Introduction
Mannerism is an art style that emerged in the 15th century and gave way to baroque art. Mannerism was first observed in Italy and later spread to other parts of Europe and finally to other parts of the world. Mannerism was associated with art forms that can be described as having been exaggerated in terms of being real or coming into existence. Most of the art forms that were done using mannerism have been described as having been artificial. The artificial art forms are in comparison to the natural art forms that have been linked to the baroque form of art associated with artists in the 16th and 17th centuries. Baroque is a term that is used to refer to the exaggerated form or a state of objects, especially art.
The term was however originally used in architectural forms of art in the 16th and 17th Centuries (Sullivan 1). Mannerism has been described as having been sophisticated and requiring intellect and complexity to interpret. Some Italian forms of gothic art have been associated with mannerism such as art that was done by the artist Antwerp. Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael are some of the most influential artists that have been associated with mannerism.
In depiction that had mannerism as its inspiration, art had stretched out components such as the neck when depicted in art forms. Poor clarity or lack of it was also a common feature among the art forms. Baroque architects used designs in their field of work that reflected the style and art in life that was being made use of by people in the 16th and 17th Centuries. The baroque architects made use of bold art forms that had curvaceous forms.
The ornamentation that was made use of in the architectural forms was very detailed and done creatively. Distinct components of the art were also a part of the baroque architectural forms that were observed in the 16th and 17th centuries. The architectural forms of art that were utilized in the designing of buildings gained popularity and spread from Italy to most of Europe by the early 17th Century. The easy to interpret art that was used by the baroque architects made use of the views and interests of individuals in the society.
Development of art
The concept of progress was easily agreeable and acceptable to people who encouraged the Italian mannerist and baroque architects. Baroque art was also encouraged by the religious conflicts that were going on in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe. The new beginning, reconstruction, and Counter-Reformation periods had brought on a wave throughout Europe that transformed the attitudes of many people in the society. Individuals in this generation were very welcoming to change. The religious disagreements led to even more creativity among the baroque architects and Italian mannerists. The differences between some religious groups were so intense that they led to the separation of regional areas based on their differences (Sullivan 1).
The Netherlands separated into Belgium and Holland; Individuals from Belgium were predominantly Catholic while individuals from Holland were predominantly Protestants. These differences made a great contribution to art.
The Catholics made a great effort to create superior buildings that had great art. The church buildings also had great art and decorations that the people in the society could identify with. Spain, Italy, and Germany are some of the countries that adopted the Baroque architectural designs for buildings in their cities. The Catholics and Protestants designed their church buildings by their religious teachings and integration of the holy teachings that people in the society believed in concerning the different aspects of their religion.
The furnishings and decorations in church buildings also had a great reflection of art in society. As a result of the art that was being adopted, there was an increase in the number of individuals and organizations alike that wanted to invest in the baroque architectural field. Governing institutions and bodies wanted to establish buildings that would reflect their power and influence in society. The monarchies that were in place at that time felt that one of the ways that their power to govern over the people would be empowered was through the putting up of impressive buildings that would portray the importance of the art, philosophy, and views of the people in the society.
Baroque art was generally considered to be dynamic especially when compared to other forms of art that existed at and before the baroque art period (McGinn 1). Baroque was at times criticized as being too emotional to invoke sensual and extravagant feelings in individuals. But however baroque art was classified, many individuals would agree that it represented a more developed sense of art and representative of the art, philosophy, and development that was being experienced in the society at the time.
The Italian mannerist and baroque architectural development periods coincided with the renaissance periods in history. Galileo and Isaac Newton are some of the greatest minds that lived in this period and they contributed to the introduction of new ideas into the world. Newton especially contributed to the idea of space into the minds of people led to the use of the concept in baroque architectural forms. A famous philosopher in that period was Descartes who also contributed to the concept of space for individuals (McGinn 1).
The concept of space combined with the aspect of light traveling through it had a great impact in the field of architectural designs that were made for people. The discoveries that were made in science at this period, made great contributions to art and architectural designs that were made use of by the baroque architects. One of the greatest contributors to baroque architecture is Bernini who existed in the 16th Century. One of the greatest art forms that Bernini can be credited to is Michelangelo’s sculpture which was made for the client Cardinal Borghese. The religious sculpture made use of great natural lighting and space to create a great work of art. The composition of art was so greatly admired and it still is up to date.
The art form was also very well balanced and made great use of the available space to give a remarkable art form of the Christian religion representation of Michelangelo’s David. In another remarkable piece of art that was done by Bernini, a representation of St. Teresa was done in a creative manner that contributed to even more admiration and respect for Bernini and his work (McGinn 1).
Bernini used great angles which illuminated the sculpture leading to a spectacular view of the St. Teresa representation. To enhance the representation of the art forms that were represented in his work, Bernini utilized various forms of art and aspects of the society that motivated his work. Painting, drama, and sculpturing were some of the major aspects that Bernini made use of to come up with great architectural forms. This use of art inspired many great artists.
Caravaggio was another individual who participated in great art in the late 16th century. Although his art forms were remarkable, they were criticized as not conforming to the morals of society. The church is one of the organizations that sharply criticized the art that was composed by Caravaggio as having been immoral. For example in the composition of the art where Saul was converted to Paul, Caravaggio made the horse appear more pronounced than Saul in the painting. Caravaggio also made the painting in such a manner that the horse’s backside was very exaggerated not to mention that it appeared as if it was the focal point of the painting. Caravaggio’s art was criticized as being less noble especially when compared to all the other art forms of the other artists from the renaissance times in history (Quentin 1).
As much as Caravaggio was talented, he would unfortunately always find himself in the hands of the authority for causing trouble by being rowdy. Caravaggio killed a man after an argument ensued between him and the man. Due to his nature of disobeying the law, Caravaggio met his early demise when he was only thirty-eight years old. However, many artists had been positively influenced by his work. Caravaggio’s influence on other people’s work contributed to great works of art among artists in the 16th and 17th Centuries (Russell 1). Most of Caravaggio’s work is seen as having influenced artists that came after him especially those from the Northern regions.
For example in the painting where he portrayed the conversion of Saul to Paul, there was the use of tenebrism in his paintings which led to the portrayal of great drama in the work that he did. Caravaggio also utilized chiaroscuro in his art to create uniqueness and contrast in his art. This contributed to great work that was admired by artists even though it was condemned by religious leaders. Creation and exaggeration of space to create the right impression in his work are some of the greatest skills that Caravaggio also made use of in his art. Both Bernini and Caravaggio made a great contribution to the architectural designs that were made by professionals in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Baroque architecture, Italian mannerists, and the economic influence
The influence of the architects was widely observed in major cities in Europe such as London and Amsterdam. There was the wide materialization of a high income and middle class in the society which led to the existence of surplus money in the economy at the time. The individuals in possession of excess money chose to invest it in buildings and the art forms that spoke of the history of the different geographical locations. Other individuals used flowers and authoritative figures in society as their representation of art in society.
The development of high social-economic class individuals in the community is one of the major reasons why different genres were used in the art forms for clients that wanted baroque architectural art. Different genres of art were made available to clients depending on their social-economic status and style in society. Some of the clients that made use of the baroque art included churches, government offices, judicial courts, and individuals of high and middle-income social-economic backgrounds in the society (Russell 1).
The difference in the genres that clients required of the baroque architects required the specialists to be even more specific in the work that they carried out. For example; a baroque architect could be found specializing in art and designing of churches only or courts only. This form of specialization led to the even better existence of more refined and unique designs for the people of Europe and architectural art forms and designs.
Maximum use of art
The specialization among the baroque architects led to the development of one on one relationships between the clients and the architects. These relationships in turn contributed to clients getting what they wanted in the art forms. This is because the clients would specify the exact details that they wanted in their architectural details. The use of the baroque architects by the pope and the middle and upper social-economic class in the society contributed to the fast growth of architecture in Italy and Europe. Landscaping, the use of self-portraits, designing, and decoration of buildings, and the ornamentation of both interiors and exteriors of buildings became more common.
Peter Paul Rubens is one of the greatest artists that emerged from this period due to his talent equipped with his skills as an entrepreneur. Rubens made a great name for himself by working for a diverse number and types of clients. Some of Rubens’ clients included churches, courts, middle and high-class citizens in the society, and businesses (Don 529). Rubens set up a workshop whereby he employed other artists who helped him with some of the work that he got from his many clients. Italian artists had shown a great interest in art and integration of current events in the society as an influence in the kind of work that they did.
Drama and use of available technical parameters such as lighting and space were made great use of by the artists to ensure that customer interest and appeal were achieved for both professional and commercial purposes. One of the artists whose influence could be seen through Rubens’ work is Caravaggio. Rubens made use of great diagonal lines and lighting to achieve drama and contrast in the paintings and architectural designs that he made. In one of the most admired works of art that Rubens is associated with, there is a great moment where action and drama are portrayed in one instance. A painting of Jesus Christ was done whereby he was facing the heavens. The depiction of Christ facing upwards is about the Christian teachings that were being made in society.
Individuals were being asked to abide by Christian teachings and relate their life to the kind of suffering that Jesus Christ went through. The owner of the painting was known as Cornelius von der Heist. The heist was a wealthy businessman during the emergence of baroque architecture. Rembrandt wan Rajin is one of the greatest artists that also existed during the emergence and development of baroque architectural art in the 16th and 17th Centuries in Italy and all of Europe. One of the forms of art that Rembrandt did while in the Netherlands was the depiction of the prodigal son returning home. Rembrandt made use of light shades of color to create contrast in his work (Don 538).
Religion was a major aspect of the lives of people in the 16th and 17th Century and therefore most of the valued forms of art were made in the depiction of religious messages or passages in the bible. Rembrandt’s painting of the prodigal son was made as a depiction of the Protestant message that individuals that want salvation from their sins can ask for forgiveness from Christ directly. This is in contrast to the message that would be common of Catholic forms of art where salvation and asking for forgiveness from God would involve an individual to intercede.
Architectural forms of baroque
In the designing of buildings, emphasis was laid on the creation of bold forms of spaces, depiction of contrast using dark and light shades, and the use of sculptures to create an illusion of space. Chamber rooms were usually designed to follow after a flight of stairs or well-designed bedrooms. Most of the stairs were very well designed and filled with designs and furnished interiors. In Europe, Ludwigsburg Palace in Germany was one of the greatest depictions of baroque architectural designs that were observed in the world. Sir Christopher Wren, Nicholas Hawksmoor, and Sir john Vanbrug are some of the greatest architects that were observed in all of England during the 16th and 17th Century. Fountains and sculptures were common features in many buildings that had baroque architecture as their influence (Quentin 1).
The composition of work of such individuals involved the great use of colours to create contrast and the use of shapes and domes to create illusions of space or absence of it. Themes in society such as the love of plays and drama were observed to have an influence in the designs of buildings that were made by architects such as Vincenzo Barrochio who designed the cathedral of Morellia Michoacan in Mexico in the 17th Century.
Baroque architecture also had an influence in the way that towns were designed (McGinn 1). City gardens, streets and avenues were observed to derive great influence from baroque architecture. Themes of life in the society and philosophies that were ongoing at the time could be observed in the design of buildings. Dramatic depictions could be observed in the design of doors, walls and roofs which is a reflection of the grandeur that was evident in the society.
A lot of change was being experienced in the society which brought with it positively channeled energy that contributed to magnificent designs in the architectural world. Music, philosophy, literature and all fields of art were experiencing the depiction of new theories, styles and content. This change was stamped by its acceptance by people in the society. The change was encouraged by the suggestion and dictation of individuals of what they felt suited them the most in their households and in the society where their input was required. The aspect of romance was a great of influence in designs of sculptures or themes in architectural designs for buildings made for clients.
Conclusion
The use of mannerism was popular in Italy in the late 15th and 16th early century. Mannerism had an artificial feel in the depiction of art that was portrayed in compositions of work involving the society. Mannerism usually made use of lengthening of the components of art and the forms that were usually depicted did not have a lot of clarity. One of the most popular artists that were associated with this mannerism is Leonardo da Vinci. Baroque architecture evolved from mannerism to the creation of great remarkable forms of art that had a lot of influence from developments in the society. The period of time in the 16th and 17th Century observed a development and stratification of social economic status in the society.
The high income and middle income group of people in the society admired art and were willing to invest in it. Talented artists that came up during this time were able to achieve success through work contracts that they were given by clients. Bernini and Caravaggio are some of the greatest artists whose influence could be observed in other artists that came after them (Don 544). Baroque architecture made use of different colours, domes, shapes and themes in the society to create contrast, drama and remarkable art. The evolution of Italian mannerism to baroque art led to some of the most well designed architectural forms in the world. Most of the designs were first seen in Italy and they moved to Europe and finally to other parts of the world.
Works Cited
Don, Harran. “Mannerism in the Cinquecento Madrigal”. Musical quarterly. (1969). 55.4: 521 – 544. Print.
McGinn, Howerton. “The Baroque”. Palo Alto College: Early and classical class notes. (n.d). Web.
Quentin, Hughes. “The influence of Italian mannerism”. Military architecture. (2011). Web.
Russell, Robert. “The place of the artist in the Christianity community”. Ransom Fellowship ministries. (2000). Web.
Sullivan, Edward. “Baroque”. Microsoft Corp, Encarta. (1994). Web.