope.

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St. Peter's Baldachin - Inside the basilica, there is a pavilion-like structure that is one of the first works by a huge figure in Barque architecture, Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). The opulent carvings and enormity are characteristic of Baroque design.

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Spanish Baroque - Baroque architecture came to Spain through the Jesuits. They are a Catholic society that spread throughout Europe and convinced people to convert to Catholicism. They also encouraged worshippers to educate themselves at the same time as being true to the church.

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Spanish Baroque - The most important Baroque construction in Spain is in Seville. It is the Palacio de San Telmo, designed by Leonardo de Figuera. Its towers, courtyards, and ornate chapel are all examples of the Baroque style with their fine detail and grandeur.

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French Baroque or Classicism - France did not adopt the Baroque style as Spain and Italy had. It was more attached to the classical style of the Renaissance, which was more uniform and less over the top.

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French Baroque or Classicism - Louis XIV asked Bernini to come and design a new part of the Louvre. He wanted France to join the Baroque movement, however, in the end he rejected the plans for something more in the style of the Renaissance.

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French Baroque or Classicism - The big change came about when Louis XIV decided to magnificently expand Versailles. He asked French architect Louis Le Vau (1612-1670) to create a Baroque design with a classical touch.

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Portuguese Baroque - The cities of Porto and Braga were the Baroque centers of Portugal. The designs have a unique flare in that churches are often white-walled and quite simple apart from ginormous thick golden carvings framing the archways and altars.

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Russian Baroque - The Baroque style also spread to Russia after Peter the Great (1672-1725) began to visit Europe. He was inspired by Versailles and so built the Peter and Paul Cathedral in its style.

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Russian Baroque - The famous Winter Palace was also constructed in the Baroque style by an Italian architect named Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700-1771). This is known as Elizabethan Baroque because it was constructed under the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna (1709-1762).

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Baroque painting -

The Baroque style is perhaps most famous for its art. The aim of the paintings was to be so dramatic and emotional that Catholics would be involved in the scenes, and thus respect God and the Catholic doctrine more. Pictured: painting by Guercino (1591-1666).

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Michelangelo Caravaggio (1571-1610) -

‘Supper at Emmaus’ is a typical Baroque painting. It is dynamic, large, and quite colorful. Caravaggio was a master of the Baroque style and was asked to do many religious scenes that are now in churches.

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Diego Velásquez (1699-1660) - Velásquez famously painted ‘Las Meninas.’ It's a painting of Margaret Theresa of Spain (1651-1673) as a young girl. The painting is full of messages and hidden symbols. It is considered a great example of Spanish Baroque art.

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Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) -

Rubens is considered a fine example of a Flemish Baroque painter. He focused mostly on Christian tales of morality.

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Baroque sculpture -

Alongside being an incredible architect, Bernini was also an outstanding sculptor. The Baroque style of sculpture emphasized expressions, making the subject seem as real as possible.

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Baroque music -

Baroque music was not just a new way of making music, but it also brought with it new forms. The Baroque era was when opera and classical ballet were invented. The music was generally very complicated. The most famous composer of the period is Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

Sources: (Britannica) (BBC) (Smarthistory)

See also: Architecture and religion: the most beautiful churches in the world

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