Berlin Art and Culture - Essay Example

Western Humanities: Baroque Introduction The aim of this paper is to have a review and research on the culture and history of architectural structures in Berlin. This period is also known as “Rococo." Baroque is thought of as an artistic style era, which portrays the tension, power and movement. It originated around 1600 and remained till 1800 century. During the Baroque period, manifestations of the Baroque architecture appeared in every country in Europe. Music, especially classical music, was also given rise in this period. Religion had determined many aspects of the art of this era and many scientific discoveries had their influence over the style of Baroque. 103 Historical Background Baroque style and art forms can be understood by going through its historical context. The first modern age began in the 17th century. In the early 17th century, the Catholic Church of Rome in Italy adopted Counter-Reformation style. Later it spread to all the Roman Catholic countries throughout all the countries of Europe. Baroque is considered as an era of artistic style, which made the most use of the motion, exaggerated, and drama was produced with the clear and easy to interpreted details. Paintings, sculptures, architecture, literature, dance and music were given rise in this era. The catholic Churches helped in promoting the Baroque style as they decided that the art should be connected to the religious themes. In this era, there can be seen a drastic change in the architecture and art. The Baroque art’s characteristics consist of a sense of movement, tension and energy (Norberg-Schulz 19). The International Style in architecture emerged in Baroque period. In the Baroque period the artists attempted to rid the art of its complications as they brought the principles of clarity, balance and monumentality in the art forms by avoiding the asymmetry and distortion trends. The artists such as Annibale Carracci and Michelangelo Merisi took the art forms towards simplification. The Baroque approach always exhibited the dramatic intensity, massiveness, theatrical adventure and combination of colors. The new form included the art, integrating literature, music, drama and paintings, etc. Baroque Architecture in Berlin Baroque architecture had a great enthusiastic influence in the central Germany. The baroque architecture provides a rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion that expresses the triumphs of churches. These building are embellished with light, plane surfaces, rectilinear forms of buildings, open interior spaces, with little to no ornamentation and decoration (Scully 58). There are number of baroque architectures building in the heart of Berlin that represents the a notion of leadership and rule. It is because these building have an essence of German government’s royal and princely houses that wee based on the model of the absolutism. It makes these buildings more attractive to become the centre of the ruler. In other words, Barqoue building depicts an expression of power of the ruler. One of the most famous and magnificent building of baroque architecture can be portrayed from the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin.the architecture, painting and sculpture enhance these architectures in unique manner (Norberg-Schulz 120). However, the barqoue architecture grew out of three phenomena in the late 19th century, 1. Architect’s being dissatisfied of the same old designs continued with a mixture of decorative elements of different architectural periods. 2. Office buildings, residential, commercials and civic structures created in large numbers, served a fast growing industrial society. 3. The new building technologies developed, based on the use of steel, glass and reinforced concrete. The artistic expression, function and technology had a harmony in between to form a disciplined new architectural style (Leuthäuser 34). Numbers of baroque architectures are found in the heart of Berlin that portray absolute essence of power and rule. It included Charlottenburg Palace, Parochialkirche, Holy Trintiy Church, Sophienkireche etc. Berlin during Baroque Period After the devastation caused by World War-I, the cultural life developed and progressed in Berlin in 1920’s which was the time in which the art form was a mixture of old and new. The art became cold and raw in Berlin in 1920s. To understand the rise in cultural life in Berlin, one must have an idea about the role of art in Germany. The defeated countrymen after World War-I, the Germans became hopeless due the ruined economy. The democracy period was brought over, as the German Empire had collapsed. It was replaced by the Weimar Republic. The short period of economic recovery brought the age of “Golden Twenties” in Germany. International companies such as Borsig, Siemens and AEG, grew about 50% as the Industrial production evolved in Berlin. The country remained dependant on the massive loans taken from the American bank, due to the high war reparation costs (Mallgrave 69). In 1920 the Das Proletarische Theater was founded by Erwin Piscator, who was a member of the growing Communist movement. The theatre was seen as a way to boost up the working class and to prepare them for the upcoming revolution. The city got packed with bars, dance halls, restaurants and cabaret theatres. The shows got bigger and fuller. The full-sized symphony orchestras cinemas provided live musical backgrounds and entertained to the silent films (Friedrich 43). Many writers and artists were attracted to Berlin because of the liberal Zeitgeist. The artists included Christopher Isherwood. The Hollywood musical cabaret was inspired by his work as a novelist. The cabaret dance added a flavor to the Baroque period and is still a famous and classic form of dance. The music of Great War was sooner replaced by the Jazz and Charleston. Such music was all over the age of “Golden Twenties”. Singer Josephine Baker and many other entertainers felt more comfortable in Europe engaging with Jazz. Baker caused a sensation while she toured Berlin, with her famous “banana dance”. The classical music also flourished in 1920s in Berlin. Wilhelm Furtwangler took the control of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He was a man of great passion for the classical music and he promoted it by presenting works of new composers (Riegl). One of the most read novels of all time, written by a young expert of the German Army, Enrich Maria Remarque. It was about the world war-I and the defeat of Germany. This book is still required in the secondary schools around the globe. The art faced a controversial and exciting movement called Dadaism which used photomontage techniques and collage techniques. It derived from the Cubism movement. The works inspired by Dadaism movement were concerned with the politics. 447 Conclusion During Baroque’s period, the architecture had a different yet more developed outlook. The edgy and pointy designs turned into soft and thick curvaceous elements. The new style of architecture emerged during this era, known as the International Style of Architecture. Baroque was an exciting period in the history of Berlin Culture. Artists experienced their works with the new movement of expression. The German artists were inspired back to the mainstream of creativity. 72 Works Cited Friedrich, Otto. Before the Deluge: Portrait of Berlin in the 1920s, A. USA: HarperCollins, 1995. Leuthäuser, Gabriele. Architecture in the Twentieth Century. Vol. 1. Taschen, 2001. Mallgrave, Harry Francis. Modern Architectural Theory: A Historical Survey, 1673–1968. USA: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Norberg-Schulz, Christian. History of World Architecture Baroque Architecture. London: Phaidon Press, 2003. Riegl, Alois. The Origins of Baroque Art in Rome. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2010. Scully, Vincent Joseph. Modern Architecture and Other Essays. U.S.A: Princeton University Press, 2003. Stache, John J., Diana, Kormos Buchwald and Einstein Albert. Berlin years: correspondence, May-December 1920, and supplementary correspondence, 1909-1920. USA: Princeton University Press,, 2006. Wodehouse, Lawrence, Michael W. Fazio and Marian Moffett. A World History of Architecture. Singapore: Laurence King Publishing, 2003. Read More