The term ‘Baroque’ and its successor ‘rococo’
• This term was not used until the 19th C and was used in a derogatory
way.
• Taken from the world of pearl fishing meaning rough or irregular
• It was partly a reaction to the mannerist style of the 16th C
• It was committed to the expression of human emotion and ornament
• Human drama is a central element highly expressive with theatrical
gestures
• Rococo is used in architecture, music and literature
• Synonymous with lightness, highly decorative and stylish elegance
• Emerges in Paris in early 18th C spreads to the rest of Europe

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Of What importance was this style to
the Church?
Florence and Venice had up to this time
dominated the art world
Now the centre of art moves to Rome.
After the reformation the Catholic world
regains is authority in the ‘counter
reformation’
Artists were expected to endorse the
authority of the Church
The scripture was to be illustrated in a way
that expressed the concerns of the Church
This was the reason for a heightened
emotional content and sense of realism

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Bernini
Principle sculptor of the baroque
And counter reformation.
Gianlorenzo Bernini's
"Ecstasy of St.
Teresa" (1647-52),

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Caravaggio 1537 – 1610
Self portrait as Bacchus
He was born Michelangelo
Merisi on Sept. 28, 1573, in
Caravaggio, Italy.
Orphaned at age 11, he was
apprenticed to the painter
Simone Peterzano of Milan for
four years.
At some time between 1588 and
1592, Caravaggio went to Rome
and worked as an assistant to
painters of lesser skill.

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About 1595 he began to sell his
paintings through a dealer. The
dealer brought Caravaggio to the
attention of Cardinal Francesco del
Monte.
Through the cardinal, Caravaggio
was commissioned, at age 24, to
paint for the church of San Luigi dei
Francesi.
Portrait of Cardinal Francesco Maria del
Monte by Ottavio Leoni

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.
In its Contarelli Chapel
Caravaggio's realistic naturalism
first fully appeared in three scenes
he created of the life of St.
Matthew.
The works caused public outcry,
however, because of their realistic
and dramatic nature.
Despite violent criticism, his
reputation increased and
Caravaggio began to be envied.
He had many encounters with the
law during his stay in Rome. He
was imprisoned for several
assaults and for killing an
opponent after a disputed score in
a game of court tennis

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Caravaggio fled the city and kept
moving between hiding places. He
reached Naples, probably early in 1607,
and painted there for a time, awaiting a
pardon by the pope.

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He was gained a reputation for
being a violent and passionate man
who could act very irrationally at
times.
This is not reflected in his art which
is controlled passion and
truthfulness.
He looked upon the full reality of
human existence with its highs and
lows glories and sordid materiality
Rembrandt is the true inheritor of
Caravaggio in his truth and use of
Chiaroscuro.
The play of dramatic lighting is a
technique created by Caravaggio
and is his particular contribution to
art development.

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The Bacchus and the Lute
Player.
Caravaggio‘s themes
These are early ‘genre paintings’
The lute Player is a seductive and
sensual painting of a young boy
often mistaken for a girl.
Caravaggio’s sexual preference is
clearly evident.
He is not making any judgements
he merely depicts sensual
pleasure as the music of the Lute
is to the ears so is the pleasure of
the flesh
In the Bacchus painting the figure
could be the same model and is
holding a cup of wine pleasure of
the palate and of the mind.

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