Baroque vs. Renaissance David

As Europe’s religions, politics, economics, and countless other aspects of life started to shift during the 17^th century, so did the styles of art. Including some elements from the Renaissance style of art and rejecting others, the Baroque style emerged as a dramatic, beautiful, and powerful art movement. While Baroque art pushed against some of the conventions of the Renaissance, many of the elements of design carried over into the new art. For example, the church still played a significant and central role in the lives of European residents. The Catholic Church especially experienced an upsurge in interest and control through the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Beginning with the Council of Trent, the reformation affected art by putting forth strong purposes for its art and images. The art produced in relation to the church was hoped to help with one or more of several principles. The images should teach those faithful to the church about the involvement of the saints, be understood by the common man, and place an emphasis on the ritual of communion. Another similarity between Baroque art and Renaissance art is the influence of Classical forms and subject matter. Baroque art has less of an influence than the Renaissance did, but the compositions still use the classical styles seen in previous work. Lastly, the Baroque artists in Italy used many of the same materials for their artwork, including bronze and marble for statues, and oil paint on canvas. Some of the ways that Baroque art differs from Renaissance art are the darker color palette, which lends to the heightened drama and emotions as well as creating a higher contrast between light and dark colors. Baroque art focuses more on naturalism than did the Renaissance, creating a more realistic, and thus a more dramatic appearance.

A strong comparison of the Baroque style and the Renaissance style lies in the analysis of two statues of David, one by the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and the other by the Baroque master Bernini. Though of the same classical subject, and constructed from marble, the statues are strikingly different in form and presentation. Bernini’s David embraces the Baroque principle of heightened drama and emotion, showing the hero’s most engaged and dynamic position, mid-swing with his slingshot of rocks. Everything about the statue is filled with action, from his tensed face to the muscles on his legs. The body is depicted in a hero’s stance, and though very strong and powerful, the statue actually looks like a real person, instead of an idealized model. Michelangelo’s David is still portrayed as a hero, but in an idealized and stoic posture. While Bernini’s statue is in the thralls of action, Michelangelo’s work is leisurely standing, seemingly soaking in the glory of his victory over the giant. The influence of the Catholic Church also influenced art through its censorship, seen in the presence and absence of the nudity seen on the two statues. While the Renaissance work depicts a fully nude male figure, the Baroque piece has a bit more modesty with a slight piece of fabric to cover the genital area.