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George Gilliam
Early World History
March 2, 2003
Gianlorenzo Bernini, the Definer of the ‘Baroque’
Gianlorenzo Bernini is and was regarded as not only the best artist of his era, but the greatest man as well. Bernini, a painter, sculptor and architect who was born in 1598 and died just days before his 82nd birthday in 1680 was the last of many brilliant artists who represented Italy and made it one of the gems of the Western world for three centuries. Bernini’s virtuosity shares an echelon with artists such as Da Vinci or Michelangelo. Bernini was also an artist who influenced more people than any other artist. ... A visitor to Rome today cannot walk for more than a few minutes without coming across a work by Bernini. ... Rome also contains many palaces, churches and monuments that were powerfully influenced by Bernini’s style. One of Bernini’s irritated rivals remarked, “To work in Rome, is to work for Bernini,” expressing how Bernini’s artistic ways have made Rome what it is today and what it was then. All of Bernini’s accomplishments, successes and influences are the cause of Rome being viewed with an appearance that defines 17th Century Baroque (Wallace 10). ... Gianlorenzo Bernini, Self Portrait (1624)
Whenever Bernini’s name is mentioned, the word “Baroque” comes to mind for many people. “Baroque” is a term thrown around by both people who know art and do not. Some may say that a person has “gone Baroque” instead of going mad, or that Bernini died after “falling into the Baroque”. ... “Baroque” is certainly a hard word to give a distinct definition for considering the fact that it both represents a musical and visual artistic time frame. ... For instance, Luigi Barzini, an Italian journalist, tried to define “Baroque” and came through with the following: “The Baroque is when you can draw a straight line but choose instead to draw a curve. The Baroque is when you are bored with the melody and wish to listen to the variations.” In fact, when it first became popular as a deprecating word only two centuries ago, “Baroque” commonly meant something that was “bizarre, excessively ornate, distorted and possibly dishonest. ... “Baroque” was also seen used by secondhand bottle dealers in France, describing ordinary bottles as “normale” and those of abnormal shape as “baroque” (Wallace 11).
Even though the word “Baroque” might not have the most positive derivation, the word’s meaning has gone through much revision and now is considered to be a courteous word. ... First of all, Baroque is the widespread style of European art between Mannerism and Rococo. The Baroque style began in Rome and is connected with the Catholic Reformation.
Approximate Word count = 2214
Approximate Pages = 8.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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