2023-02-01
The Baroque existed in various cultural fields, ranging from painting to sculpture, architecture, literature and music. The dates of the style's duration remain conventional; in general, the years from around 1575 to around 1770 can be considered as such. In this short article, we will discuss the most important information about the Baroque painting.
Although the work of individual Baroque painters differed from each other, some important general features can be mentioned for the whole trend. Certainly, the painting of this period was intended to evoke emotion. This effect was achieved, for example, through strong chiaroscuro contrasts, imitation of movement, and a predilection for depicting dramatic scenes. Asymmetry was often used, with the action taking place away from the centre of the painting, vertical and horizontal axes were avoided, and inclined ones were used, giving a sense of instability and movement.
It is difficult to list all the most important Baroque painters in a short article, but they should certainly include the Italian artists Caravaggio, Guercino, Guido Reni, the Carracci brothers. In addition, the outstanding Dutch and Flemish geniuses: Peter Paul Rubens and his pupil Anton van Dyck, Jan Vermeer, Rembrandt, and the Spanish artists Diego Velázquez, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and José de Ribera. In the case of the masters of Polish Baroque painting, one should remember Herman Han, an artist from Gdańsk, and Bartholomew Strobel, a Polish artist of German origin.
Peter Paul Rubens has gone down in history as one of the most outstanding artists of the Baroque era. His painting oeuvre encompasses more than 2,000 paintings. He brought together such characteristics of the era as exuberance, liveliness, dynamism, restlessness and sensuality. The flemish painting was dominated by the Rubensian style for several decades. As an outstanding colourist, he also had a great influence on 17th-century painting, especially in France and England.
When studying the history of Baroque painting, it is worthwhile to realize the enormous influence Caravaggio had on many artists. It was from his epithet that the name was taken for the long continuity in painting of the patterns used by this Italian master. Artists referred to Caravaggio's paintings through, among other things, the use of strong chiaroscuro play, bold foreshortening of perspective, and frequent use of dark backgrounds. Caravaggionist painting was refreshingly dramatic and expressive.