Introduction To Baroque Frames

The word baroque means a pearl derived from ancient Portuguese noun that can be unpredictable and elaborate in shape. The baroque styles represent ancient drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur through sculpture, painting, literature and other forms. This type of art started around 1600 in Rome, Italy and spread to Europe. The 17th century is also known as baroque period that switched the church art to monarchy art to initiate frame making art popular in France. Before this period, regency frames were extremely popular for their richness and delicacy. According to history, paintings were treated just as elements in an arrangement of things. Baroque era concepts are monarchy, iconography, handling of paint, and compositions and also space and movement. The popularity of baroque style was brought by Roman Catholic Church to impress visitors and also to express victory with control over emotions and feelings. In these baroque paintings, gestures are broader, less ambiguous, less arcane, and mysterious. There were two kinds of baroque frames: architectural which were simple and used geometric motifs; and ornamental which were glided and had leafy and floral designs with curvilinear shape. Glided frames were popular as they can transform light.

Conclusion

The baroque period was regarded as the golden age of frames as it conquered over other arts that moved from Rome to Paris and spread in France. The ancient dramas and that period's peoples' emotions and feelings and their tensions were represented through three dimensional sculpture frames for ceremonial portraits and paintings that were gold leaf colored. Baroque style influenced another art called Rococo style characterized by lavish ornamentation, organic forms and use of gliding, in France in 17th century for interiors, paintings and decorative arts. The baroque style remained popular until Neoclassicism style of art was invented in the later 18th century.