Question: Identify a common subject/theme or stylistic characteristic of Baroque art and explain why you think these commonalities exist.
Respond to this Answer: Baroque art had many common themes. “Some of the qualities that characterize the Baroque are grandeur, sensual richness, emotional exuberance, tension, movement, and the successful unification of the various arts,” (Roberts). A few themes I found to be very common were the intensity of the darkness and light in the pictures, the drama displayed, and the realism of the paintings. In The Calling of St. Matthew, we can see the darkness, the movement, the realism, and the drama in this painting. I found that most Baroque art was displaying these themes. This was a time when change was happening, and this art was new. The art work seems to show emotion. You can see in The Calling of St. Matthew that there is many things happening all that tie back into the many themes of Baroque art. There is the difference in the clothes, the bright light from Christ allows for the intensity of the darkness, the is much drama and emotion shown through the expressions, and movement shown within this painting. There is a lot happening in the painting as well. I think that these commonalities all bring together this time period of art. It was a more realistic time period for the art. I think that these pieces of art show much talent to bring together all these themes. These paintings seem to all tell a more detailed setting or story during this time period. “The strengthened Catholic faith, the absolutist state, the new science, and the beginnings of the modern world combined in a volatile mixture that gave the Baroque era its fascinating quality,” (Roberts).
Sample Solution
