Baroque Movement and Adoption in Britain - Literature review Example

Student Name: Student Number: Course Name: Course Code: Assignment Number/Title Year of Student(s): Due Date Baroque Movement and Adoption in Britain Background information There have been different stylistic principles and devices of the 17th century that shaped designs and architects in Britain. Information from scholars such as Marjorie (1959) has even shown that these architects and designs as witnessed in Britain originated from French or Italy. Baroque movement might have originated from Rome but the extent it spread in Britain has been a subject of controversy. The baroque style on the other hand is believed to have developed in England, and its effects spread in a classicist form, which has since helped architectural changes in countries such as Germany and England. Different schools of thought have argued that the best approach to use in understanding stylistic principles and devices of British architects and designers of 17th century drew from French Baroque is that the stylistic principles and devices in British Baroque were Romanic and tended to have some characteristics of French humanistic (Kornberger & Clegg 2003). What these views hold is that history has documented some Baroque arts whose stylistic approaches have as seen in Britain reflected renaissance period in French. 20th century scholars such as Hattenhauer (1984) found that the point of amalgamation British baroque resembled what was earlier witnessed in French and Italy is the art of contrast, extravagance and imaginative artistic presentations. Baroque art as earlier witnessed in Italy and French were about movement. On the other hand, the art has been evolving and dynamic at the same time. This view has made it difficult for scholars such as Jonathan (2000) to comprehend to what extent Italic and French Baroque arts were amalgamated when British artists were doing their paintings, architectural designs and sculptures. These views make it a necessity to assess the origin and movement of Baroque. Additionally, there is need to ascertain stylistic principles and devices British architects and designers drew from French or Italian Baroque. Different architectural designs have indicated that British artists and designers amalgamated painting, architecture and sculptures as a result of the Baroque art as practiced in French and Italy. This makes it necessary for the study to present the research-based evidence of the course of these stylistic principles and devices. The approach will help in understanding the extent British designers achieved amalgamation of painting, architecture and sculpture within their work. In Britain, the cultural environment was greatly influenced by Baroque movement as they took place in French and Italy. A good example is the Palladian style which lived longer in the Baroque period. Hook (2011) reported that until mid-century British architecture was amalgamation of Palladianism. According to Hook (2011) this style was late Renaissance Italian architect that dominated some British buildings. Taking a case of buildings such as Inigo Jones, it was apparent that they could be distinguished based on their balance, simplicity, strict application of symmetry and logically structured system of proportion. This building as it appeared in British was amalgamation of structures such as theatro Olimpico in Vicenza and a number of churches in Venice. Additionally, in England for instance, the French and Italian late renaissance came into interest instead of ancient architecture. Building Palladian in the time when Baroque style spread to England meant that British adopted structures that showed aesthetic theory that led to the point where their new buildings were no longer regarded as self-contained formal units but as a component parts of the environment. Good examples of these architects were the works of designers such as Pietro da Cortona and Francesco Borromini. Secondly, there have been amalgamations that could be understood based on Emperors from British Catholic. Jormakka (2002) adds that there have been monarchs that had influence on how interior designs in British were done. Taking cases of designs such as Somerset House, it is apparent that what was seen in British were merely French and Italic borrowed ideas which had been designed to resemble architectural paintings that depicted the emperors once seen in Italy. Based on the interior designs such as Somerset House, it can be seen that paintings in Naples had been amalgamated by British designers who wanted to use Baroque ideas from French and Italy to glorify their divine grandeur and as such, strengthen the political position. The image below has been included to provide details of such amalgamation. Image 1: Bernini, The Ecstacy of Saint Teresa Source: Gallery of architectural works - Inigo Jones The interior designs as that of Maria Dell Salute give an example of stylistic principles and devices that British architects and designers of 17th-century drew from Italian and French Baroque. Just like it was in French and Italy, the interior designs as that of Maria Dell Salute had a monumental wall-painting that was amalgamated using huge vaults and ceilings that extended to either side of its walls as it was the case in with theatro Olimpico in Vicenza in Italy. In connection with this, Hersey (2000) has presented images of sculptures made by Bernini and a particular one was the one outside St. Peter’s Basilica that has been adopted and amalgamated in British Baroque painting. This artistic style is different from Christopher Wren’s paintings that had some slight difference to accommodate key elements of Catholic dogma. Designers and sculptors in Britain were basically Baroque in their artistic designs but were merely showing biblical works directly and in some instances, indirectly depicting allegorical or mythological compositions and Kristeller and Kranz (1971) have given an example of Christopher Wren. This in turn tended to achieve an amalgamation of painting, architecture and sculpture as practiced in other countries however, and their works intended to communicate a given message. A good example of this aspect it the architectural designs such as Maria Della Salute, Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace as being the work of Sir John Vanbrugh who has been documented as one of the greatest British designers in England. What these designs depict is that the Baroque ideas did not completely transform ideas and designs in British; however, artists from British borrowed the ideas but gave their works different tastes and styles that intended to bring a strong sense of movement, swirling spirals and upward diagonals as well as strong sumptuous colour schemes that aimed to dazzled and surprise. In the understanding of how British artists amalgamated Baroque ideas in their works is to assess the artistic presentation of the chief architectural works that was presented in the east façade of the Louvre in Paris. Looking at its interior design, there is resemblance of what Sir John Vanbrugh did in England. This resemblance signifies the extent to which artistic styles and principles were borrowed from France and Italy. Looking at the image as presented below, the interior design signifies calm and rhythmical façade that were in accordance with principles of Historicism, preceding his era. Image 2: The Coronation of the Virgin 1645 Source: Velazquez Gallery One unique characteristic of Baroque architecture is that they were mainly enormous building structures with their internal designs depicting big wings or what Ndalianis (2003) termed as rizslits. A good example of this architectural design is shown in Castle Howard building in England. Just like it was the case with east façade of the Louvre in Paris, Blenheim Palace represents architectural design having long front which has even overstepped the scale needed for the Baroque architecture. Additionally, this building represents the traditional French composition of a central feature which has outlying pavilions. However, its interior designs are a manifestation of scarcely broken plan and scarcely a break in its outline. The research by Worsley (1995) indicated that this structure as it was manifested in England was a reflection of what was designed by Perrault, a wall-like architectural façade that was not having any motion of the mass. This is the same aspect in this building. As a matter of fact, the image below represents a design with its first floor substituting the rizalits with flat motifs made to exist between different corners. Again, the structure has paired freestanding columns that were known as ‘cour d’honneur’ as it was during the early stages of Baroque movement and practices. The east front of the structure is looking like a smoothed Baroque mass similar to Blenheim Palace in Italy and France. What this structure attempted to show was a renewal of what used to be reverting the official architectural styles and designs in the mid-eighteenth century. Theatricality of Baroque painting as practiced in Britain brought a sense of dynamic movement, other than its apparent active use of space. Baroque architectures as it was in Britain showed a number of resembling characteristics however, one notable amalgamation is that it created illusion and spectacle. For instance, comparing Palace of Versailles in Italy and sculpture at St Peter’s Basilica, one notable amalgamation in terms of designs was that the straight lines of Baroque designs as seen in Italy was replaced with English flowing curves, while roofs/domes were enlarged, and careful construction of interiors that produced spectacular effects of shade and light. These architectural designs, on a careful observation, brings an emotional style, which, whenever possible, was made to exploit the theatrical of emperor and urban landscape (such exploitation of the theatrical urban landscape shows uniqueness when related with St Peter's Square in Rome, that leads up to St Peter’s Basilica. One major designer of this period included Gabriel, great French architect to turn to more classical forms who ensured that his work reflected the features of the Baroque art with fusions of British culture. Scholars such as Samuel (1960) have argued that the works of Gabriel reflects the argument about Easel Art as one of the strands of Baroque amalgamated in British after intrusion. Assessing the stylistic principles and devices that the 17th-century British architects and designers drew from Italian and French Baroque has been seen in the religious and large-scale works of Baroque art that were seen in some regions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Again, the period of Easel Art as witnessed in Britain saw introduction of new stylistic principles and devices through the glossy form of genre painting. The large rectangle that is overlooked by two symmetrically located buildings on the narrow northern side opposite the Seine is a good example of architectural designs that was amalgamated in Britain. Though scholars such as Samuel (1960) have argued that these buildings were merely for aesthetic purposes and planning reasons and they were allocated functions later since they were not designed as it were the case in Italy. Gabriel as one of the greatest architects and designers gave his works different perspectives since the corner pavilions as well as the absence of the central features that were attuned to the open centre axis of the square was a clear indication of what had been happening in France and Italy. Based on this, it is easy to understand that it is closely related with the works of religious painting by Velazquez, a new form of movement and exuberance pioneered by Annibale Carracci (Jonathan 2000). As already noted, what was seen in Britain as Baroque art significantly differed from the work of Velazquez when it came to their glossy form of genre painting. They have such loggias, such two-storey colonnade between end pavilions on the first floor that Perrault had used in the east front of the Louvre. Thanks to the use of single instead of double columns it is translated into a lighter version in the 18th century manner. The vigorous rustication of the ground floor reveals Italic influence. In as much, there has been different views arguing that what was seen in Britain lacked the integration of newer dimensions of Baroque art as witnessed in Italy and France in the sense that it was a realistic form of rustic political genre painting that ought to have included animals as evolved by Castiglione---it is noted from studies such as Jonathan (2000) that what showed ideal amalgamation of Italic or French Baroque ideas was to include political genre painting. It has been realised that every architect in Britain had their own individual approach in as much as their designs had one thing in common. The commonness with their designs was that after being influenced by Italic and French Baroque art, the designs depicted Rome and Italic classical elements. This trend was noticed by Blunt (1980) when he discussed about “Grand Tour” of European cities where they influenced by classical architecture and design. It therefore remains that in as much all these arts had the same resemblance when it came to classical elements, there one some modification of their Baroque works after the “Grand Tour”. Looking at the works of Chambers, it is apparent that what “Grand Tour” taught British artists were classical ornamentation as well as motifs in rather opulent, free-for-all techniques. However, their adoption of the same was seen to accommodate the same classical motifs but is a more rigid and composed structure. This view however, reflects another Gabriel’s important works which was École Militaire in Paris. The culmination of these designs as they took place in England of based on architectural designs such as Castle Howard and palace of Petit Trianon in the gardens of Versailles. The designs depicted an example of refined taste of the period. The interior design as done by Francesco Borromini was made of cuboid structures. Another great designer and architect was Inigo Jones who successfully integrated facades, pillars to resemble those that were in France and Italy. The approach he gave his design was to use mathematical formulae for proportion and layout of the building. This artistic approach was related to Palladianism. During the time Inigo Jones made the Baroque art within Britain to manifest slant on their gesture. For instance, while Palladianism had square in their villas the design that was adopted in Britain preferred longer and rectangular architectural structures with an intention of creating an impression. Separately, wings of British building, unlike Baroque arts that were adopted from French and Italy had larger wings as well as being connected with large rooms instead of what was seen as colonnades in Italy and French. These designs were works of architectural designers such as Gabriel and Francesco Borromini. Researches such as Jormakka (2002) argued that after the Grand Tour and period stretching 1760s, Baroque art as adopted in parts of Europe was integrated differently in Britain. Taking different examples, English architects like Sir William Chambers, James Stuart Scottish architect Robert Adam developed a different dimensions of Baroque art as was seen in their amalgamation of painting, architecture and sculpture within their own work. In fact most of their arts were also influenced by archeological findings at Herculanium and Pompei. The new focus on Baroque art became typical for design during the mid-Georgian period. Conclusion The study has reviewed the stylistic principles and devices that the British architects and designers of did 17th-century drew from Italian or French Baroque. On the other hand the study was particular about the extent British designers achieved an amalgamation of painting, architecture and sculpture within their own work. Based on these issues, the study has realized that Baroque movement era was significant to the great sculptures and buildings that depicted the Baroque movement of the 16th century. However, assessment of the works of major designers and architects of the time shows that the beginning of 18th century saw the decline of Baroque art as it was brought from Italy. Regardless of this, the coming Europe power was France which was hugely adopted in British. Other than what was adopted from Italy, the dominance of Baroque art as adopted from France was light-hearted style that British soon enveloped into refined architecture. In summary, the stylistic principles and devices British architects and designers drew from Italian and or French Baroque remains to be multifaceted and so does amalgamation of painting, architecture and sculpture within their own work. References Blunt, A. (1980). Roman Baroque Architecture: The Other Side of the Medal. Art history, 3(1), 61-80. Hattenhauer, D. (1984). The rhetoric of architecture: A semiotic approach. Communication quarterly, 32(1), 71-77. Hersey, G. L. (2000). Architecture and Geometry in the Age of the Baroque. University of Chicago Press. Hook Wood (2011), The Baroque Age in England, London 1976, and H. Hills, ed. Rethinking the Baroque, Farnham. Jonathan Richardson (2000), An Essay on the Theory of Painting, London 1715, p.254; Gibson Wood, p.177. Jormakka, K. (2002). Flying Dutchmen: motion in architecture (Vol. 16). Springer Science & Business Media. Kornberger, M., & Clegg, S. (2003). The architecture of complexity. Culture and Organization, 9(2), 75-91. Kristeller P.O. and Kranz F.E. (1971) (eds.), Catalogus Translationum et Commentariorum: Mediaeval and Renaissance Latin Translations and Commentaries, Washington, D.C., pp.193–8; Gustavo Costa. Marjorie Nicolson (1959), Mountain Gloom and Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite, Ithaca, New York, pp.276–89. Ndalianis, A. (2003). Architectures of Senses: Neo-baroque Entertainment Spectacles. Rethinking media change: the aesthetics of transition. Samuel, Monk (1960), The Sublime: A Study of Critical Theories in XVIII-Century England, Ann Arbor, pp.1–9, 18–22, 27. Worsley, G. (1995). Classical architecture in Britain: the heroic age. Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. Read More