Baroque Art and Protestant Reformation (1600–1750)

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering Baroque art, major artists, key works, and related terms from the notes.

Baroque Art

1600–1750 European art style characterized by drama, movement, emotional intensity, and theatrical lighting; fused High Renaissance technique with Mannerist drama.

Protestant Reformation

16th‑century movement challenging Catholic authority, leading to Protestant denominations.

Martin Luther

German priest who criticized papal authority, argued for salvation by faith, and opposed indulgences.

Indulgences

Church practice of selling forgiveness for sins; a major target of Luther's reforms.

Printing press

Invention that aided rapid spread of Luther's ideas and Protestant writings.

Counter‑Reformation

Catholic Church's response to the Reformation, including reforms and art to inspire faith; Rome as Baroque center.

Barocco

Portuguese term meaning irregular shaped pearl; origin of the word Baroque; initially pejorative.

Contorted and Grotesque

Describes Baroque style of exaggerated emotion and twisting forms; later celebrated.

High Renaissance

Late 15th–early 16th century period known for balanced composition and ideal beauty; foundation for Baroque.

Mannerism

Late Renaissance style with elongated figures, tension, and artificial elegance; precursor to Baroque.

Chiaroscuro

Technique using strong light-dark contrasts to model form and heighten drama.

Spotlighting

Focused light used to highlight a figure or moment in Baroque painting.

Caravaggio

Italian Baroque painter known for realism, dramatic lighting (chiaroscuro), and ordinary people as subjects.

The Calling of St. Matthew

Caravaggio painting (c. 1599–1600) depicting Matthew's call; dramatic light and everyday setting.

Conversion of St. Paul

c. 1601 painting of Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus; beam of divine light; Paul becomes Paul.

Supper at Emmaus

c. 1601 Caravaggio painting; breaking of the bread reveals Jesus; disciples react with shock.

Death of a Virgin

c. 1604–06 Caravaggio painting with stark realism; Mary portrayed in an unglamorous moment.

Artemisia Gentileschi

Female Baroque painter known for strong female figures, dramatic lighting, and personal resilience in a male-dominated field.

Judith and Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes

Artemisia Gentileschi painting of Judith beheading Holofernes; dramatic light and heroic theme.

Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini; leading Baroque sculptor/architect; known for dynamic movement and space (David, Daphne and Apollo, The Ecstasy of St Teresa).

David (Bernini)

1623 life-size marble sculpture of David twisting as he prepares to throw a stone; emphasizes space and viewer engagement.

Daphne and Apollo

1622–24 marble sculpture of Apollo pursuing Daphne; Daphne transformed into a laurel tree to escape.

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

1645–52 Bernini marble depicting St. Teresa's mystical vision and an angel's arrow; intense emotion.

Peter Paul Rubens

Flemish Baroque painter; prolific works for European rulers; known for Rubenesque figures.

The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus

1618 Rubens painting based on myth; dynamic, erotic myth scene with an 'X' composition.

Rubenesque

Descriptive term for Rubens’ full-figured, robust female forms.

Rembrandt van Rijn

Dutch master famed for mastery of light and shadow; prolific self-portraits; Night Watch.

The Night Watch

1642 Rembrandt group portrait of Amsterdam's civil guard; dramatic lighting and dynamic composition.

Johannes Vermeer

Dutch master known for masterful use of light; The Girl with the Pearl Earring; 'Master of Light'.

The Girl with the Pearl Earring

1665 Vermeer painting; enigmatic single figure with strong chiaroscuro and a jewel-like earring.

Diego Velázquez

Spanish Baroque painter; court painter to Philip IV; known for Las Meninas and informal yet balanced composition.

Las Meninas

1656 Velázquez painting of the Spanish royal family; complex, reflective composition with the painter present.

The Mona Lisa of the North

Nickname for Vermeer’s The Girl with the Pearl Earring, referencing Leonardo’s Mona Lisa.

Sfumato

Leonardo da Vinci’s soft, gradual shading technique; contrasts with Baroque's sharp clarity.