Baroque. The mansard roof, so characteristic of Baroque architecture, was named for them, although neither invented this type of roof. Known as the Protestant Reformation, this movement is forever linked to the date 31 October 1517. Church of the Gesú. Unfortunately, during the second world war the Arch was knocked down. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The first structure to follow this new design philosophy and to break with the Renaissance traditions of following strict formulas, in both the design of the exterior as well as the interior, was the Church of the Gesù in Rome. In addition to the aforementioned Hall of Mirrors, Hardouin-Mansart added the north and south wings that would provide accommodations for the nobility and Princes of Blood, as well as the orangerie. The most famous Baroque home in Rome was the Palazzo Barberini, which was begun by Carlo Maderno while he was working on the nave of St. Peter’s Basilica. The beginning of the English Barqoue period was heralded by a major catastrophe: the Great Fire of London in 1666. Main façade of the Royal Palace of Caserta, Caserta, Italy. Not all baroque buildings were churches or stately homes. […] Baroque Architecture (Picture: Baroque Architecture – Church of the Gesú in Rome) […], © Copyright 2010 - 2019 - Gentleman's Gazette LLC, Baroque Architecture – A Stroll through the Epochs – 16th – 18th Century. TTB Royal Hospital Chelsea, Chelsea, London, England; View from the Privy Garden towards the southern front of Hampton Court, Greater London, England; View of Greenwich Hospital with Inigo Jones’s Queen’s House in the center background, Greenwich, London, England. After Hardouin-Mansart passed away, the work was completed by Robert de Cotte (1656-1735). This is a variant of Renaissance Architecture. HOUSE FROM HULLS. TLTR: Drottningholm Palace, Drottningholm, Sweden; Upper Belvedere Palace, Vienna, Austria; Zwinger Palace, Dresden, Germany BLTR: Winter Palace, St. Pertersburg, Russia; New Palace, Potsdam, Germany. He achieved this by enclosing the “hunting lodge” on the north, west and south with a so called enveloppe, which is often referred to as as the château neuf (New Palace). English architect Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) had met the older Italian Baroque master architect Gianlorenzo Bernini and was prepared to rebuild the city. As Baroque architecture coincided with European colonialism, it can be seen throughout much of the w… Baroque and Rococo is the latest addition to Phaidon’s celebrated and respected Arts and Ideas series. But it is a bit astonishing that this article completely left out one of the most influential and important Baroque styles in History: the Flemish and Dutch 17th Cent. As part of the preparations for a major festivity, known as the Plaisirs de l’Île enchantée, the first building campaign (1664–1668) resulted in a number of alterations in the château and gardens to provide further accommodations for guests of the court. Especially his executed designs in Paris, Praque and Lisbon, along with his published works on architectural theory and design, helped spread Italian baroque ideals across Europe in the early 18th century. A Royal Air Force breakdown lorry struck it and demolished most of its Ħamrun-facing façade. These houses, now mostly occupied by lawyers, are the work of Nicholas Barbon, who pioneered terraced housing when he … But by the third decade of the 18th century the opulent cascades of ornamental elements of Baroque gave way to the careful - and in some cases rigid - … Baroque architecture is a construction style that began in the 16th century during the Baroque era. It raged for four days (2-5 September 1666) in the medieval City of London inside the old Roman city wall, and destroyed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, St. Paul’s Cathedral and most of the buildings of the City authorities. TLTR: Interior of Asam Church, Munich, Germany; Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria BLTR: Murcia Cathedral, Murcia, Spain; Interior of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church, Vilnius, Lithuania. Two famous examples of Baroque architecture are the Santa Susanna church and the Caserta Palace in Italy. All these confrontations and struggles resulted in a diverse social, religious and political landscape in 17th and 18th century Europe. At Trent, the Church formally recognized that inner reform was undeniably necessary, but on the other hand determined that the battling of Protestantism and its leaders — Martin Luther, John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli — was most important. Their charter included the vow of obedience: “That we may be altogether of the same mind and in conformity… if [the Holy See of the Universal Church (Roman Catholic Church)] shall have defined anything to be black which to our eyes appears to be white, we ought in like manner to pronounce it to be black.” The Jesuits set the tone for the ferocity with which this fight for the right beliefs was going to be fought. The two main architects of the Baroque era were Bernini and Borromini. Designed by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola (1507-1573) and constructed between 1568 and 1584, it first and foremost simplified the floor plan of the Renaissance church. The whole idea of mass and scale was made the most prominent feature in their works; with ornamentation of the exterior being reduced to a minimum. The former was more prevalent in southwestern Europe during the first century of the Baroque period. It can be challenging to differentiate between styles of architecture, especially when builders incorporate forms from various styles. During the Baroque period, artists established several new techniques that were intended to evoke emotion and loyalty.Â, After the Pope and other Catholic rulers began building, the style quickly spread throughout Europe and into South America due to colonization. ft., is defined by its almost surreal undulating façade of concave and convex shapes and an interior equally extraordinary and complex. Not at all coincidentally, it was to be the mother church of the newly founded Jesuit order. All unbelievably beautiful styles of building … North american builders could learn a thing or two from these guys! That achievement belongs to Pierre Lescot, best known for his work on the Louvre Palace in the mid-16th century. Baroque Architecture and Interior Studio +8(663)125-08-59. Befitting its status as the birthplace of the Baroque, Italy also set the stage for “the swan song of the spectacular art of the Baroque,” namely the Palace of Caserta in southern Italy; built between 1752 and the first half of the 19th century. This set the tone for its varied history to this very day, now better known as the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the President of the French Republic. Those in power wanted to use architecture and art as a way to exhibit strength, wealth, and prominence. In summary, Baroque architecture is a theatrical style of building that originated in Italy in the 17th century. They focused the decoration on light, frivolous, and colorful schemes, often allowing panels, doorframes, walls and the ceiling  of a room to merge and dissolved into one richly ornamented encapsulating sphere. Responsible for their design was the office of Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723), the Surveyor-General, and his chief assistant Robert Hooke (1635-1703). It is dominated by an ever increasing plasticity towards its center, giant volutes framing the upper level, the use of broken pediments, as well as the idiosyncratic combination of an arched pediment surrounding a triangular pediment, resulting in a very vivid spectacle of design and decoration. LTR: Wren’s initial Greek Cross design for St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was inspired by the Dome of Les Invalides in Paris; The Great Model of 1673 showing the evolution of the greek cross floor plan of Wren’s first design with the addition of a nave on the western side; The Warrant Design as approved by Charles II, Even before the warrant was signed, he already made several alterations to the design, exploiting the King’s concession that gave him “the Liberty, in the Prosecution of his Work, to make some Variations, rather ornamental, than essential, as from Time to Time he should see proper…”. TLTR: View of the Place des Vosges and the Pavillion de la Reine; View of the two buildings flanking the entrance to the Place Dauphine; View of the Place de la Concorde with the Obelisk of Luxor BLTR: View of the Place des Victoires and the statue of Louis XIV; View of the Place Vendôme with the Vendôme Column at the center – all Paris, France. Baroque Italian designers had been moving to and influencing English architectural styles by book and in person from Medieval times. I´m looking forward to read your future article about Palladianism and Neoclassical architecture. It took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and the absolutist state. See more ideas about baroque architecture, architecture, renaissance architecture. Baroque art and architecture, the visual arts and building design and construction produced during the era in the history of Western art that roughly coincides with the 17th century. It was characterized by new explorations of form, light and shadow, and dramatic intensity. For instance, Saint Peter’s Basilica is a Baroque church in Vatican city has features that are inspired by the Renaissance.Â, The Baroque period is one of the first times that artists paid close attention to light. By using The Spruce, you accept our. Baroque architecture is the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late 16th-century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and the absolutist state. Its buildings typically include central towers, domes, portico or other central projections in the main façade. Also, they incorporated areas of intense light and darkness to show contrast and create drama. At a glance, Baroque architecture resembles building techniques from the Renaissance. The culmination of Baroque architectural forms comes with Sir John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. When he finally was given the royal warrant by King Charles II for his fourth design proposal in 1675, work finally began; though it has to be noted that Wren had little intention to actually build the approved design. LTR Castle Howard, York, England; Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, England; Seaton Delaval Hall, Seaton Delaval, England. To establish the cause of Europe’s turn toward artistic exuberance in the face of the established Renaissance style, we have to remind ourselves of certain religious and geo-political events that sent Central Europe into more than a century of turmoil and devastation. To achieve this goal, the very act of approaching and stepping into a church had to become more of an experience; one that would envelope the faithful in Catholic symbolism and mystery. Designed by one of the leading Baroque architects Francesco Borromini (1599-1667), the San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane… As part of a series of acts that were passed for rebuilding the City of London, particular reference was given to the rebuilding of its churches and cathedrals. Though it is not entirely unlikely to see a second article detailing Baroque styles not mentioned or detailed in this version in the future. Baroque country houses, such as Chatsworth House by William Talman and Castle Howard by Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor, began to appear in the 1690s. The kitchens were generally chimney free until the 17th century, though in some poorer areas chimneys remained uncommon into the 19th century. There was no denying its opulence, nor the artists’ craftsmanship, but critics bemoaned the loss of the natural grace of Renaissance architecture. What resulted from these requirements was an architectural vocabulary that allowed for very dynamic designs, often employing a mixture of repetition, breaking-up, and distortion of Renaissance classical motifs. Welcome to the fourth article of our series: Architecture – A Stroll Through the Epochs. With the onset of the 17th century, Rome’s transformation into a truly Catholic city was well underway, and architecture, painting and sculpture would play an important role in this monumental undertaking. Structures in the Baroque style were predominately churches, mansions, and palaces and were meant to showcase wealth, power, and an eye for beauty. Look for these key elements in Baroque architecture.Â, The Renaissance took place between 1400 and 1600, and the Baroque period followed closely after. Later in his life, Hawksmoor collaborated with John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) on a number of important projects including Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace. The term baroque alluded to some lavish pearl brooches of the time.Â. LTR Easton Neston House, Towcester, England; Clarendon Building, Oxford, England; St. Alfege Greenwich, London, England; St. Mary, Woolnoth, London. As Henri IV, first of the Bourbon monarchs, had passed away in 1610, his son Louis XIII became King of France and would lay the groundwork for the single most important French Baroque building project, the Palace of Versailles. It is a thorough introduction encompassing the breadth of architecture, interior design, furniture, ceramics, garden landscaping, and fine arts during 200 years. Due to the death of Vignola in 1573, the executed design of the façade is not his own, but that of his pupil Giacomo della Porta (1533-1602). Regarded as one of the iconic masterpieces of Baroque architecture, this tiny church, with a footprint of barely 2500 sq. Baroque - Architecture and Interior Studio. Baroque architecture was popularised during the late 17th century and … They intentionally altered classical elements so that buildings were more ostentatious and evocative. LTR Portraits of Martin Luther, Johannes Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and Pope Paul III. About eight years after its completion, Louis XIII bought the estate of Versailles from the Gondi family to be able to enlarge the site. Versailles as hunting lodge in 1652 and after the campaigns of 1664 – 1669 – 1678 – 1699. Due to the involvement of the greatest architects and artists of the time, Versailles did not only influence the course of French architecture, but most European architecture well into the 18th century. Popular from 1666 to about 1715, English Baroque architecture is characterized by heavy structures adorned with elaborate decoration; compared to the contemporary Baroque of the European continent, however, it tends to be relatively plain, with more Classical subtleties. Restrained Baroque was seen in northwestern Europe during the Late Baroque period from 1675-1725.Â, The Baroque period was named centuries later with the intent to capture the extreme opulence and drama of the era. Elizabethan architecture Baroque English house. Therefore, men like Just-Auèle Meissonnier, Gilles-Marie Openordt, Nicolas Pineau, and Germain Boffrand developed interior designs that embraced the more intimate scale and lay the emphasis on a comfortable arrangement of rooms. Important Italian Baroque Small house gate designs architects included Carlo Maderno (1556 – 1629), who oversaw early Baroque additions to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The small château was designed by Philibert Le Roy and executed in the popular Brique-et-Pierre style. The other is the curving colonnades that frame St Peter's Square. As a result of Il Gesù being the mother church of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), its design was soon spread all over the world as the Jesuits acted as the religious (re-)conquistadors all over Europe and the Americas. LTR St. Edmund, King and Martyr, City of London; St. Martin, Ludgate; St. Margaret, Lothbury – all London. German Baroque Architecture. Even though Versailles was considered a beacon of style and copied countless times, it was flawed in one particular regard. Therefore, St. Paul’s may rest on a Gothic longitudinal Latin Cross plan, with a nave and aisles structure very similar to Old St. Paul’s Cathedral, but the church is dressed up in a grand English Baroque shell and adorned with a double-shelled dome mimicking that of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. It had its origins in the Counter-Reformation, when the Catholic Church launched an overtly emotional and sensory appeal to the faithful through art and architecture. In 1656, Nicolas Fouquet, minister of finance to Louis XIV, commissioned architect Louis Le Vau (1612-1670) and landscape architect André Le Nôtre (1613-1700) to construct a vast estate near Melun in the Île-de-France. Chelsea Hospital, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace and Greenwich Hospital were among the most renowned works erected during this time. Baroque architecture is a highly opulent style of building, design, and art that originated in Italy during the 17th century and spread to the rest of Europe, and eventually, the U.S. One is the four-story baldachin that stands over the high altar. LTR Plans for rebuilding the City of London by Sir Christopher Wren and John Evelyn. Finishes were chosen based on how the light would reflect. TLTR Façade and interior of the Church of the Gesù; Façade and interior of the Church of Saint Charles at the four Fountains BLTR St. Peter’s Basilica with Maderno’s Baroque façade; Bernini’s Baroque facade, Palazzo Barberini – all Rome, Italy. Baroque architecture is lacking in North America because the continent was just being colonized at the time. Â, Baroque architecture has subtle differences depending on the country. The most immediate result of the style and splendor established by the Palace of Versailles was the development of the hôtel particulier, a private urban villa that mimicked the layout of the palace on a miniature scale. “Barocco” translates from the Italian as “pretentiousness”. From shop 2of2. Some of the best architects, cartographers and landscapers submitted plans, which would have transformed London into a truly contemporary city structured by squares, radiating avenues and striking vistas. 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