Characteristics Of The Baroque World

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Take each of the following characteristics of the Baroque world and explain how it can be seen in at least 2 works from the period (music, art, architecture, and/or literature). Space, especially expansiveness Light and its symbolism Time, especially the moment frozen in time Emotion Virtuosity Space, especially expansiveness When discussing works from the Baroque period that depict characteristics of space and expansiveness two architectural works that come to mind are St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Italy and the Palace of Versailles, in France. Many describe both of these massive architectural masterpieces as evoking an overwhelming feeling of endless when immersed in their presence. Light and its symbolism On the subject of the use of light and its symbolism two works that that seem to stand out are Michelangelo Merisi or more commonly known as Caravaggio painting, The Calling of Saint Matthew, and Georges de La Tour, The Lamentation over Saint Sebastian. Both artists use the technique of chiaroscuro or the extreme contrasts between light and dark to make certain the viewer’s attention is drawn to the main subject in the painting and act that they are engaged in. For example in The Calling of Saint Matthew, the light is being cast from behind the figure that represents Caravaggio’s modern day depiction of Christ who is pointing toward Saint Matthew in whom which the light creates a spotlight on. Here Caravaggio uses the technique of chiaroscuro to illustrate the scene in which Jesus called Matthew to be one of the Twelve Disciples. Time, especially the moment frozen in time In regards to two Baroque works that significantly display a moment frozen in time are Vermeer’s painting, Woman Reading a Letter, and Lorenzo Bernini statue, David. Both of these works has significant distinctions between them. However the commonality concerning them are

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