BAROQUE (1600–1750)

Caravaggio, The Calling of Saint Matthew, circa 1599-1600. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Baroque (1600–1750)

The Baroque period that followed Mannerism yielded ornate, over-the-top visual arts and architecture. It was characterized by grandeur and richness, punctuated by an interest in broadening human intellect and global discovery. Baroque artists were stylistically complex.

Baroque paintings were characterized by drama, as seen in the iconic works of Italian painter Caravaggio and Dutch painter Rembrandt. Painters used an intense contrast between light and dark and had energetic compositions matched by rich color palettes.