It’s time to dive into Baroque art and its impact on NFT art today.
As we move closer to Contemporary Art, let’s acknowledge that art history is like a river. One period flows into the next, with each era building upon the creativity and innovations of its predecessor. The transition from the High Renaissance to Mannerism and into the Baroque is a great example of this artistic progression.
Towards the end of the late High Renaissance (1520s), Mannerism emerged and defied conventional norms. This was a time of artistic rebellion, where individualism and experimentation thrived. Visionaries like El Greco drew inspiration from masters like Michelangelo and Da Vinci but infused their work with distinctive exaggerations and emotional depth.
Following Mannerism, the Baroque era took over in Italy during the late 16th century, and spread across Europe into the 18th century. During this time, art embraced intensity and emotional expression. The artists of this era were deeply influenced by their Renaissance predecessors, and took these foundational techniques and made them uniquely their own.
The Baroque period was a period of artistic innovation in Europe that lasted from the late 16th century to the mid-18th century. It was characterized by its grandeur, drama, and emotional intensity. Baroque art was often used to promote the Catholic Church, but it also reflected the growing power and wealth of the aristocracy.
Before we get to the revolutionary art of this period, I must acknowledge what happened in the world during this era.
The Baroque period had a significant impact on the world. With the expansion of international trade, new continents, like the Americas, became increasingly important in this intertwined network. Imperial powers established trade routes and chartered companies that monopolized the exchange of exotic luxury goods. These routes became channels for the transportation of Indian and Chinese fabrics, lacquer furniture, ivory figurines, porcelain, and spices from across the globe. However, this era is also marked by a dark side: the transatlantic slave trade, which forced thousands of Africans into brutal slavery in Europe and the Americas. People of color begin to appear more often in paintings during the 1600s.
Despite the extreme scars left by the slave trade, the Baroque period witnessed the resilience and thriving of African cultures. The Kingdom of Benin crafted exquisite bronze and ivory sculptures, a testament to their artistic prowess. In Mali, Timbuktu emerged as a renowned center of Islamic learning, housing thousands of invaluable manuscripts. The Ashanti Empire in present-day Ghana established itself as a crucial trading partner with European nations, adding its own vibrant thread to the rich tapestry of history.
Let’s dive into Baroque art and how it has influenced NFT art today!
The main elements that set this era aside are grandeur, drama, and emotional intensity.
Artists wanted to create a sense of awe and wonder in their work. Utilizing large-scale, bold colors, and dramatic lighting to achieve this effect. They also used movement, gesture, and facial expressions to convey the intensity of human experience. Their intention was to evoke a strong emotional response from the viewer. Subject matter ranged from religious and mythological, to historical subjects, to explore themes of love, loss, faith, and despair. Pushing the boundaries of creativity and emotion like never before. The Church’s emphasis on the pastoral role of art ignited experimentation with new, direct means of engaging viewers.
Caravaggio, the forefather of modern art, took Da Vinci’s chiaroscuro and infused it with raw emotions, birthing dramatic illumination and tenebrism. He pursued powerful and dramatic realism, marked by harsh contrasts of light and dark and tightly cropped compositions, forcing an immediate and visceral connection with viewers. Caravaggio’s monumental contribution to the art world, rivaled only by Da Vinci and Michelangelo, shaped the path of modern painting through his distinctive blend of realism and emotion.
As a massive fan of Caravaggio, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing many of his masterpieces in person. His ability to guide the viewer’s gaze through the canvas via the interplay of light and shadow is truly remarkable.
The intensity of Caravaggio’s emotions and his dramatic use of light, which often veered into the dark and gloomy, is reflected in the work of PianoCake, particularly in the piece “Heron d’Alexandrie.”
When I saw the work of PianoCake, I couldn’t help but be captivated by his exploration of art history to create fresh and exciting art. His ability to combine the techniques of the masters of the past with a modern twist is a testament to the lasting impact of Baroque art.
As time passed, the Baroque art style moved across Europe. Artists in Spain embraced the elements of the Baroque, and infused it with Spanish sensibilities. I have had the pleasure of visiting Madrid, and spent many hours in the Prado looking at masterpieces by all the Spanish artists, but the work of Diego Velazquez took my breath away.
Velazquez began his career as a painter in the tenebrism style, but later developed a freer style characterized by bold brushstrokes. In his Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke, the design and colors are more vibrant and flamboyant than his usual more somber portraits, but what stands out is the detail of the central figure and the loose brushstrokes that make up the sky.
Similarly in Yuyu’s Equestrian portrait, we can see the loose details of the sky contrasted against the details of the central figure. I love how Yuyu references classical paintings from history, while infusing them with very contemporary feelings and fashion.
Baroque artists were dedicated to depicting the world as they saw it.This is evident in the subtle interplay of light on the Dutch landscapes, the fleeting expressions on faces, and the intricate details of objects. Their dedication to realism demonstrated a deep artistic mastery that could rival the grandeur of the luxurious decorations found throughout Catholic Europe during this era.
Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer had a unique ability to depict harmony and order in everyday life, while also capturing the poetic essence of fleeting human moments in his art.
Gordo’s Contemplation is an obvious riff on Vermeer’s work. The use of side lighting, intricate details, and a solo figure contemplating life, are direct references to the elements that are central to the Baroque.
I hope that you can now see the impact that Baroque art has on NFT art. And if you are moved by the art from the this era, I will keep my fingers crossed that you can see them in person. Italy, Holland, and Spain are places that I highly recommend for art lovers.
I am excited to move beyond the influence of the church and into the first art era that emphasized the individual, nature, and the imagination. I hope you will stay tuned for the next installment, which will be Romanticism!
The dynamic fusion of the past and the present is where my love of NFTs lies. I will continue this journey through art history and how it relates to NFTs.
References:
https://artlists.org/baroque/most-famous-caravaggio-paintings/
https://www.nicolaspoussin.org/
https://smarthistory.org/african-art-and-encounters-with-europeans/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/arts/design/black-portraits-dutch-golden-age.html
https://www.theartist.me/art-inspiration/famous-rembrandt-paintings/
https://www.atxfinearts.com/blogs/news/diego-velazquez-famous-paintings