The Baroque period lasted from the beginning of the seventeenth century to the middle of the eighteenth century. Baroque art was artists’ response to the Catholic Church’s demand for solemn grandeur following the Council of Trent, and through its monumentality and grandiloquence it seduced the great European courts. Amongst the Baroque arts, architecture has, without doubt, left the greatest mark in Europe: the continent is dotted with magnificent Baroque churches and palaces, commissioned by patrons at the height of their power. The works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini of the Southern School and Peter Paul Rubens of the Northern School alone show the importance of this artistic period. Rich in images encompassing the arts of painting, sculpture and architecture, this work offers a complete insight into this passionate period in the history of art.


About the authors:
Klaus H. Carl is the author of numerous works on the history of great cities, and he is also a well-known photographer of flora and fauna. A teacher by profession, he is currently devoting himself to a monumental History of Art.

Victoria Charles received her Ph.D. in art history. She has published extensively on art history and has contributed to Art Information, an international guide to contemporary art. She is also a regular contributor to journals and magazines.