BAROQUE

ARCHITECTURE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

AEGEAN GREEK MEDIEVAL NEOCLASSICAL/

CA. 3000- CA. 1200
ROMAN
CA. 500-
RENAISSANCE BAROQUE ROMANTIC
MODERN
CA. 0-500 CA. 1400-1600 CA. 1850-
1200 BC BC-0 1500 CA. 1600-1800 CA. 1750-1900

SUMMARY OF BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE

EARLY BAROQUE HIGH BAROQUE LATE BAROQUE ROCOCO
CA. 1600-25 CA. 1625-75 CA. 1675-1725 CA. 1725-1800
Maderno Bernini and Borromini chateaux Austria/southern Germany
(facade of St Peter's) (sacred architecture) (notably Versailles) (notably churches)
The fundamental characteristic of baroque
art is dynamism (a sense of motion).

Strong curves, rich decoration, and

general complexity are all typical
features of baroque art

The full Baroque aesthetic emerged during

the Early Baroque (ca. 1600-25), then
culminated during the High Baroque (ca.
1625-75); both periods were led by Italy.

The restrained Baroque aesthetic culminated

during the Late Baroque (ca. 1675-1725).
The Baroque age concluded with the French-
born Rococo style (ca. 1725-1800), in which
the violence and drama of Baroque was
quieted to a gentle, playful dynamism.
The Late Baroque and Rococo periods were
led by France .
1.Baroque architecture was a reaction to renaissance architecture . •
counter reformation – emotional and sensory appeal through art and
architecture
2. european colonism was at its peak, which meant having absolute
power and wealth.
3. It was very ornamental and over the top.
4. Materials used were very rich , for example : gold , granite etc.
Palace of versaille
5. Baroque is thought as a much more emotional, more elaborate,
more illusionistic form of renaissance architecture, with greater
manipulation of light, colour, texture and perspective.
6.It boasts more ostentatious exteriors; more complex less geometric
but more unified floor-plans plus a host of walland ceiling fresco
decorations. Rottenbuch abbey, bavaria, germany
Elements
• Long and narrow naves were now replaced by broader, circular ,oval
forms
• dynamic use of light was made in this period
• exessive use of colour and ornamentation
• Regular straight lines gave way to curves and irregularity within
symmetry and grandeur.
• Introduction to colossal orders
 EARLY BAROQUE
CA. 1600-1625
The foremost pioneer of Baroque architecture was Carlo Maderno, whose masterpiece is the
facade of Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. (Constructed under various architects throughout the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Saint Peter's features a mixture
of Renaissance and Baroque components, the facade being one of the latter.)

Prior to Maderno, Saint Peter's had featured a central plan design, upon which various architects
had worked (especially Michelangelo). Maderno converted the building into a Latin cross basilica
by extending the nave, thus pushing the main entrance of the church forward. Saint Peter's can
therefore be roughly divided into two parts: the core(designed largely by Michelangelo) and the
front extension (designed by Maderno). The great dome of Saint Peter's is also chiefly
Michelangelo's work, though Maderno did adjust its proportions (by stretching it vertically).

The facade of Saint Peter's contains a number of typical Baroque elements, including double
columns (close-set pairs of columns), layered columns, colossal columns(columns that span
multiple stories), and broken pediments (in which the bottom and/or top of a pediment features a
gap, often with ornamentation that "bursts through" the pediment). All of these elements were
pioneered during the Late Renaissance, in mannerist architecture.

St Peter's also makes extensive use of coffered ceilings, a common feature of monumental
Western architecture.
DESIGNED BY CARLO MADERNO, 1608-1614 116M WIDE, 53M HIGH

THE FACADE OF ST. PETER'S DURING A CANONIZATION

The Saint Peter’s Church, also called St. Peter’s Basilica is
a late Renaissance church within Vatican City. It is
Europe’s largest Christian church.

• It is the second church to stand above the crypt (tomb)

believed to hold the body of Saint Peter, the first pope.
• St. Peter’s is built in the shape of a cross.

St. Peter's is famous for many reasons:

•The pope, who lives at the Vatican, often says mass at
St. Peter's.
•Many people go there on pilgrimage.
•It is said to be the greatest work of architecture of its
age.
•It has works by many famous artists
including Michelangelo and Bernini.
•St. Peter's is probably the largest Christian church in
the world. It covers an area of 2.3 ha (5.7 acres) and
can hold over 60,000 people.
•MATERIALS USED- limestone, brick, marble
HISTORY
The first St. Peter’s Church was begun by
Constantine the Great about 325. He built the
church to celebrate his acceptance of
Christianity.
• The church was modeled on the Basilica, a
rectangular building used as a meeting hall by
the Romans. Four rows of columns, extending
almost the length of the church, divided it into
a nave with two aisles on either side.
There has been a church on this site since the 4th
century.
• Construction of the present basilica, over the
old Constantinian basilica, began on 18 April 1506
and was completed on 18 November 1626.
• As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the
greatest building of its age.
 ST. PETERS SQUARE-
VIEW FROM THE DOME

AERIAL VIEW
PANORMA OF THE COMPLEX

AT NIGHT
DETAIL OF THE DOME
 Detail of the dome's Baldachin
ceiling

Crepuscular rays are seen in St. Peter's The apse with St. Peter's Cathedra
Basilica at certain times each day. supported by four Doctors of the Church
BRAMANTE’S PLAN RAPHAEL’S PLAN MICHELANGELO’S PLAN
Donato Bramante won Raphael’s plan was Michelangelo changed
Pope Julius II Della Rovere’s for a basilica in the Bramante’s plan for a balanced
design contest for the new form of a Roman and restful dome into a dynamic
church. Bramante Cross with a short construction. He put a
proposed a Greek Cross pronaos and a drum(ring) at the base of the
plan, the centre of which façade. dome that appears to be
would be surmounted by a squeezing the dome and forcing
dome slightly larger than its sides to spring upwards. He
that of the Pantheon. shortened Raphael’s nave, but
Carlo Maderno added back the
nave and added the famous
façade
CARLO MADERNO’S PLAN
He made the most significant contribution since
Michelangelo, because he pulled down the remaining
parts of Old St. Peter's and proceeded to transform
Michelangelo's centralized Greek-cross design into a
Latin cross with a long nave.
THE EXTERIOR
• The church was given an impressive setting
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of its architects.
• An avenue almost 1.5 kilometers long leads
from the Tiber River to the Piazza Di San Pietro
(Square Of St. Peter), a large open space in
front of the church.

• A red granite obelisk (shaft) stands 26 meters

high in the piazza’s centre. It was brought to
Rome from Egypt about A.D. 37, and was
moved to the piazza in 1586.

• The Piazza which was completed in 1667,

contains two fountains and two colonnades
(rows of columns) arranged in semicircles on
opposite sides of the Piazza
• Five entrances lead to the narthex (the
lobby area) of the church, where you find
an equestrian statue of Charles the Great
on the left and another equestrian statue of
Emperor Constantine, created by Bernini.
Five doors lead from the narthex to the
nave of the basilica. The central bronze
door was created in the fifteenth century by
the Florentine sculptor and architect
Filarete for the old basilica. The door on the
right is the Porta Santa, the holy door which
is only opened once every twenty-five
years.
 THE INTERIORS
• The interior of the church is decorated in Baroque style.
• Bernini, who was also a sculptor, created many of its famous features in the 1650s.
• He built the elaborate bronze baldacchino (canopy) over the main alter, which
stands beneath the dome. It closes the extremely . long sweep of the nave and is 95 Ft.
high.
• As may be seen in the accompanying plan, the four principal divisions of the basilica
extend from the dome and are connected with each other by passages behind the
dome piers.
• To the right and the left of the nave lie the smaller and lower aisles, the right of
which is bordered by four lateral chapels, the left by three chapels and the passage to
the roof.
The general decoration consists of colored marble incrustations, stucco figures, rich gilding,
mosaic decoration, and marble figures on the pilasters, ceiling, and walls.
• The paneling of the pavement in geometric figures is of colored marble after the designs
of Giacomo della Porta and Bernini.
• Beneath it is the Confession of St. Peter, where the body of the Prince of Apostles reposes
– the tomb of St. Peter’s.
• No chairs or pews obstruct the view; the eye roves freely over the glittering surface of the
marble pavement, where there is room for thousands of people
 Nave Apse

Pietà Marble floor Monument to pope Alexander VII

 ST. PAUL CATHEDRAL , LONDON
1710
The cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognizable sights of london, with its dome,
framed by the spires of wren's city churches, dominating the skyline for 300 years. at 365 feet (111
m) high, it was the tallest building in london from 1710 to 1962, and its dome is also among the
highest in the world. in terms of area, st paul's is the second largest church building in the united
kingdom after liverpool cathedral.

Architect
• Sir Christopher Wren was the Architect
Who Rebuilt London.
• After the Great Fire of London, Sir
Christopher Wren designed new
churches and supervised the
reconstruction of some of London's most
important buildings.
• Born: October 20, 1632 at East Knoyle in
Wiltshire, England
• Died: February 25, 1723 in London London,

at age 91.
THE GREAT FIRE
In 1665 Christopher Wren designed a plan for the renovation of the St. Paul's Cathedral,
which was starting to fall into decay. But disaster struck again on the night of
September 2, 1666, when the Great Fire of London destroyed four fifth of all of London,
wiping 13,200 houses and 89 churches, including the St. Paul's Cathedral off the map.
THE WEST FACADE
The impressive facade at the west side of the church consists of a large portico and
pediment. A relief on the tympanum depicts the conversion of Paul and was created in
1706. The portico is flanked by two towers which weren't part of the original plan. Wren
added them at the last minute, in 1707.
The WHISPERING GALLERY runs around the inside of the dome 99 feet (30.2 m) above
the cathedral floor. It is reached by 259 steps from ground level. It gets its name
because of the acoustic effects peculiar to domes; a whisper against its wall at any
point is audible to a listener with an ear held to the wall at any other point around
the gallery. A low murmur is equally audible.
BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL FACTS

•Exterior walls are Saint Cloud granite.

•Interior walls are American Travertine from Mankato,
Minnesota.
•Height: 306.5 ft. Length: 307 ft. Width: 216 ft.
•Seating capacity: 3,000.
•The seven bronze grilles surrounding the altar depict the
human response to God's grace.
•Since the Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Paul, special
recognition is given to him in the bronze masterpieces.
•The chair in the sanctuary (the cathedra) denotes the
Cathedral as the Archbishop's church.
•The Shrine of the Nations surrounding the sanctuary
represents the national patron saints of the people who
settled this city and state.
•The main walls of the Chapels are finished in Italian Botticino
marble.
•The east-facing window is the Resurrection window. The
south rose window takes its theme from the Beatitudes and
the north rose window depicts the eight North American
Martyrs. These windows are the work of renowned stained
glass artist Charles Connick.
• The St. Paul is constructed in BAROQUE STYLE.
• A style of architecture and art originating in ITALY in the early 17th century and
variously prevalent in EUROPE and the New World for a century and a half,
characterized by free and sculptural use of the classical orders and ornament, by
forms in elevation and plan suggesting movement, and by dramatic effect in which
architecture, panting, sculpture, and the decorative arts often worked to combined
effect.
• The base of the inner dome is 173 feet (53.4 m) above the floor. Its top is about 65 m
above the floor, making this the greatest height of the enclosed space. The cathedral is
some 574 feet (175 m) in length (including the portico of the Great West Door), of
which 223 feet (68 m) is the nave and 167 feet (51 m) is the choir. The width of the
nave is 121 feet (37 m) and across the transepts is 246 feet (75 m). The cathedral is
thus slightly shorter but somewhat wider than Old St Paul's.
 STRUCTURAL FEATURES

Buttress given for extra strength for Deep recesses in the walls for Thick walls are provided
screen walls. windows. internally.

The large crossing dome is composed of three layers: the first triple dome
ever to be constructed. The inner and outer layers are catenary curves, but
the structural integrity to support the heavy stone structure atop the
dome is provided by a intermediary layer which is much steeper and more
conical in shape. The dome is restrained round its base by a wrought iron
chain to prevent it spreading and cracking.
STRUCTURAL FEATURES

Vault
INTERIOR
The Baroque interior is just
as imposing as the exterior
of the church. The mosaics
on the ceiling were added
in 1890 by William
Richmond after Queen
Victoria complained that
there was not enough
color in the cathedral. The
baldachin above the altar
was rebuilt in 1958 after it
was damaged by
bombardments during
World War II. The design is
based on a sketch created
by Wren. The only
monument in the church
that survived the fire of
1666 is the tomb of John
Donne, from 1631.
INTERNAL DOME NAVE

CHOIR INTERIOR
 HIGH BAROQUE
CA. 1625-75
The two foremost names in Baroque architecture are Bernini and Borromini, both of whom
worked primarily in Rome.
Two masterpieces of Gian Lorenzo Bernini are found at St Peter's. One is the four-
story baldachin that stands over the high altar.14 (A baldachin is an indoor canopy over a
respected object, such as an altar or throne.) The other is the curving colonnades that frame St
Peter's Square.
Bernini's most famous building is likely the small church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale ("Saint
Andrew's on Quirinal Hill"). Quirinal hill is one of the "seven hills of Rome".

Francesco Borromini was the master of curved-wall architecture. Though he designed many
large buildings, Borromini's most famous and influential work may be the small church of San
Carlo alle Quattro Fontane ("Saint Charles at the Four Fountains"). This building is also found
on Quirinal Hill.
FOUNTAIN OF FOUR RIVERS
BY BERNINI

The centerpiece of Rome's

beautiful Navona Square is the
Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
(Fountain of the Four Rivers), one
of the most famous fountains in
the Eternal City. It was built in the
mid 17th century after a design by
Bernini.

The fountain, officially

inaugurated in 1651, was
commissioned by pope Innocent
X, an artistically-minded member
of the Pamphilj-family. The
fountain was financed with the
income from an unpopular tax
levied on bread, meat and salt.
 DESIGN
• Giant statues symbolize what were
considered the world's four greatest
rivers: the Nile, the Ganges, the
Danube and the Rio de la Plata.
• Each statue also represents one of the
four continents that were known at the
time.
• The giants rest on a large rock that
rises from a circular basin and are
surrounded by animals and flora of the
respective continents.
• The fountain culminates in a tall
obelisk that rests on a large plinth.
• The tip of the obelisk reaches a height
of almost 35 meters (115 ft).
 STATUES
• The colossal figures of sea gods on
the Fountain of the Four Rivers
were sculpted by Bernini's
students.
• The master himself created the
lion, sea creature and the palm
tree. The river personifies the Asian
continent.
• The figure of the Nile (Africa) was
created by Giacomo Antonio
Fancelli. At the time the river's
spring hadn't been discovered yet,
hence his face is symbolically
covered by a cloth.
• Coins near the figure allude to the
rich minerals that had been
discovered there.
• During the Second World War,
souvenir hunting American soldiers
cut off the fingers of the statues,
but they were replaced shortly
after the war.
 Nile Rio de la Plata Danube
The figure of the Nile The last allegorical The Danube, representing
(Africa) was created by figure is that of the Rio Europe, was created by
Giacomo Antonio Fancelli. de la Plata, created by Antonio Raggi.
At the time the river's Francesco Baratta and It supports the papal coat of
spring hadn't been representing the arms of Innocent X, with a
discovered yet, hence his American continent. pigeon holding an olive
face is symbolically branch in its beak. To his left
covered by a cloth. sits an allegorical figure of
the Ganges, created by
Claude Poussin.
THE OBELISK

• The sixteen meter tall (52ft) obelisk

originally stood at the spina (the central
wall) of the Circus of Maxentius, near
the Via Appia Antica.
• It is not an authentic Egyptian obelisk
but a Roman version.
• It was created from porphyry on the
order of the Roman Emperor
Domitianus. On the top rests a pigeon,
symbol of the Pamphilj family.
Fountain of the Four Rivers by night – river
god Ganges in the front
• San Carlo, also known as San Carlino, is a Baroque church designed by Francesco
Borromini in the seventeenth century.
• The diminutive is because in 1788, erroneously said that the total of the church was
smaller than the size of one of the pillars supporting the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica.
• The church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (Saint Charles at the Four
Fountains), also called San Carlino, is a Roman Catholic church in Rome, Italy.
• it was his first independent commission.
• It is an iconic masterpiece of Baroque architecture, built as part of a complex of
monastic buildings on the Quirinal Hill for the Spanish Trinitarians, an order
dedicated to the freeing of Christian slaves.
• He received the commission in 1634, under the patronage of Cardinal Francesco
Barberini, whose palace was across the road. However, this financial backing did not
last and subsequently the building project suffered various financial difficulties.
 DESIGN
Borromini develops in this building the
mathematical aspect of the Baroque with
remarkable analytical brilliance
• Curved lines and geometry define all
aspects of the project where the spatial
quality overcomes its limited dimension.
• The architect had to design its proposal
based on two main criteria: a low budget
and efficient use of the limited space of
the site.
• Borromini design the roof of the dome
of San Carlo with coffered equally as
they did the Romans, to lighten the
weight of the structure.
• The structure is made of brick, while the Section of the building
interior is made of stucco and limestone
facade.
 EXTERIOR
• The concave-convex facade of San Carlo undulates in a non-classic way.

• Tall corinthian columns stand on plinths and bear the main entablatures; these
define the main framework of two storeys and the tripartite bay division.

• Between the columns, smaller columns with their entablatures weave behind the
main columns and in turn they frame niches, windows, a variety of sculptures as
well as the main door, the central oval aedicule of the upper order and the oval
framed medallion borne aloft by angels.

• Above the main entrance, cherubim herms frame the central figure of Saint
Charles Borromeo by Antonio Raggi and to either side are statues of St. John of
Matha and St. Felix of Valois, the founders of the Trinitarian Order.

• The plan and section show the layout of the cramped and difficult site.
 INTERIOR
• Around the church there are a total of sixteen Corinthian columns
supporting a large entablature.
• The groups of four columns frame niches, moldings and doors, providing
variety to the undulating interior space limiting wall. These elements are
placed with respect to a particular geometry creating a rhythm.
• Above one in two columns and the entablature born each of the four
arches that create the base of the dome of the church.
• DOME- Coffered dome octagonal shaped in the likeness of the Baths of
Diocletian and the Basilica of Maxentius. These octagonal coffered
combined with other cross-shaped and other hexagonal. They are
decreasing in size as the dome is closed at its upper end. The dome is
illuminated through windows located at the bottom and vertical windows
located on the tops flashlight.
• The interior of the church complex consists of three parts: the base, the
dome and the transition zone between these two. The altar is located on
the main axis of the plant, on the opposite side to the entrance.
CRYPT
• The crypt contains small chapels around the
central space, the plant is identical to that of the
church, of which Borromini wanted to be buried.

CLOISTER
• Next to the church stands a small monastery
whose cloister hides some details worth seeing.
• Work also of Borromini, the cloister, two stories
high, it has a rectangular plan. The pillars, which
prevent the corners, make possible the reading of
the plant as an octagon.
• The entrance to the faculty is located on the
longitudinal axis of the space.
• Borromini adds complexity to set varying the
distance between the columns and having flat
walls and alternately on these curves.
• Architect includes a novel aspect in the design of
classical balustrade.
 LATE BAROQUE
CA. 1675-1725

The Late Baroque marks the ascent of France as the heart of Western culture. Baroque art of
France (and northern Europe generally) tends to be restrained, such that it can be described as
a classical-Baroque compromise. The most distinctive element of French Baroque architecture is
the double-sloped mansard roof (a French innovation).

The most famous Baroque structures of France are magnificent chateaux (grand country
residences), greatest of which is the Palace of Versailles. One of the largest residences on earth,
Versailles was built mainly under Louis XIV, whose patronage of the arts helped propel France to
the crest of Western culture.
The palace facade admirably illustrates the classical-Baroque compromise of northern Europe.
The walls are characterized largely by simple planar classicism, although they do contain
such Baroque elements as sculpted busts, a triple stringcourse, double pilasters, and colossal
pilasters. Additionally, the mansard roof features a sinuous metal railing and rich moulding
around the dormer windows. Versailles became Europe's model of palace architecture, inspiring
similarly grand residences throughout the continent.

Versailles' most famous room is the Hall of Mirrors, whose mirrors have the same dimensions as
the windows they stand opposite.
 PALACE OF VERSAILLES, FRANCE

• The Palace of Versailles has been listed as a World Heritage Site for 30 years and
is one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art. Louis XIII's old
hunting pavilion was transformed and extended by his son, Louis XIV, when he
installed the Court and government there in 1682. A succession of kings
continued to embellish the Palace up until the French Revolution.
• Today the Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 m2.
 HISTORY
• To begin with (c.1661), Baroque architects under the direction of chief designer Louis Le
Vau (1612-70), the garden designer Andre le Notre (1613-1700) and arts supremo Charles
Le Brun (1619-90), converted the stone and brick lodge into a 3-storey chateau complete
with an impressive black-and-white marble courtyard, complete with columns and
wrought-iron balconies.
• It was given a flat roof and two new wings, containing apartments for the king and queen,
and was known as Marble Court.
• Thereafter, in a series of four main building campaigns - stage one (1664–1668), stage two
(1669–1672); stage three (1678–1684) and stage four (1699–1710) - the chateau was
enveloped in a new and larger palatial complex, under the supervision of architect Jules
Hardouin Mansart (1646-1708), great-nephew of the famous royal architect Francois
Mansart (1598-1666), inventor of the widely used 'mansard roof'.

• Versailles is a perfect example of baroque and rococo architecture.

• The ceilings are adorned with illustrations of Roman gods with Louis XIV himself painted
as Apollo, the Sun God. Throughout the palace you will find the intertwined L's of his
name.
• The Hall of Mirrors has 30 tableaux that depict an epic story of Louis XIV's achievements
and aspirations. Victory in battle features prominently in these narratives, with one
example showing Louis with his army crossing the Rhine River in 1672.
ARCHITECTURE HIGHLIGHTS
• A court of 3,000 residents, including the king and queen, members of the royal family,
government ministers, aristocrats, diplomats, civil servants and the like, required a
suitably grand building, and no expense was spared.
• Indeed, the new complex became the apogee of palace architecture.
• Surrounded by 800 hectares of immaculate gardens, with beautiful vistas, fountains
and statues, the palace contained several symmetrical suites of apartments for the
public and private use of the king and queen, as well as numerous other architectural
highlights.
• These included The Hall of Mirrors (1678-90) - the central gallery of the Palace - which
comprised 17 mirror-clad arches reflecting the 17 windows.
• A total of 357 mirrors were used in its decoration.
• The ornamentations - the canvases along the ceiling that celebrate the apotheosis of
the king, the polychrome marbles, the gilt bronzes -were organized by Le Brun, and in
this undertaking he can be said to have reached the peak of the expressive
possibilities of French Baroque art.
INTERIOR DESIGN AND DECORATION

• The Palace of Versailles's interior designwork and decoration was legendary in its
range, quality and expense.
• It featured the finest furniture and furnishings, beautiful ceramic art including Sevres
porcelain, as well as tapestry art and small-scale bronze sculpture.
• The initial salons and the Hall of Mirrors even contained lavish displays of silver table
pieces, gueridons and other furniture, though these were later melted down to
finance further military campaigns.
• Not surprisingly, Louis XIV's astronomical expenditure stimulated a huge expansion of
French crafts and specialist applied art, led directly to the emergence of Rococo
art (dominated by France), and created an impetus in French paintingand sculpture
that paved the way for Paris to become the arts capital of the world.

THE HALL OF MIRROR THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE THE GALLERY OF GREAT BATTLES
THE GARDENS
• The royal palace's close relationship to its park was of fundamental importance, for
the park, exactly like the palace itself, was made to serve the ceremonial and
celebratory requirements of the king.
• Designed for the amusements of the court, the park constitutes the natural and ideal
backdrop for endless festivities based on the close relationship - typical of the
baroque - between celebration and architecture, between the ephemeral and the
permanent.
• From the original concept, the palace was seen as the centre of an urbanistic system
and a reworking of the landscape.
INSIDE THE PALACE
• Spawforth notes that the palace contained about
350 living units varying in size, from multi-room
apartments to spaces about the size of an alcove.
• The size and location of the room a person got
depended on their rank and standing with the
king.
• While the crown prince (known as the dauphin)
got a sprawling apartment on the ground floor, a
servant may have nothing more than a space in
an attic or a makeshift room behind a staircase.
 Nymph with a shell Bassin de Neptune in water

The palace of Versailles at sunset Grand Trianon basin at Midday

The Fontaine de Latone during the Grandes
Eaux

The hall of mirrors

Gold and blue at the gates of the Grand
Trianon

The King's bedchamber

 ROCOCO
CA. 1725-1800

Rococo artists embraced the curves and elaborate ornament of Baroque, but reigned in its
weighty drama. The result was a gentle, playful style typified by pastel colours and delicate,
asymmetrical decoration. Though most Rococo art was centred in France (the birthplace of the
style), Rococo architecture culminated in Austria and southern Germany, especially in the form
of churches.
 LAST YEARS EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

WRITE A SHORT NOTE ON BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE. ( REPEATED OFTENLY)

The Renaissance is the most inclusive phenomenon of all. It is rich,
complex and multi-layered and also characterised by a need to unify
voracious curiosity for everything under the sun. Though there wasn’t
much change in the subject matters of Renaissance and Baroque art
(both ranging from religious scenes to episodes from classical
mythology esp. Ovidian stories), Baroque art stood up for its
immediate, almost volatile emotional intensity, vivid contrast of light
and shadow and a penchant for breaking away from clean, regular
lines for the sake of exaggerated ornamentation.