Answer: In Portuguese the word “Baroque” translates as “deformed pearl”. The Baroque period occurred between the late 1500s and early 1700s. During the 16th century, the Reformation occurred in Western Europe that divided Christianity between Catholics and Protestants. Most of the Northern countries of Europe (Britain, north and west Germany, Switzerland, Holland) became Protestant while Southern countries (Italy, Spain) remained Catholic. This divide led to different styles of art. Protestant churches no longer commissioned large-scale biblical pieces as they were thought to be idolatry and so replaced these with art that showed plainer and more personal Christianity. Catholic art remained dramatic and dark and varied from theatrical sculptures (Gianlorenzo Bernini) to fully painted ceilings (Michelangelo) designed to look like heaven, the aim being to teach people about the Bible and Catholicism. Two paintings, I believe, strongly depict the effect of the Reformation on Baroque art; Samson and Delilah (1609-1610) by Rubens and The Art of Painting (1665-1668) by Vermeer, also known as The Artist’s Studio, The Allegory of Painting or Painter in his Studio.
One of the main differences between Italian Baroque art and Dutch Baroque art was the patronage; Italian Baroque paintings were generally commissioned by powerful members of the Catholic church, and these works tended to function as powerful religious propaganda for the illiterate masses. Italian Baroque art was primarily commissioned by the Catholic Church. ... Instead of the church, artists relied on nobles, wealthy merchants and other patrons for commissions. Dutch Baroque art is primarily secular, often consisting of portraits of people going about their day-to-day activities. Some of the qualities most frequently associated with the Baroque are grandeur, sensuous richness, drama, vitality, movement, tension, emotional exuberance, and a tendency to blur distinctions between the various arts.
