Baroque is one of the most significant styles in the cultural life of Europe. He achieved the greatest popularity in such countries as Germany, Spain, Russia, France. Italy is considered his homeland. The Baroque era spans about two centuries - from the end of the 16th to the middle of the 18th century.
The distinctive features of this style include pomp, solemnity and ceremoniality. Moreover, baroque covers not only art, literature and painting, but also the way of thinking of a person, his existence, and also, to some extent, science.
The works of this time are expressive and expressive, they are characterized by sophistication of forms, the creation of an illusory space, as well as a fancy play of shadow and light.
The Baroque era gave birth to science. It was at this time that biology, anatomy, physics and chemistry, and other disciplines began to develop. Previously, their study was severely punished by the ministers of the church.
Wars, epidemics of various diseases, such as plague and smallpox, various religious conflicts led to the fact that a person felt unprotected and confused. His future was uncertain. More and more minds embraced various superstitions and fears. At the same time, the church split into two religious camps - Protestants and Catholics, which also gives rise to many squabbles and battles.
All this leads to a new understanding of the Lord as the Creator of the universe. God was considered only as the creator of the daily, while man ruled the living and nonliving.
The Baroque era is also characterized by active colonization - English settlements are forming in the Old and New Worlds.
The architecture of that time is rich in colonnades, an abundance of various decorations on the facades and in the interior. Also dominated by multi-tier domes of complex, multi-level structure. The most famous architects of that time include Michelangelo Buonarroti, Carlo Maderna, Nikolai Sultanov.
Religious and mythological motifs prevail in the paintings of this era, as well as ceremonial portraits. Quite often, the paintings depicted the Madonna, surrounded by angels. The most famous artists of the Baroque era are Michelangelo Merisi, Iasento Rigaud, Diego Velazquez, Peter Paul Rubens.
It was at this time that such musical genres as opera, fugue were born. Music is becoming more expressive. Composers of the Baroque era - Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Giovanni Gabrieli. Apparently, many outstanding personalities worked at that time.
The Baroque era is one of the most significant in the history of human development. It was at this time that new styles and
trends in art were emerging
: literature, music, painting, architecture. New views on religion and man are being formed. New directions in science are emerging. Despite some pomp, this period gave the world culture many cultural monuments, which are highly valued in our time. The names of masters and artists of the Baroque era are still booming around the world.
The logical continuation of this style was Rococo, which formed in the first half of the 18th century. He managed to maintain his position until the end of the 18th century.