Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Baroque
As the principal motor of the Roman Renaissance, the Catholic Church became increas-
ingly powerful in the 16th century. But with power came corruption and calls for reform.
These culminated in Martin Luther's 95 Theses and the far-reaching Protestant Reforma-
tion. This hit the Church hard and prompted the Counter-Reformation (1560−1648), a vi-
cious and sustained campaign to get people back into the Catholic fold. In the midst of this
great offensive, baroque art and architecture emerged as a highly effective form of propa-
ganda. Stylistically, baroque architecture aims for a dramatic sense of dynamism, an effect
that it often achieves by combining spatial complexity with clever lighting and a flamboy-
ant use of decorative painting and sculpture.
One of the first great Counter-Reformation churches was the Jesuit Chiesa del Gesù, de-
signed by the leading architect of the day, Giacomo della Porta (1533−1602). In a move
away from the style of earlier Renaissance churches, the facade has pronounced architec-
tural elements that create a contrast between surfaces and a play of light and shade.
The end of the 16th century and the papacy of Sixtus V (1585−90) marked the beginning
of major urban-planning schemes. Domenico Fontana (1543−1607) and other architects
created a network of major thoroughfares to connect previously disparate parts of the
sprawling medieval city, and decorative obelisks were erected at vantage points throughout
town. Fontana also designed the main facade of Palazzo del Quirinale, the immense palace
that served as the pope's summer residence for almost three centuries. His nephew, Carlo
Maderno (1556−1629), also worked on the palazzo when not amending Bramante's designs
for St Peter's Basilica.
ROCOCO FRILLS
In the early days of the 18th century, as baroque fashions began to fade and neoclassicism waited to make its 19th-
century entrance, the rococo burst into theatrical life. Drawing on the excesses of the baroque, it was a short-lived
fad but one that left a memorable mark.
The Spanish Steps, built between 1723 and 1726 by Francesco de Sanctis, provided a focal point for the many
Grand Tourists who were busy discovering Rome's classical past. A short walk to the southwest, Piazza
Sant'Ignazio was designed by Filippo Raguzzini (1680−1771) to provide a suitably melodramatic setting for the
Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola, Rome's second Jesuit church.
Most spectacular of all, however, was the Trevi Fountain, one of the city's most exuberant and enduringly popu-
lar monuments. It was designed in 1732 by Nicola Salvi (1697−1751) and completed three decades later.
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