baroque

Baroque is a European artistic and architectural style that flourished roughly from 1600 to 1750, with lasting influence beyond these dates. The term, derived from barroco, meaning irregular pearl, was later used to describe a highly decorative, dramatic, and emotionally expressive aesthetic.

Originating in Italy, Baroque art and architecture spread across Catholic Europe and into royal courts, cities, and colonies. The movement was closely connected to the Counter-Reformation, which sought to communicate religious narratives with immediacy and power. Baroque works emphasize movement, contrast, and sensory engagement, often employing complex compositions, dramatic lighting, and ornate detail.

In painting, Caravaggio and Rubens popularized dramatic illumination and dynamic compositions that place the viewer in the midst of action. In sculpture, Bernini forged figures in momentary motion, integrating sculpture with architecture to transform space. Architects such as Borromini and Guarini explored curvature, theatrical space, and illusion within churches and palaces, creating a sense of grandeur and spiritual immersion.

Baroque music developed opera and oratorio as major genres, and instrumental forms such as the concerto grosso, suite, and fugue. Key features include basso continuo, ornate melodic lines, expressive contrasts, and rich instrumental color. Notable composers associated with Baroque music include Monteverdi, Purcell, Corelli, Vivaldi, Handel, and J. S. Bach.

The Baroque style gradually yielded to Rococo and Classicism in the mid-18th century, though its expressive vocabulary persisted in sacred contexts and in regional artistic traditions. Its influence is evident in architecture, painting, sculpture, and music across Europe, the Americas, and beyond.