Western Art and Architecture in A.D. 1600-1800

Art and architecture from A.D. 1600-1800 encompassed the Baroque, Rococo, and early Neoclassical periods, each reflecting the dramatic social, political, and religious shifts of the time. The Baroque era, beginning in the early 1600s, was characterized by grandeur, movement, and emotional intensity, with artists like Caravaggio and Bernini using dramatic contrasts of light and shadow to evoke powerful spiritual and emotional responses. Baroque architecture, exemplified by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, featured dynamic shapes, bold ornamentation, and expansive frescoes. In the 1700s, the Rococo style emerged in France, emphasizing lightness, playfulness, and ornate decoration, with artists like François Boucher and architects like Balthasar Neumann creating intricate, decorative works that celebrated the pleasures of life. By the mid-1700s, a shift toward Neoclassicism began, inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment and a renewed interest in classical antiquity, leading to a more restrained, formal style in art and architecture, as seen in the works of Jacques-Louis David and buildings like the Pantheon in Paris.