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Baroque Blocks Block Set: 86 pieces (approx. 12" on a side at base)  Back to International Block Assortments See photo of the real thing: Chapel at Versailles |
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The baroque style of art and
architecture started in Rome and Paris shortly after 1600, and soon spread throughout Europe, where it prevailed for one
hundred and fifty years. During this period new social and political systems
resulted in the concentration of power in the hands of individuals with
absolute authority. This power was expressed through the structures and
decorative programs of palaces, churches, public and government buildings,
scientific and commercial buildings, and military installations. Magnificent
churches, fountains, and palaces attested to the renewed strength of the
popes in Rome, as well as the Protestant and Russian Orthodox liturgies.
Baroque architects had been schooled in the classical Renaissance tradition,
emphasizing symmetry and harmonious proportions, but their designs revealed
a new sense of dynamism and grandeur. Renaissance architects had sought to
engage the intellect, with their focus on divine sources of geometry, while
those of the Baroque aimed to overwhelm the senses and emotions. Baroque
architects also mastered the unification of the visual arts -- painting,
sculpture, architecture, garden design, and urban planning -- to a
remarkable degree, producing buildings and structures with a heightened
sense of drama and power. Back to International Block Assortments See photo of the real thing: Chapel at Versailles |
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