Architecture in the Baroque period - Essay Example

Contents Contents Introduction 2 The Baroque Architecture 2 Baroque Structures 3 The Influence of Liturgy and Theology 13 Conclusion 14 Bibliography 16 Introduction The Baroque period represented a change in art styles that had origins in theology and liturgy. It was represented by music, paintings, architecture and other art forms across the continent and in South America. The very meaning of the word refers to an irregularly shaped pearl. The geometric forms that were represented by the Baroque art forms were curved in nature. The art during this period in time was as much a result of the prevalent conditions at the time as of the ideas of the artists themselves. With reference to time periods, the art forms of the Baroque period were mainly built in the 17th century between the Mannerist and Rococo periods of art which themselves represented the prevailing conditions of theology and liturgy during their times. Therefore, let us look at some of the finest structures during the Baroque period and trace them to the developments in the religious field that heavily influenced them (Cohen, 1996, p.97). The Baroque Architecture Since the origins of the Baroque period can be readily traced to the religious developments during the period, it is also possible to differentiate and isolate that various characteristics of the structures during this period from others. Baroque artists did not make use of lines so that the volumes of the structures they built appear massive and weighty; instead they designed the structures such that the spaces between objects in them seemed vast and infinite. They also placed their figures and forms in a diagonal form rather than in rows so that the viewer could become more involved in the art. In line with the same ideas, figures in composition were made such that there were no clear boundaries between them. Such and other similar practices were employed in order to emphasize emotion and heighten the mood. Wherever it was used, it was done so with a purpose of arousing religious emotion. All these effects were created in the two most popular structures during the period, namely the church and the palace (Cohen, 1996, p.99). During the Baroque period, artists began to use their own symbolism rather than conforming to the previously established rules of the Renaissance era. Thus, the Church symbolism that had been created by the previous era began to vanish and as a consequence the influence of the Church on artistic content and form decreased. In fact, the events that heavily influenced all the works of art during this period were those of the Reformation and the Counter Reformation. One of the guiding principles of these movements was to reduce the influence of the Church on non – religious matters. Therefore, although religious reasons was the underlying cause for the design and construction of the structures of the day, the direct influence of the Church on them had greatly decreased. Baroque Structures St. Pauls, London Although the first cathedral at the site was constructed in 604 A.D, it is the structure that presently stands that is of significance to the Baroque period (StPauls, 2011). The cathedral itself is built in the form of a cross and on a site measuring 500x285 feet. The ground plot covers more than two acres. It is one of the largest cathedrals in England which signifies the style of construction of the period. A statue of Queen Anne is situated in the west Church yard of the cathedral, the queen in whose reign the church was completed. This shows the significance given to the monarchy. The southern and northern fronts of the cathedral are symmetric except for the entablature in the south which represents a Phoenix rising from the flames. This represents the mood of the period during which a lot of emotion was expressed through the structures. The massive dome of the cathedral is supported by four huge stone piers each about 40 square feet (Cummings, 1857, p.9). On the summit, there is the sacred symbol of the Christian faith (Hackett, 1828, p.1-8). The inner of the brick built dome is covered by a number of paintings by Sir James Thornhill. They show a number of stages from the life of St Paul. The stone gallery encircles the outside of the dome and is nearly 173 ft from ground level (Lubbert, 2007, p.17-19). S. Andrea al Quirinale, Rome The S. Andrea al Quirinale was designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini among many other structures. While the St. Pauls cathedral is one of the biggest in England and all of Europe, S. Andrea al Quirinale is a small oval church which was built as a place of worship for the Jesuit novices of the region. Painting, sculpture, stucco work and light effects were used throughout the church to create a dramatic effect for the viewer (Moffett et al., 2003, p.361-62). The site itself on which the church was built was shallow and hence Pope Alexander VII wanted to build a wall to separate the church from the street. However, Bernini refused this suggestion and designed the church such that the long axis of the oval was parallel to the street which meant that the short axis of the church was the central axis of the church and the focus of the main altar. This had an effect of accelerating the path from the entrance of the church to the altar in a dramatic manner (Castex, 2008, p.160). The plan of the church consists of seven radial chapels with the high altar being the most prominent. This is located on the short axis of the church directly opposite to the entrance. It is brought into attention by a lighting source; light filters from a lantern in the vault of the apse but this is not visible to viewers when they enter the church. The most distinct feature of this church compared to lateral churches is the combination of paintings, sculptures and other art forms to heighten the mood of the viewer. However, this is an important trait of Berninis style and has been believed to be best expressed in this church (Careri, 1995, p.87-90). In order to better understand the finer architectural aspects of the church it is important to know that Bernini had great respect for the Jesuits and therefore constructed this church with attention to detail. This point is highlighted by the fact that the altarpiece representing The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew was painted by Jesuit G. Cortese under Berninis supervision. Many of the sculptures were also carried out under the supervision of Bernini and by favourite pupils. Oratory of S. Filippo Neri, Italy Interestingly, although the Oratory of S. Filippo Neri was created by one of the most famous exponents of Baroque architecture, it is not regarded as one of his greatest achievements. However, it has still achieved a great deal of acclaim because provides a great insight into Borrominis method and also due to the fact that the artist himself recorded various reasons which prevented him from executing his plans according to his wishes. It is once again important to know the background with which the structure was constructed. The Oratory of S. Filippo Neri was commissioned as an endeavour of furthering the cause of Reformation. In fact, Borromini was forced to stop work on the church of S. Carolina to build the Oratory of S. Filippo Neri. The building is called so because Filippo Neri, who was the beneficiary along with his fellow men who had furthered the ideas of the church, had envisioned that the building must have a library and an oratory where musical performances could be given. The facade of the oratory is unlike that of the S. Carolina which was to be built before the Oratory of S. Filippo Neri that is rather than being a mass of masonry curving in and out; it is similar in appearance to that of a metal that has been curved slightly under weight. This intentional design has the effect of forcing the eye of the observer to move across it on determined lines (Anderson and Wilson, 2009, p.487). The most important room in the building is the oratory itself. A number of factors were considered during its design and construction. In fact, a small room was built under the oratory to accommodate exceptionally large audiences. It lay towards the north west of the room and the oratory had two grilles to allow music to penetrate through its floor. Furthermore, it had three doors, one for the public, one for the Fathers and the other leading in from the main entrance of the building (Blunt, 1979, p.85-100). The Influence of Liturgy and Theology The Baroque period and the other periods in art that both immediately preceded and succeeded are as much a representation of the theology at the time as they are of the art. The 17th century was a period of dynamic activity in Europe due to the Reformation and Counter Reformation that came about as a result of intense corruption in the Church. Previously, the Church dominated over most of the activities of people and art was no exception. Artists conformed to specific rules and the universal symbolism of Christianity was depicted through the various art forms. The activities of Reformation and Counter Reformation both decreased the influence of the Church over art forms although the Counter Reformation movement attempted to return the Church to the fundamentals of Christianity and Reformation followed a new course. The countries of France, Spain and Italy remained within the influence of the Church whereas the Protestant nations of Holland, Germany and England were associated with Counter Reformation. Hence these two processes dominated the art during the time. It would also be significant to note the standoff between the two groups while analyzing the structures of the period. In an attempt to further their beliefs, a considerable amount of emotion and power was depicted in all the activities during the century. This also manifested itself in the sculptures, structures, paintings and music of the period. Although, it was an outgrowth of the Renaissance style that had immediately preceded it, artists during the Baroque period used individualistic styles to create pieces of art. Although, the basic motive of the structures were to further their causes; propagandizing the Roman Catholic Church in the Catholic countries and opposing the values of the Church in Protestant countries, the underlying pattern was that both the groups were trying to establish a new course and hence there was a dramatic display of the art forms. The artists acted as showman influencing his viewers through his performances that is his structures. In an attempt to establish their theatrical qualities, many artists used their ability to create stage scenery and theatrical effects. The absence of lines in many of the structures indicates an attempt to create vastness in space, the use of large spaces, huge structures within the main structure such as big pillars, sculptures, etc is an attempt at heightening the mood and creating transcendental reality, the use of sculptures, paintings, stucco work and light effects by Bernini to get his message across, etc are all effects of the theology and liturgy of the time (Cohen, 1996, p.97-98). Conclusion In conclusion, it would be an understatement to say that the art of Europe during the 17th century were not only influenced by the theological liturgical activities of the time, rather they were dictated by it. Be it, the design and construction of the oratory by Borromini to accommodate the public to the preachings of St. Filippo Neri or the presence of the statue of Queen Anne within the site of St. Pauls church indicating an increase in power of the monarchy or the attention to detail given by Bernini in the construction of the S. Andrea al Quirinale because of his respect for the Jesuit values which was supported by the church, all of the structures of the Baroque period were constructed to fulfil a certain purpose. Hence, the church architecture in the Baroque period in Europe was a reflection of the new developments in liturgy and theology. Bibliography Anderson, S and Wilson, C.S.J. 2009. The Oxford companion to architecture, Oxford University Press, USA Blunt, A. 1979. Borromini. Harvard University Press, USA. Careri, G. 1995. Bernini: flights of love, the art of devotion. University of Chicago Press, USA. Castex, J. 2008. Architecture of Italy. ABC-CLIO, USA. Cohen, G.M. 1996. The essentials of art history. Research & Education Assoc., USA. Cummings, E.M. 1857. The companion to St. Pauls Cathedral: containing a description of the various objects worthy attention, and its history. The author, UK. Hackett, M. 1828. A popular description of St. Pauls cathedral: including a brief history of the old and new cathedral : with explanations of the monumental designs. J.B. Nichols and Son. London. Lübbert, S. 2007. St. Pauls Cathedral from Past to Present. GRIN Verlag, Germany. Moffett, M, Fazio, M.W and Wodehouse, L. 2003. A world history of architecture. Laurence King Publishing, UK. StPauls, 2011. Cathedral & History. [Available at] [Accessed on 8th Jan 2011]. Read More