Baroque

Student’s Name
Instructor’s Name
Course
Date
Comparison of Baroque Styles in France, Germany, and Austria
Baroque art was meant for religious propaganda. The baroque style was excellent in its depiction of architecture and other pieces of art. The best representations of the baroque style can be found in palaces in Germany, Austria, and France. The technique developed in Italy at around 1600 as a response to the orderly conventional Renaissance style that preceded it. It was characterized by entire buildings being seen as single and unified constructions like sculptures rather than an assemblage of boxed structures. This document will discuss the baroque style in France, Austria, and Germany by examining was Versailles, Schonbrunn, and Melk Abbey. It will show that the two techniques were similar, but the elegance of the French Baroque representations was unmistakable.
The baroque style in Germany, Austria, and France were similar because of using ovoid and rounded shapes as well as fluid curves. Chiaroscuro was used, and it was a painting technique that emphasized the dramatic deployment of dark and light. The buildings have lavish ornamentation with gilded plaster and wood. They are also covered in marble and gold finishes. The style also emphasizes the deployment of Trompe l’oleil, which is a visual illusion that makes it appear 3D.
France’s baroque architecture depicted opulence and power as well as magnificence. The best example is the palace of Versailles. It is portrayed against a backdrop of the landscape that adds to its grandeur. The scenic views of the gardens improve on the overall outlay of the building. It expresses power, where the emperor would show his subjects that he owned land and could control the entire empire from the palace. The palace signifies the enduring power of the French state. It has an excellent fountain that can be seen at the front, which adds to the overall magnificence.
The palace of Versailles has the Royal Chapel that was completed before it was consecrated in 1710. Louis IX of France made it his personal dedication. The construction of the chapel began in 1699 and was completed during the reign of Louis XIV. The Royal Chapel was an indispensable aspect of Paris because it was a place where baptisms and wedding ceremonies, as well as daily services, were held until seven decades had passed after it was consecrated.
Melk Abbey is a German baroque construction that began in 1702. It took up the ideologies of Gothic and Late Romanesque architecture. The depiction is different from French baroque architecture that failed to copy old forms of design. The German building has an emphasis on reflecting the water to create a dramatic impact that depicted the all-embracing and spectacular concepts of baroque architecture. It is different from the palace of Versailles is because it has limited space. German baroque architecture was limited in the availability of space, which made it distinct from France’s baroque architecture, as can be seen by the Benedictine Abbey at Melk. However, it has the essential ingredients of baroque architecture that depicts glittering windows and thick walls.
Schonbrunn majorly depicted the Rococo Style. It was the summer residence of the emperor of Austria. It had the ambiance of the baroque style and was almost similar to the palace of Versailles. However, it was majorly deployed as a summer home rather than the permanent residence of the emperor. As such, this made its distinct from the baroque style that was being implemented in France. It had sculptures and gardens like the Palace of Versailles. However, the palace failed to depict the theatrical elegance of the French baroque style.
In conclusion, the similarity between French, Austrian, and German Baroque art is that the entire building being seen as single and unified constructions like sculptures rather than an assemblage of boxed structures. However, German and Austrian palaces failed to depict the dramatic elegance of French baroque style. For instance, the palace of Versailles signified the enduring power of the French state. Contrariwise, the castle of Schonbrunn was the summer residence of the emperor of Austria.