Baroque Architecture and Sculpture: Key Characteristics and Masters

Baroque Architecture: Breaking Renaissance Rationalism

Baroque art replaced the balanced and rational work of the Renaissance. The material foundation remains stone, but it utilizes an endless repertoire of curves, ellipses, parabolas, twisted columns, and curved pediments to create dramatic lighting effects. Architects continued to use the basilica plan, but incorporated elliptical, circular, and mixed layouts. Sculpture and painting are integrated into architecture to create a unified whole. Arches and vaults relate to urban space, and the dome remains a central feature, designed so that figures seem to ascend to infinity. Facades became more dynamic, built with specific consideration for the angles from which they would be viewed.

Spanish Baroque Architecture

Spanish architecture led the struggle against the Protestant Reformation. Religious buildings reflected the power and immense ornamental wealth of the Church. While internal spaces remained relatively classic and unified, the Baroque period saw the convergence of architecture and urbanism. New concepts of city public spaces, promenades, plazas, and gardens emerged. High streets and squares acquired great importance in Spanish cities, with the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca by Churriguera being a prime example.

Italian Baroque Architecture

• Bernini: Plaza de San Pedro
• Borromini: Church of Saint Charles of the Four Fountains

Baroque Sculpture: Emotion and Movement

Baroque compositions are characterized by dynamic movement, floating drapery, and expressive gestures. To achieve a sense of richness, artists often combined bronze and marble, allowing light to glide over smooth surfaces to reveal the quality of the body. This naturalistic sculpture expresses exalted emotions and violent movement, as seen in Bernini's Apollo and Daphne.

Spanish Baroque Sculpture

Spanish sculpture was fundamentally executed in polychrome wood, featuring realistic details such as rich clothing, natural hair, glass eyes, and tears. The aim was to plasma feelings of pain, anguish, and death to arouse devotion among the faithful. Two primary schools emerged:

• Castellana School: Characterized by an abundance of blood, violent and exaggerated realism, and a tendency to caricature evil characters (e.g., Gregorio Fernández's Christ Yaciente).
• Escuela Andaluza: Emphasized a more idealized form of realism.