Baroque

The Church of the Gesù in Rome was the first building in Rome to have a Baroque façade. It marked a departure from traditional Renaissance architecture and set the stage for the lavish ornamentation of the high Baroque period.

Federico Della Valle wrote the tragicomedy Adelonda di Frigia in 1595, which was one of the four plays he created for the courtly theater during the Italian Baroque period.

The Baroque period, known for its ornate and extravagant artistic style, officially begins on January 1, 1600.

In 1604, Annibale Carracci finishes an influential ceiling fresco in the Farnese palace in Rome.

In 1605, Pope Paul V commissioned basilicas and church buildings in Rome designed to evoke emotion and awe through elaborate forms, colors, and dramatic effects. This marked a significant development in Baroque architecture.

In 1608, Peter Paul Rubens finishes an altarpiece in Rome, marking one of the early masterpieces of the Baroque art movement.

In 1622, Gian Lorenzo Bernini created the sculpture of Pluto and Proserpina, showcasing the innovative baroque style by depicting soft flesh in cold marble.

In 1623, Diego Velazquez was appointed as the court painter to the king of Spain, a position he held for the next thirty-seven years, marking a significant period in Spanish art history.

Giovanni Legrenzi, an Italian composer, was born on August 12, 1626. He was a prominent composer in Venice in the late 17th century and had a significant influence on the development of late Baroque music in northern Italy.

In 1627, Federico Della Valle wrote two tragedies, Judith and Esther, which were part of his literary activity as an Italian Baroque tragedian.

In 1631, Rembrandt relocated from his hometown of Leiden to establish a studio in Amsterdam.

In 1632, Van Dyck moved to London and started working as a portrait painter for the British court and aristocracy.

In 1634, Francesco Borromini commenced the construction of his intricate baroque masterpiece, the Monastery of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane in Rome.

Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani was born in 1638. He was an Italian composer known for his contributions to Baroque music.

The San Isidro Chapel in Madrid, begun in 1643 by Pedro de la Torre, was the first major work in Spanish Baroque architecture. It featured extreme richness of ornament on the exterior and simplicity in the interior, using effects of light to create a sense of mystery.

Sigismund's Column in Warsaw, erected in 1644, was the world's first secular Baroque monument built in the form of a column.

Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani, an Italian composer and trumpeter, was born in 1645. He was active during the Baroque period and composed instrumental music such as sonatas and concertos.

On January 8, 1648, the 30 Years' War came to an end.

In 1656, Velazquez painted 'Las Meninas', a masterpiece depicting himself painting the king and queen of Spain. The painting is renowned for its complex composition and use of light and shadow.

Johannes Schenck was a German composer and viola da gamba player who was active in the 17th century. He is known for his chamber music compositions and solo works for the viola da gamba.

The major royal project of the period was the expansion of Palace of Versailles, begun in 1661 by architect Louis Le Vau with decoration by the painter Charles Le Brun.

In 1664, Louis XIV commissioned a team of designers to create the magnificent palace and gardens of Versailles. The palace became a symbol of absolute monarchy and French grandeur.

In 1667, Bernini finished the great curving colonnade in front of St Peter's Basilica, known for its grandeur and architectural beauty. The colonnade is a significant part of the Vatican City's architecture.

The Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain was modernized with Baroque additions starting in the late 17th century. The highly ornate bell tower (1680) was followed by two even taller and more ornate towers called the Obradorio, added between 1738 and 1750 by Fernando de Casas Novoa.

Johann Sebastian Bach, a renowned German composer and musician, was born on this day.

Italian composer Nicola Porpora came into the world on this date.

Architect François Mansart completed the Grand Trianon in 1687 as part of the Palace of Versailles.

The chapel at the Palace of Versailles, designed by Robert de Cotte, was finished in 1710.

Antonio Vivaldi's most famous work, 'The Four Seasons', was composed in 1723.

The Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, built in 1729, showcases the highly ornamental Churrigueresque style of Spanish Baroque architecture, influenced by the works of the Churriguera brothers.

George Frideric Handel composed the famous oratorio 'Messiah' in 1741.

Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest Baroque composers, passed away in 1750.

In 1768, philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote in the Encyclopédie that Baroque music is characterized by confused harmony, loaded with modulations and dissonances, harsh and unnatural singing, difficult intonation, and limited movement. He traced the term 'baroco' back to logicians.

In 1788, Quatremère de Quincy defined Baroque architecture as an ornate and tormented style in the Encyclopédie Méthodique. This definition highlighted the highly adorned nature of Baroque architectural design.

The French terms 'style baroque' and 'musique baroque' first appeared in Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française in 1835. This marked the formal recognition and adoption of the term 'baroque' in French language for both artistic and musical contexts.

In 1855, art historian Jacob Burckhardt used the term 'baroque' to ridicule post-Renaissance art, stating that Baroque artists lacked respect for tradition and despised detail. This negative connotation influenced the perception of Baroque art in the mid-19th century.

In 1888, art historian Heinrich Wölfflin published 'Renaissance und Barock', the first serious academic work that described the differences between Renaissance and Baroque styles in painting, sculpture, and architecture. This work contributed significantly to the understanding of Baroque art.

The influence of the Baroque style and Louis XIV on art and architecture was discussed and archived on June 24, 2007.

The 'Baroque Style Guide' at the Victoria and Albert Museum was archived on August 19, 2007, providing insights into the Baroque artistic movement.

The Baroque style in the history of art was archived on October 30, 2010, highlighting its significance in the artistic world.

The Baroque style in Val di Noto, Sicily, known for its architectural and artistic achievements, was archived on September 2, 2018.