Baroque Art

Baroque art originated in the beginning of the 17th century in Italy. Many works of art in the Baroque era were either dances, music, sculptures, literary works, or paintings. This art generally had religious undertones such as Bernini's Ecstacy of St. Theresa (pictured above). Other elements characteristic of this style is portrayal of movement, energy, and contrast. Often, images of the commonplace portrayed as something beautiful made an appearance in paintings, like in Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer (below). I enjoyed watching the movie Girl with a Pearl Earring in class. I thought it was very interesting. People seem to hold as much fascination for it as with the Mona Lisa. The mystery of the painting is what captivates us.