BAROQUE VERSUS RENAISSANCE ART

Art can be defined as the expression of an artist’s feelings and ideas in the simplest terms. There are many disagreements about what the aim of art is. While some claim that art is made to acieve pure beauty,  others claim that art is made to give information and raise awareness. As a result of these opinions and sociocultural conditions, there have been different approaches to art since ancient times. The Renaissance and Baroque era are two of the most known approaches to art. These two historical periods have many similarities, yet they also have differences,  which made the historical periods  unique.

To begin with, the Renaissance period had many characteristics that were not observed in any other period in history.  Renaissance art was distinctive in its style of painting and sculpture. Moreover, new techniques were developed such as linear perspective and aerial perspective. There were many great artists of this period like Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Da Vinci and Michelangelo painted most notably in accordance with The School of Athens, which expressed the classical ideals of beauty. The Catholic Church had a huge influence on Renaissance art. The Baroque Period began in the 17th century in Rome. That was the era of new discoveries and broader diversity. The aim of the Baroque style was to convey an impression of the sensual, yet naturalistic to the religious paintings. As a result, painters started to decorate the monumental ceilings of many churches. Consequently, many artists started to use vivid colors to evoke sensual delight.

There are some similarities and differences in both the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The Baroque period was generated at the end of the Renaissance era. So, the techniques of the Baroque art period united the techniques used in the Renaissance. The Baroque period continued from the Renaissance with the use of light, color and strong perspective and also religious themes. The Mona Lisa by Da Vinci and The Straw Hat by Rueben are the two examples that show both similarities and differences of these two periods. These two paintings show a young lady in almost identical poses. Moreover, their backgrounds are both foggy and mysterious. But, the background of The Mona Lisa differs from Rueben’s painting due to Da Vinci’s precise details like his use of colors. Rueben uses no distinct background and just focuses on the main subject, the young lady,

In conclusion, these two  periods have some similarities besides their significant dissimilarities. The Renaissance and Baroque periods were both influential in generating the greatest art pieces that the world has ever seen. People should learn about all aspects of these periods and artists, think deeply about them  and enjoy these great masterpieces.