Baroque: The Defining Cultural Movement of 17th Century Europe

The 17th century in Europe was marked by the dominance of the Baroque style, a cultural movement that profoundly influenced art, architecture, and music. Originating from the Portuguese word 'barocco', meaning an irregularly shaped pearl, Baroque became the unofficial style of the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation period.

Kultura europejska of this era was characterized by several distinctive features. In painting, cechy malarstwa barokowego included dynamism, expressiveness, realism, and the use of chiaroscuro (light and shadow contrast). The subject matter was diverse, ranging from religious themes to everyday scenes.

Highlight: Notable Baroque painters included Michelangelo Caravaggio, El Greco, Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens, Diego Velázquez, Anton van Dyck, and Jan Vermeer van Delft.

In architecture, prominent figures like Francesco Borromini and Gian Lorenzo Bernini left their mark on the barok architektura. Bernini's proposed redesign of the Louvre exemplifies the grandeur and ambition of Baroque architectural projects.

Example: Bernini's design for the Louvre reconstruction showcases the ambitious scale of Baroque architectural projects.

Rzeźba barokowa shared similar characteristics with painting, emphasizing dynamism, theatrical gestures, expressiveness, and realism. Religious and mythological themes were prevalent in Baroque sculpture.

Definition: Cechy rzeźby barokowej include dynamic compositions, theatrical gestures, expressive features, realistic details, and religious or mythological themes.