Keywords: baroque; Fine arts; Architecture; Painting; space
When it comes to baroque, it is often baroque style. As for the interior and exterior decoration of buildings, it is extremely complicated and often one-sided. Baroque art belongs to a genre of art, which began to appear in the second half of16th century, prevailed in17th century, and gradually declined in18th century, except in parts of northern and central Europe. In the late18th century and19th century, baroque was reevaluated in the 20th century, regardless of its evaluation. However, various works of art in the Baroque period added a unique artistic color to this period, which made Baroque art have a far-reaching impact on many countries and regions for a long time.
At present, it may not be easy to straighten out the culture of Baroque period and its various events. It's like we're not sure where the word "Baroque" comes from. However, one explanation for this word is that it comes from Portuguese, which originally meant irregular and weird pearl shapes. This statement does show some universal cultural characteristics of the Baroque period. Although it is not the most brilliant achievement in the history of western culture, it can be said to be the most complicated and diverse period.
Baroque is the main school after the Renaissance, and there was a power struggle between old and new religions in Europe in the17th century. Baroque is usually regarded as a highly centralized period and an art serving religion. Baroque art was first popular in Italy, and then gradually became popular in Flanders, Spain and other Catholic countries. Baroque has become a unique style, which is reflected in its artistic spirit and techniques. What is the essence of baroque spirit? It is a kind of consciousness, meditation, longing and pursuit of infinity. This technology shows the characteristics of spatio-temporal structure. People used to think baroque art was strange and complicated, but now "baroque" is no longer a derogatory term, but has become synonymous with a period. Baroque art is considered to be gorgeous, colorful, beautifully decorated, passionate, romantic, dramatic, dynamic and emotional. Baroque art is an anti-Renaissance art, which combines architectural, painting, sculpture and other art forms to express.
The most important creation in the Baroque period can be said to be the concept of "contrast". The exterior of the building pursues movement and freedom, while the interior prefers rich decoration and sculpture. The characteristics of baroque art are: gorgeous, because the target of service is mainly the church and the upper class, so it can only pursue luxury; And romanticism, trying to break the harmony and calm of the Renaissance. Full of passion and sportsmanship, this turmoil is not only related to religion, but also to the turbulent situation at that time; Then his works are full of space, emphasizing the comprehensiveness of artistic forms; It is strongly religious. In a word, Baroque art should not be underestimated. No matter from which dimension, as an intermediate stage between Renaissance and modernity, it is indeed a transitional period. This determines its complexity and constant change.
Baroque art shows the characteristics of its era culture. Thus, in Italy, we can see the anti-religious reform movement in the structure of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Especially on its big altar, it shows a strong sense of movement. In Saint Gelve's Church in France, its facade is an interpretation of the facade of French Baroque architecture. On its facade, it adopts classical columns, triangular forehead walls, straight concave-convex parts of eaves walls and the composition of the entrance to the Arc de Triomphe, which is more serious than other baroque buildings in continental Europe. Look at the German Baroque Church again. Its architectural appearance is simple, elegant and chic, with soft and sporty shapes and few decorations. The color of the facade is simple and clear, but the interior decoration of the church is luxurious and rich, which forms a strong contrast between the inside and outside. The famous monastery church in Roche is a typical example.
Generally speaking, the Baroque Church is simple in appearance and luxurious in interior, which can create a strong mysterious atmosphere. It started in Rome and soon spread all over Europe, even as far away as America.
Baroque art and classical art are quiet and harmonious, but they are in a turbulent state. Baroque art forms pursue the interaction between form and disorder, surface and depth. This is different from the yearning for clarity and unity in classical art forms. This is embodied in Baroque art's understanding of time and space ... Just like Benigni's sculpture art, his Madness of Mother Teresa uses the means of space modeling, showing the sense of movement when marble grasps and carries infinite folds. This work is displayed in the form of group sculpture, and the image content in the sculpture is shaped according to the words in Teresa's autobiography. Benigni captured the moment of her pregnancy and transformed it into a three-dimensional space. The postures of these two figures in the sculpture are different from those usually used. Angels are standing instead of flying in the air, and Teresa is lying on her back instead of kneeling as usual. The vertical and diagonal lines formed by these two postures firmly connect them together. Moreover, in the depiction of expressions, the angel's calm smile and Teresa's pain are accompanied by sweetness, forming a more intense emotional movement. As a spatial image, this work is full of the meaning of time, but for Benigni, it still cannot effectively express the infinity of the soul soaring in time, so he placed it in a beautiful altar niche. Stand it on a high altar, and the pillars around it will set it off and wrap it. It can be associated with a sentence by panofsky: "Sculpture and the surrounding space are integrated into a complete visual picture". Baroque's emphasis on light is particularly noteworthy here, and Benigni's ingenious use of natural light. This is a baroque intersection space, creating an infinite illusion.
Baroque time and space, perhaps, its music is more clear. Compared with poetry, music seems to be a more pure time art, although it is an ambiguous art form in essence, and the inherent space-time characteristics of music come from its horizontal melody and vertical harmony. The early famous composer of Baroque music should be regarded as Monteverdi of Italy. From him to Bach and Handel.
Roland barthes believes that the eye is the highest sensory organ, and Baroque is the art of seeing things, which is proof. Painting is a kind of "visual art", and Baroque painting art transcends the principle of pursuing harmony established during the Renaissance. Baroque painting is a gaze, a meditation, a melancholy, a passion, a desire, a fragmented baroque world. The representative figure of his painting is Rubens, who is the main commander of Flanders School and an active Baroque master. Rembrandt in the Netherlands, velazquez in Spain and Pu Sang in France. Their paintings all emphasize the change of light and shadow, with bright colors, some of which are key.
In the beautiful rural scenery, four shepherds gathered in front of a tombstone, arguing about the inscription on the tombstone. This is the scene described in Pu Sang's The Arkady Shepherd. This painting is based on the words in Virgil's Pastoral. The arrangement of characters, different gestures and expressions in the painting are obviously narrative. But the fourteen letters in the painting are in a prominent position, the center of the picture space. This work shows the shepherd's sudden understanding of the reality of death and the resulting complex feelings with its typical baroque drama expression techniques-bold diagonal lines, strong contrast between light and shade, exaggerated movements and expressions. Pu Sang is not only the last master of baroque art, but also the first master of neoclassicism. In this work, Pu Sang fully demonstrated his transition and transformation of his own art, and perhaps what Pu Sang explained was the end of Baroque art. ..
References:
[1] Trace of Fracture, by Geng Youzhuang, Renmin University of China Press, 2003.