Italian Baroque Flashcards
Italian Baroque years
17th century Italy and 18th century northern Europe
How did Italian Baroque develop
in Italy following the mannerist transition from the High Renaissance of the 16th century
Flourished in Italy, Austria, and France and parts of south Germany.
What does the word Baroque mean
Portuguese barocco: Pearls that are distorted or irregular in shape
What is the word Rococo mean
French & Spanish: shell like
Renaissance was an attempt to overlay Christianity on humanistic understanding of the ancients. Humanism was scientific and secular. By the 17th century the church was losing ground.
They wanted to recapture the ground they lost and promoted Baroque which originated from belief, faith, and emotion. It was religious art.
Influences of the Baroque period were visible in various scales
urban planing / They wanted to make Rome a tourist attraction. They drilled into the old fabric of the city. They connected important buildings with roads. Irregular masses of medieval urban spaces were scoped out to place open spaces.
Not much city planning in medieval times, Baroque was more modern
Massive public open spaces
Significant roads
Baroque was important for many scales
Urban
Architecture
Interior design
Furniture
Rococo was more of a small scale
Interior design
Furniture
ideas
Baroque Interiors
ACTIVE SPACE AS GENERATOR OF FORM
SYNTHESIS OF ARTS (PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND ARCHITECTURE)
CONCETTO
THE IDEA AROUND WHICH THE BAROQUE INTERIORS WERE DESIGNED, GENERALLY BIBLICAL THEMES.
Baroque interiors were
Very complex
Thought about interiors in section and plan
Better visualized the spaces
Drama
Uses natural light and sculpture
Space became a highly active element with
surfaces that give the illusion that they move and shift.
Preference for what shapes?
Oval and elliptical
All surfaces are in baroque are highly articulated; nothing is solid. Opposite of….
modernism
With the use of biblical stories (sculptures, paintings which depict them) space becomes…
Like a stage / dramatic
Interior spaces sculpturally
Define the structure
Synthesis of arts with architecture and interior design…
all forms of art were fused to make a psychological impact.
What is different about Italian baroque furniture
Furniture is site specific
Scaled to space and its function
Rooms in Italian Baroque
had themes and everything in the space was integrated to the theme. In Italian Renaissance themes were used for novelty whereas Baroque utilized it to make propaganda of Christianity.
Sala del Senato, Doge’s Palace
Venice after 1574
Sala del Senato, Doge’s Palace design
Material and color selection is very big
St. Peter’s design type
Renaissance
St. Peter’s
Rome 1624
St. Peter’s architect
Bernini
Balacchinoi
a canopy structure which designates the high altar. Located under the dome, it creates a focal point
St. Peter’s columns
twisted which gives them the illusion that they are active rather than static structural components
Scala Regia
Pope’s royal staircase
Scala Regia architect
Bernini
Scala Regia dates
1663
What does Scala Regia do
Connects Vatican Palace to St. Peter’s Basilica
Why does Scala Regia’s structure look weird
Has positive space to create negative space
How does Scala Regia create drama
Use off small almost clerestory-like windows to create a glow
Intentional for drama
Statue of Constantine
1663
Statue of Constantine designer
Bernini
Purpose of statue of Constantine
To solidify the importance of religion
The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa
1647-1652
The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa designer
Bernini
Where is The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa
Cornaro Chapel / Santa Maria della Vitoria, Rome
San Carlino Monastic Church
Rome 1634
San Carlino Monastic Church architect
Borromini
San Carlino Monastic Church design
Can’t define shape complex
Abbey of Melk
Austria 1702-1738
Abbey of Melk architect
Jacob Prandtauer
San Carlino Monastic Church
Rome 1634
San Carlino Monastic Church architect
Borromini
Abbey of Melk changes since Renaissance
Prints = more books
Libraries still men only
Monastery of St. Florian
Liz, Austria 1718-1724
Monastery of St. Florian Architects
Jacob Prandtauer and Antonio Carlone
Royal Hunting Lodge
Stupinigi, Turin 1729
Royal Hunting Lodge architect
Filippo Juvarro Culinary
Royal Hunting Lodge central space
Salon grand interior room is three stories high
gravity point of the interacting diagonal wings
Filippo Juvarro Culinary design idea
interiors begin to organize the landscape
Concetto is
Hunting
Royal Hunting Lodge is from what design period
Still considered baroque, but is transitioning to Rococo
Why is the Royal Hunting Lodge not Rococo
rococo was revitalization of existing buildings
didn’t have a lot of money
this project was huge and expensive
Use of seashells
Rococo
Figures carved more delicate
Rococo
library of the Monastery at St. Gallen
Switzerland 1748-1770
library of the Monastery at St. Gallen design features
Are a lot more delicate
Italian Baroque furniture
Space specific but moveable
Baroque furniture was designed as part of a composition including walls and ceiling…
Therefore, these pieces were not necessarily well proportioned when viewed separate from the space that they were intended.
What furniture was required in Italian Baroque spaces
Formal Baroque interiors required wall furniture such as tall cabinets, console tables, and wall seats
Italian Baroque chairs
Excessively carved and gilded chairs
Upholstered with large patterned velvets, silks, and stamped leather
Italian Baroque Beds
Four posts beds were still in use
Italian Baroque Wall Panels
larger panels to permit more painting area
Italian Baroque SMALL TABLE
looks out of place and unproportional because it is not in its place
not stationary visually
symmetrical, but small differences
complex form
Italian Baroque features
Uses s and c curves
Gilded elements
Subtractive
Still structured within walls
Italian Baroque Furniture Details
Three-dimensional carvings
* Allegorical topic and/or figurative
carvings
* Overload of gilded surfaces
* Bottom-heavy: Visually heavy and
out of proportion
* A preference for asymmetry
* A preference for curves (top and side
views have curvilinear lines)
* Dynamic against the fact that the
piece is visually heavy
