BAROQUE ART

1600 - 1750

The Roman Catholic Church’s reaction to the Protestant Reformation inspired a dramatic form of story-telling art.

As the Protestant Reformation raged across Europe, the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church turned to art to express their unassailable power. They encouraged a highly dramatic style that “communicated religious themes in direct and emotional involvement.” This Baroque style flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries. This period of art was best expressed in the work of painters, many of whom specialized in still lifes, portraits, or history paintings. It is a style marked by intense colors, dramatic scenes, and stark contrasts between areas of light and shadow.