Baroque and Renaissance: These Are the Differences

The Palace of Versailles, da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", magnificent gardens like those in Schwerin and Hanover in Germany, and Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus": Art and architecture from the Renaissance and Baroque periods remain as present as they are popular.

Together, these two epochs cover a period of over four centuries. The Renaissance emerged from the Middle Ages around the early 15th century. It was replaced by the Baroque epoch at the beginning of the 17th century. Classicism brought an end to the Renaissance and Baroque phases by the late 18th century.

At first glance, these epochs have much in common. In both, the visual arts were deeply influenced by political, religious, and social developments. Their styles also show some parallels. But what exactly is the difference between the Renaissance and the Baroque epochs?

The primary difference lies in their respective societal contexts: The Renaissance was shaped by the Reformation and Humanism. Under this influence, Renaissance art discovered humans as independent subjects. It drew on examples from Greek and Roman antiquity and emphasised a style of representation that was as realistic as possible.

Five significant artists of the Renaissance:

• Leonardo da Vinci,
• Raphael Santi,
• Sandro Botticelli,
• Albrecht Dürer, and
• Michelangelo Buonarroti.

The Baroque, however, was characterised by the Counter-Reformation and the Thirty Years' War. While Baroque art followed the ideas of the Renaissance, it evolved further. In painting, drama and pathos replaced Realism. Biblical and mythological themes were also rediscovered as motifs. The concept of mortality inspired an entirely new genre: "Vanitas" still lifes.

Most significant artists of the Baroque epoch:

• Jan Vermeer,
• Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio,
• Rembrandt van Rijn,
• Peter Paul Rubens, and
• Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Below we delve into the differences between Baroque and Renaissance in detail.

Renaissance vs. Baroque: Times of Social Transformation

The social and political context played an important role in the development of both the Renaissance and the Baroque. Each style responded uniquely to the respective situations in which it emerged.

Renaissance: A New Worldview Shaped by Humanism

During the Renaissance, Europe experienced fundamental changes in culture, economy, science, and politics. Key developments included the Reformation and the subsequent division of the Church. The invention of the printing press and advances in natural sciences fostered a new intellectual climate in Europe.

Overall, the influence of the nobility and the church, which had dominated politics and society for centuries, waned during the Renaissance. At the same time, the wealthy bourgeoisie strengthened its position within society. It benefited from the steadily growing trade domestically and internationally.

This development impacted the financing of art and culture. During the preceding Middle Ages, the nobility and clergy were primary patrons of the visual arts. Now, bourgeois mazes increasingly took on this role.

Not Only Political and Economic Changes Shaped Renaissance Art

The prevailing philosophies, ideals, worldviews, and attitudes towards life left their marks on the artworks of this epoch. Renaissance sculptures and paintings were characterised by Humanism.

Humanist philosophy formed the core of thinking and action in this epoch. Originating in the 14th century, Humanism expressed a desire for change and a new era. It marked a radical shift from medieval thought, where Christian doctrine subordinated humanity to the divine.

By honouring creative human activity, natural sciences are elevated to a new status. Researchers, scholars, and engineers gradually emancipated themselves from Church doctrine. Leading to groundbreaking inventions and theories, that were developed and published during this epoch.

Even though people increasingly focussed on earthly existence and its challenges, spirituality and religion did not completely disappear from everyday life during the Renaissance.

The Baroque: An Epoch Influenced by the Thirty Years’ War

The Baroque era directly followed the Renaissance. In contrast to the Renaissance, the Baroque period was heavily influenced by the Thirty Years’ War. As is often the case, the situation for the commoners and the nobility was very different, creating contrasting moods in society.

For the majority of the population in Europe, the war brought suffering and hardship, with disease, death, hunger, and destruction being daily realities. In contrast, the aristocratic rulers and wealthy, adopted a "now more than ever" attitude. They lived in lavish luxury and celebrated themselves and their power with luxurious festivities and magnificent buildings.

The Counter-Reformation amplified the Church’s influence. The focus on this world, as taught by humanism during the Renaissance, lost some of its significance in favour of the Christian faith.

After the Thirty Years' War, many monarchs were able to maintain their status. Absolutism established itself as a form of rule in various European states. Emperors and kings claimed absolute power over the people and the nations. They demonstrated their claim to power with extravagant architecture and lavish lifestyles.

Alongside the nobility, the Catholic Church also grew stronger. During the Counter-Reformation, it was able to expand its power and influence. The Catholic Church commissioned numerous works of art with religious motifs during this phase. The sculptures and paintings served to strengthen its position among the faithful.

At the same time, the traditional worldview was also challenged in various ways. This included, on one hand, the traditional class-based society. The prevailing system, with the nobility and clergy on one side and the bourgeoisie and peasants on the other, was called into question. On the other hand, voices among scientists grew louder, advocating the view that the Earth was not at the centre of the universe but rather the Sun.

Baroque and Renaissance in Comparison: Motifs

The new worldview and the changes in society were reflected in the motifs of both epochs.

The Motifs of Renaissance Art

In Renaissance philosophy, humanity took centre stage, and artists mirrored this by making humans the focal point of their works. Now, humans were depicted as an independent motif - just like religious figures.

Artists focused on depicting the human anatomy as realistically as possible. This was particularly evident in the increasingly popular portraits. The first artists also began to produce self-portraits. Even though people were now becoming an increasingly important motif, religious and mythological themes continued to be relevant subjects. Both scenes from the Bible and ancient mythology were frequently represented in paintings and sculptures.

In addition to people and deities, nature also gained importance in Renaissance art. Landscapes and animals had played almost no role at all in paintings and sculptures until the beginning of the 15th century. However, during the Renaissance, artists began to pay increasingly more attention to flora, fauna and architecture. However, landscape painting was still a long way from becoming a genre in its own right. Landscapes still essentially served as backgrounds and backdrops. From now on, however, artists paid greater attention to detailed and lifelike elaboration of the scenes in which the people acted.

Religion, Vanitas, Nature - The Motifs of Baroque Art

Humanity remained a key theme in Baroque art, with numerous portraits of monarchs and nobility. But motifs with several participants, such as festivals or other social occasions, were also depicted in paintings.

At the same time, the Counter-Reformation ensured that religion regained importance in people's everyday lives. This was also reflected in Baroque art. The clergy once again increasingly commissioned paintings and sculptures with religious and biblical scenes. Themes often centred on Jesus, the Virgin Mary, angels, or representations of heaven and hell. Mythological figures like Venus or Cupid also appeared in Baroque sculptures.

In Baroque painting, the visualisation of the idea of Vanitas became established as a new motif. Still lifes in particular were a reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly life. Various recurring objects served as symbols for this, such as skulls, hourglasses, candles, flies or wilting flowers. The vanitas motifs were intended to encourage viewers to reflect on their inner lives and moral living.

Nature also continued to develop as a pictorial theme in Baroque art. Especially in the late Baroque epoch and the subsequent Rococo epoch, landscapes progressively became a genre in their own right. Forests, the sea or mountain landscapes, as well as gardens, animals and plants, were now depicted without people.

New Visual Language and Techniques in Renaissance and Baroque

Not only the subject matter but also the visual composition and painting techniques differed significantly between the Renaissance and Baroque periods. These differences were closely linked to the themes and the prevailing views on art.

Renaissance: The Revival of Proportions in Painting Technique

Above all, the rediscovery of classical antiquity strongly influenced the depiction style in Renaissance art. As humans began to be perceived as individuals, artists placed greater emphasis on anatomically accurate, naturalistic, and detailed portrayals. They aimed to represent their subjects with individual facial features and natural proportions as faithfully as possible.

However, they also applied the same precision to figures that could not be directly observed, such as biblical or mythological characters. A realistic style also dominated other genres, including landscapes and architecture.

Additionally, Renaissance painters made significant progress in visual composition. One of the most important discoveries of this period was the central perspective. This enabled painters to create the impression of spatial depth and three-dimensionality. To achieve this, they let the (imaginary) lines in their paintings run towards the so-called "vanishing point". Objects that were to appear further away in the paintings were painted smaller. Prominent objects that were to appear in the foreground were painted larger.

Another important development in Renaissance painting was the "sfumato" technique. Artists used this method by applying a thin layer of white glaze in certain areas to soften the outlines of objects. Various light effects such as fog or bright light could be simulated in this way. It was also possible to create the impression of spatial depth in this way, as the blurring made the objects appear farther away.

Baroque Art: Transition from Realism to Emotionality

The techniques and modes of depiction also differed from those of the Renaissance and Baroque. While Renaissance painters strived for a close representation of reality, Baroque art embraced more emotional and dramatic imagery. The scenes depicted were opulent, voluptuous, and full of movement and energy. They appeared staged and leaned towards dramatization and pathos.

However, Baroque artists continued to model their objects based on reality. With the play of light and dark known as "chiaroscuro", they simulated a lively spatiality. The proportions of bodies and objects could be defined even more clearly through the incidence of light and the play of shadows. In this way, the pictorial objects appeared highly three-dimensional and were firmly positioned within the space.

A newly developed painting technique also contributed to the vivid impression of the painting. With the application of paint known as "impasto", the artists were able to emphasise or highlight certain areas of the painting. The primary characteristic of impasto was its complete opacity, and the paint was often applied in a slightly raised manner. This technique allowed for the accentuation of bright areas or monochromatic sections, further enhancing the three-dimensional and dynamic effect.

With the Rococo period, which evolved from the late Baroque, the highly emotional style of representation reached its zenith.

Rococo marked the end of the great Renaissance and Baroque epochs.