Barokke

Barokke is the adjective form used in several languages, including Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, and German, to describe works, styles, or periods associated with Baroque art and culture. In these languages, barokke functions as the attributive form when modifying feminine or plural nouns and is commonly encountered in descriptions of architecture, painting, sculpture, and music.

The Baroque period roughly spans the late 16th century to the early 18th century, with regional variations in when it began and ended. It emerged in Italy and spread across Europe, influencing church design, royal courts, performing arts, and decorative arts. The term Baroque is now standard in scholarly discourse, while barokke serves as the language-specific descriptor of that style.

Key characteristics attributed to barokke works include a sense of movement and drama, elaborate ornamentation, and a preference for contrast and emotional intensity. In architecture, this manifests as dynamic spatial forms, curving façades, large domes, and extensive stucco and gilded details. In painting and sculpture, there is an emphasis on theatrical lighting, diagonals, and vigorous figures. In music, the Baroque period is associated with basso continuo, contrast between timbres, ornamentation, and the development of forms such as the opera, concerto, and fugue.

Today, barokke descriptions appear in art history, architecture guides, and cultural writing to signal the distinctive, ceremonial qualities of Baroque culture.