The Baroque period (1600-1750) marks a time of great artistic
innovation, strong perfumes, and gentlemen with luscious locks. During this age, music was seen as a form of communication, paintings were filled with dramatic
effects of light and shadow, and bathing was considered dangerous. Famous
artistic people who lived and worked during the Baroque era include: Bach, Bernini,
Purcell, Rembrandt, and Monteverdi.
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| A copy of Elias Gottlob Haussmann's original portrait of Bach. This copy was made by Haussmann in 1748. The original was painted in 1746. A public domain image.
Today, we use the word baroque to describe the period of history from 1600-1750, but that is not how the word was originally used. Baroque, which comes from the Portuguese word for misshapen pearl, barroco, was first used as a derogatory
term by 19th century critics who found Baroque art to be old
fashioned. Misshapen pearls may not be as popular as their uniform counterparts,
but I find that the abnormalities of these odd pearls make them appealing. In the
same way, Baroque art and culture, though no longer mainstream, offer a unique
beauty of their own.
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| Misshapen pearls also known as Keshi pearls. A public domain image. |
