Evolution and Mastery of Baroque Architecture

Historical Context of the Baroque Period

The Baroque period (1600–1780) originated in Rome and is characterized by excessive decoration. It extended throughout Europe, influenced by the Reformation in Northern Europe and the Counter-Reformation in Southern and Eastern Europe, which provoked the appearance of different artistic manifestations.

Social and Political Factors

• Counter-Reformation: Influenced by the Council of Trent, absolute monarchies, and the landowning nobility. The primary client was the Church.
• Reformation: Influenced by Lutheran reform, parliamentary monarchies, and the commercial bourgeoisie. The primary clients were the bourgeoisie.

Three Types of Baroque

1. Baroque linked to the Counter-Reformation.
2. Baroque as an expression of absolute monarchy.
3. Protestant Baroque linked to the bourgeoisie.

General Architectural Characteristics

Baroque architecture emerged from the Renaissance but produced contrary results. It replaced Renaissance equilibrium and rationality with imbalance, dynamism, movement, and tension.

• Forms: Use of curves, straight lines, and concave or convex shapes.
• Decoration: A taste for garlands, niches, Solomonic columns, oval windows, and caryatids.
• Chiaroscuro: The use of light and shadow to create dynamic effects.

Types of Baroque Buildings

Architecture was divided into residential and religious spheres:

• Residential: Palaces, such as the Palace of Versailles.
• Religious: Churches often moved away from the Latin cross plan toward elliptical or double oval plans, featuring indoor domes and giant orders.
• Optical Effects: Excessive decoration used for optical illusions, such as trompe-l'œil (painted architecture) and rompimientos de gloria (openings in the dome).

Italian Baroque Architecture

Centered in Rome, the movement was defined by several key figures who transitioned from the Renaissance to the height of the Baroque.

Carlo Maderno

A transitional architect between Renaissance Classicism and the Baroque. His major work is the facade of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. He broke the Greek cross plan to create a Latin cross by lengthening the nave. The facade is divided into two bodies with a horizontal belt, featuring classical elements like columns, pilasters, and a pediment, finished with a balustrade. The play of light and walls creates movement.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Representing the height of Baroque, Bernini was inspired by Ancient Rome, emphasizing dynamism and excessive decoration. Key works include the St. Peter's Square Colonnade and the church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale in Rome.

Francesco Borromini

Alongside Bernini, Borromini brought the Baroque to its full splendor. His masterpiece is the Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, featuring an elliptical plan, chapels between counterforts, and an oval dome. The facade uses concave and convex forms, divided into two bodies on a giant podium with a broken pediment and decorative shields. Another notable work is the Oratorio dei Filippini in Rome.

French Baroque Architecture

French Baroque was more classicist and served as political art for Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. Art was state-controlled through Academies to exalt the monarch's power.

The Palace of Versailles

This project reflects the absolutism of Louis XIV. It includes the palace, fountains, and gardens. It was designed as an enormous residence for the monarch, the royal family, and their subjects. The exterior remains austere and classical, while the interior is purely Baroque.