The word Baroque comes from the Portuguese word barroco, used to describe an irregular or misshapen pearl. In art it describes something odd or bizarre, typically dramatic and evokes emotion Baroque art is usually recognized by the use of rich colors, intense light, and dark shadows (“Baroque”;"Architecture”;"Baroque” ).
Baroque art originated in Rome, then spread to the rest of Europe between 1590 and 1720, some say as a result of the spread of Protestantism. By the end of the seventeenth century the style faded as the power in Europe switched from Italy to France. A new type of decoration and art called Rococo came into play. Baroque usually reflected the religious tension in Europe at the time, particularly the desire of the Catholic Church to keep control in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Art inspired by the Church tended to be large scale and public in order to gain and keep converts. In the Protestant North the two largest forms of inspiration, the Monarchy and Church, were gone. This resulted in the public eager to express its new sense of national pride through art. By mid-seventeenth century there was an increasing demand for small scale paintings suitable for home display. The Baroque style also spread to France and England but they stuck with strict classicism. Classicism is a style based off of Greek and Roman models characterized by emotional restraint and regularity of form. (“Baroque”;Fichner-Rathus;Camara).
There are three main types of Baroque art: Religious Grandeur, Greater Realism, and Easel Art. Religious Grandeur is an extravagant, melodramatic style. The Church used it to counter the Reformation and absolute monarchies. Greater Realism created more life-like images. Easel Art was aimed towards prosperous householders, primarily used in Protestant Holland. It consists of still life, landscape, and animal paintings. The irregularity in styles is another demonstration of the term ‘baroque’ (Fichner-Rathus;“Baroque").
A few artists of the era: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Michelangelo, technically a sixteenth century artist, but he greatly influenced Baroque art with the dramatic use of light and shadows, as well as his realistic portrayal of objects and people. Rubens, perhaps the most notorious Baroque artist. His style firmly followed Michelangelo’s, and usually illustrated religious figures. The main characteristic in his art, extreme emotion expressed through minimal detail. Lastly, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, the leading Dutch artist of his time. His paintings depicted biblical scenes, history, and self portraits. The paintings were compelling and dramatic, as well as mastering glowing light against dark backgrounds (Cox).