Baroque Period
The Baroque period brought drama, movement, and emotional intensity to European art. Characterized by bold contrasts of light and shadow, dynamic compositions, and theatrical grandeur, Baroque art served both Catholic Counter-Reformation propaganda and absolutist royal courts.
Historical Context
The Baroque emerged during religious conflicts between Catholic and Protestant powers, the rise of absolute monarchies, and scientific discoveries. The Catholic Church commissioned dramatic artworks to inspire devotion, while royal courts celebrated their power through magnificent artistic programs.
Key Characteristics
- Dramatic use of chiaroscuro and tenebrism
- Dynamic diagonal compositions and movement
- Emotional intensity and theatrical effects
- Rich colors and ornamental detail
- Integration of sculpture, painting, and architecture
Notable Artists
Related Art Movements
Explore Baroque Artworks
10,000 artworks from 1600-1750 available in our collection
Virgin and Child
Bartolomé Estebán Murillo
1670s
Wheat Fields
Jacob van Ruisdael
ca. 1670
Study of a Young Woman
Johannes Vermeer
ca. 1665–67
Portrait of Gerard de Lairesse
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1665–67
Burgomaster Jan van Duren (1613–1687)
Gerard ter Borch the Younger
ca. 1666–67
Self-Portrait
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1660
Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun
Nicolas Poussin
1658
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher
Johannes Vermeer
ca. 1662
Juan de Pareja (ca. 1608–1670)
Velázquez (Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez)
1650
The Trojan Women Setting Fire to Their Fleet
Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée)
ca. 1643
The Young Virgin
Francisco de Zurbarán
ca. 1632–33
The Fortune-Teller
Georges de La Tour
probably 1630s
The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John
Hendrick ter Brugghen
ca. 1624–25
Samson Captured by the Philistines
Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri)
1619
Saint Jerome as Scholar
El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)
ca. 1610
Rubens, Helena Fourment (1614–1673), and Their Son Frans (1633–1678)
Peter Paul Rubens
ca. 1635
Soap Bubbles
Jean Siméon Chardin
ca. 1733–34
Piazza San Marco
Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)
late 1720s
Mezzetin
Antoine Watteau
ca. 1718–20
Merry Company on a Terrace
Jan Steen
ca. 1670
Margaretha van Haexbergen (1614–1676)
Gerard ter Borch the Younger
ca. 1666–67
Leisure Time in an Elegant Setting
Pieter de Hooch
ca. 1663–65
Clothing the Naked
Michiel Sweerts
ca. 1661
Everhard Jabach (1618–1695) and His Family
Charles Le Brun
ca. 1660
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