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What Is Baroque?

Baroque is an old style still used today. It originated back in the 17th century until nearly around the middle of the 18th century. The expression "Baroque" simply means "irregularly shaped", possibly coming from the Portuguese word barraco. The Portuguese had originally used the word barraco to describe pearls but later began to use it in reference to an exquisite style of art that used curved lines, gilt, and gold. Baroque can be used in many ways, some examples are art, music, painting, sculpting, architecture, and much more. There is no limit to the expression as long as it contains drama and complexity.

Baroque in Italy and Spain Examples

One of the earliest manifestations of the Baroque style is Carlo Maderno's facade, designed for the Roman church of Santa Susanna. Maderno's facade has a vertical construction which dramatizes the major features, as well as projecting columns and pilasters mounts towards the central axis. Another great example of Baroque is in the oil paining by Caravaggio, Calling of Saint Matthew. This painting is a depiction of the moment at which Jesus Christ inclines Matthew to follow him. Caravaggio included naturalism in his artwork of sacred subjects, turning them into human dramas in the settings of his time. In the Calling of Saint Matthew, the setting appears mysterious and overlapped with a shadow. Christ, off to the right, is only identifiable by the golden halo around his head. Christ extends his hand to the Roman tax collector, Levi, who points to himself as if asking "me?" in a state of disbelief. Caravaggio has a stark and dramatic contrast between light and dark in his paintings, creating a dramatic and complex scene.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Santa_Susanna_exterior.jpg/220px-Santa_Susanna_exterior.jpg

Above is the link to an image of Maderno's Santa Susanna facade. Below is the link to an image of Caravaggio's Calling of Saint Matthew

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Modern Baroque

Keeping in mind that the definition of Baroque can be simplified down to "dramatic" or "complex", here are some example of modern day Baroque.

- Spider Webs. If you take a close look at the web of a spider, you will notice it is truly complex and beautiful. There are patterns that spiders use in order to keep their silk web stable and easy to navigate.

- Snowflakes. To the human eye a snowflake appears as a little spec which quickly melts in your hand. Examine it under a microscope and you will see the dramatic pattern that nature created. No snowflake is the same, every single one consists of a different pattern, size, and arrangement.

- Pinecones. When you think pinecone, you think of the big brown cone you used to use as a soccer ball as a kid. Little did you know, there is actually 2 types of pinecones and one is not typically noticed. Theres the pollen cone and the seed cone. The see cone collects pollen in a very complex and fascinating way. The geometry of the cone is functional like a wind turbine. It channels pollen around it in order to collect the maximum amount of pollen. Although, when we look at the seed cone, we don't often ponder the geometry of it.