Baroque vs Rococo

The 17th and 18th centuries were a time of drama, theatrics, and extravagance. We can observe this through the artworks of the time. The Baroque and Rococo movements captured the melodrama of Europe with heightened realism and detail. At first glance, these two movements are hard to identify; further observation reveals they are the antithesis of each other.

BAROQUE AND RELIGION

Early in the period, the Church saw a decline due to the protestant reformation. Desperate, the Church funded artists of the time to create art that asserted their wealth and extravagance. As a result, works of the Baroque era were often religious. The goal was to flaunt the wealth of the Church and attract people to the Catholic faith again. One could say that this is some of the most beautiful religious propaganda.

BAROQUE ERA

Ironically, the most notable artist at the time, Caravaggio, had many of his religious works declined by the Church because they had been deemed too graphic. Baroque trended toward the unfiltered and gritty reality of life. Using chiaroscuro (contrasting lights and darks) and tenebrism (darkness) expressed darker themes in visual storytelling.

Head of Goliath by Caravaggio displays a genius use of shadows and contrast to achieve an ominous ambiance that radiates from the piece. The head in the painting is that of the infamous painter himself, said to be a dark prediction of his mortality.

1200px-Joean_Honoré_Fragonard_-_The_Swing

ROCOCO ERA

Contrarily, the Rococo movement had little focus on religion. Much of the artwork during this time explored the daily life of aristocrats in a lighthearted and romantic manner. Art longer depicted dark tales to be exhibited to the public. Many commissions came from wealthy patrons who wanted artwork for private displays.

A great example is Fragonard’s The Swing, requested by a patron from the court. Immense care and detail went into this work. Observe the pastels and airiness that characterized this era of art. Similar to Carravaggio’s work, this painting created a stir in the art world. The subject matter was too scandalous to be shown to the public. Supposedly, the patron was having an affair with the swinging lady. We see the lover illustrated in the bottom left corner gazing up at her skirt. In the bottom right, her husband pushes her, unaware of this secret relationship. Details such as the hushing angels and the swinging lady’s ankle showing add to the drama.

Though both Rococo and Baroque explore the extravagant side of decoration and subject matter, they have very distinct personalities. One is not more appealing than the other. The two are different sides of the same coin, balancing each other; the harshness and power of Baroque compliments the softness and delicate essence of Rococo. Studying the nuances can reveal the intriguing evolution of art throughout history.