The history of the Baroque style in architecture

The Baroque style appeared in Italy at the end of the 16th century as a reaction to the austerity and symmetry of the Renaissance. Its origin is associated with the counter—Reformation, the movement of the Catholic Church against Protestant reforms. The church used architecture as a means of attracting believers through the emotional expressiveness and grandeur of the temples.

Initially, the style developed in Florence and Rome, where architects sought to create an effect of visual shock. An important feature was the use of complex shapes, rich decorative elements and dynamic compositions. In the 17th century, the Baroque spread throughout Europe: in France it acquired more rigorous forms (classicism), and in Spain and Germany — more emotional and dramatic features.

In Russia, the Baroque style appeared in the 18th century under Peter I and Catherine II, combining Western European traditions with national characteristics. In general, the style has become a symbol of power, wealth and spiritual greatness.

The main elements and features of Baroque architecture

The following features are characteristic of this style.

• Dynamic shapes: curved lines of facades, wavy pediments.
• Decorative: rich decoration of facades — sculptures, stucco, ornaments. Gilded sculptures.
• The use of columns and pilasters: often complex compositions to create depth.
• Domes: massive domes with lucarnes or lanterns.
• Asymmetry: facades are often not symmetrical to enhance the effect of movement.
• The chiaroscuro game: the use of lighting effects to emphasize volumes.
• Interiors: richly decorated ceilings with frescoes, moldings and gilding.
• The effect of visual expansion of space: the use of illusions and optical techniques (trompley).

Some architectural elements

• In facade design, decoupling is widely used, when a part of the wall protrudes slightly forward or, conversely, deepens along with all the elements. As a result, an alternation of convex and concave sections is created, which creates the effect of a spatial illusion. A variety of bay windows make the facade composition even more expressive.

• Towers and balconies are a distinctive feature of Baroque buildings — they demonstrate a deliberate violation of proportions in the ancient order system. The parts of the order (base, entablature, capital) stretch, overlap and twist; the initially harmonious structure (commensurate with a person) acquires massiveness and a ragged rhythm.

• Baroque facades are actively decorated with columns, voluminous large relief and pediments of the onion type. Ornate architraves are necessarily equipped with a keystone. The windows are made in the form of ovals, hemispheres and rectangular openings. Instead of columns, statues of caryatids and Atlanteans are used to support beams, balustrades and roof arches.

• Traditional Baroque ornaments include arabesques, garlands, shells, cartouches, flower vases, cornucopias and musical instruments. Every detail is beautifully framed. In conjunction with the historically close styles of Baroque, Rococo and classicism, the former is notable for its love of excessive decor. This feature will then be emphasized by Rococo, emphasizing elegance and sophistication.

• One of the features of the architectural Baroque is the active use of mascarons — masks in the form of a human face or an animal’s muzzle, located full—face — in the facade design. They were made of stone or plaster and placed over entrance doors, window openings and arches. Each mask has its own character: calm, intimidating or comical. Themed masquerades were selected according to the profile of the institution: the goddess of justice or lion heads were depicted for the court; dramatic characters for the theater; angels and children for the church.

Famous Baroque architects

Italy

Francesco Borromini

Francesco Borromini (1599-1667) was an outstanding Italian architect and sculptor, whose work became a significant contribution to the development of the Baroque style in Rome.

Famous buildings:

• Facade of the Church of San Carlo alle Cuatro Fontane
• Church of Sant’ Ivo alla Sapienza
• Palazzo Spada

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Gianlorenzo Bernini (1698-1772) was an Italian architect, painter and sculptor.

Among his famous works are the interiors of churches and palaces in Rome, where he used curved facades, stucco decorations and complex layouts to enhance the emotional impact.

For example, the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, with its elegant facade and interior space, demonstrates Gianlorenzo’s skill in creating a harmonious combination of architectural forms and decorative elements.

He also designed the Pamphili Palace, one of the most striking examples of the late Baroque with rich ornaments and spectacular interiors.

Churches designed by Bernini: The ornate oval church of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, begun in 1658, which was created for the Jesuits.

Bernini also designed the churches of Castel Gandolfo San Tommaso da Villanova (1658-1661) and in Ariccia Santa Maria del Assunzione (1662-1664).

France

Jules Ardoin-Mansard

French architect of the Classical era with Baroque elements. He created palaces and interiors at the court of Louis XIV.

Famous works:

• Grand Palais and Grand Trianon in Versailles
• Church (Cathedral) Invalides Homes in Paris

Louis the Lion (1612-1700)

French architect, representative of the French Rococo. He worked on palaces and church buildings.

Famous works:

• Vaux-le-Vicomte Palace
• Salpetriere Hospital Building
• Mansard also worked on the palace at Versailles
• The Lambert Hotel

Germany

Johann Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753)

Architect of the southern German Baroque. He traveled a lot, studied the architectural monuments of Italy, France and Germany.

He is the author of many secular and monastic buildings as well as luxurious interiors.

Famous works:

• Augustusburg Castle
• Archbishop’s Residence in Würzburg
• Monastery Church in Neresheim
• Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers in Vierzenheiligen

Spain

Jose Churriguera is a Spanish sculptor, architect and woodcarver, the founder of an entire dynasty of architects.

His Baroque style became a household name after the architect and is called Churrigesco.

It is characterized by brightness and splendor.

Famous works:

• Salamanca Town Hall
• The Palace of the Marquises of Dos Aguas in Valencia
• Goyeneche Palace

England

Sir Christopher Wren (1572-1656)

English architect, mathematician, and scientist who was responsible for rebuilding an entire area of London after the Great Fire. He designed buildings in a style combining classicism and Baroque.

He created palaces and public buildings.

Famous works:

• Greenwich Naval Hospital
• St. Paul’s Cathedral in London

Russia

Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli

Architect from Russia of Italian origin, Academician of Architecture at the Imperial Academy of Arts

He managed to combine the classical Italian Baroque of the 17th century, elements of Western European classicism, ornaments and aesthetics of the Rococo style fashionable at that time and the traditions of ancient Russian architecture, which Rastrelli studied when traveling in Russia.

Famous buildings:

• The Grand Palace in Peterhof
• Catherine’s Palace in Tsarskoye Selo

Moscow Baroque

Characteristic features of the Naryshkin Baroque style include symmetry, layering, centricity, and the use of white details on a red background. This style combines the techniques of ancient Russian wooden and stone construction with elements of European Gothic, Mannerism and Renaissance. The famous multi-tiered Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fili was designed in this form.

The Golitsyn style is distinguished by the use of Baroque decor only in the interior. The architectural monument of this trend is the Church of the Sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dubrovitsy.

Stroganov buildings are characterized by a five-domed silhouette, which is traditional for a Russian temple. The Baroque decor in them is very rich and detailed. For example, these buildings include the Smolenskaya Church in Nizhny Novgorod and the Cathedral of the Vvedensky Monastery in Solvychegodsk.

Paintings of Baroque architecture

At different times, many artists painted paintings of buildings of this luxurious and regal style (for example, Antonio Canal «Canaletto»).

In Russia, this includes I.K. Aivazovsky, A.N. Benois, and S.F. Shchedrin.

On our website, you can purchase paintings of Baroque buildings by the artist Nadezhda Tsvetkova.

(In the photographs of Nadezhda’s painting «Balcony. Havana» and «The Old Town Hall in Bamberg. Germany» )