The Baroque period follows the Renaissance and is dated to the period from 1575 to 1770, beginning with the Early Baroque period up to about 1650, followed by the High Baroque period between 1650 and 1720. The Late Baroque period was from 1720 to about 1770. This period is also known as the Rococo period. The Italian painter
Caravaggio is considered one of the founders of the Baroque period. He painted realistically with strong contrasts between light and dark. His models were people of the people.
The Baroque period was an era of splendor and pageantry. People adopted the clearly structured art of the Renaissance, but exaggerated everything. Power and wealth had to be shown. At court one allowed oneself every luxury, the simple population noticed nothing of it. Important monasteries, churches and castles were built during this period. Stucco work, curved ornamental elements, putti and above all a lot of gold were characteristics. Versailles Palace near Paris, the Dresden Zwinger or Belvedere Palace in Vienna are well-known examples. The magnificent palaces also included baroque gardens and parks.
The painters of the Baroque period are among the most famous and important painters. Apart from
Caravaggio in Italy, the Spanish
Diego Velazquez and
Rubens and
Rembrandt from the Netherlands should be mentioned. In addition to many religious paintings, landscapes and pictures of normal everyday life were also painted.