Mercantilism and Baroque Art: A Historical Overview

Posted on Mar 28, 2025 in Arts and Humanities

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The new economic system known as mercantilism defended the wealth of a country, which was based on the amount of precious metal (gold and silver) that it possessed. Therefore, it was necessary to promote domestic industry and trade, to sell much, buying abroad and earn some money. To maintain the new system, state aid was necessary, so mercantilism helped the power of European monarchies. Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683).

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Monarchy Types

In the feudal monarchy, the king shared sovereignty with the nobles.

In the authoritarian monarchy, the king underwent the nobility and stood at the head of the different institutions of the courts, but he shared his power with them.

In the absolute monarchy, the monarch would be above all the inhabitants of his realm, all his subjects, subdued and governed.

Mercantilism

Mercantilism: an economic policy implemented by the European monarchies based on the idea that only a rich nation could be powerful and the wealth of a country depended on the amount of gold and silver accumulated.

Characteristics of Absolute Monarchy

  • In the absolute monarchy, the king’s authority came directly from God, in whose name the power was exercised.
  • The king’s power was absolute and was the embodiment of the state. He was the law, the ultimate authority of government, the head of justice, and directed internal and external politics. He did not control and did not share sovereignty with anyone.
  • To govern, the monarch was assisted by ministers, advisors, and secretaries, and also by a large number of officials.

Aesthetics of the Baroque

Proposed new aesthetic values in the prevailing:

  • The movement, with the use of curved forms, from the concave and convex.
  • The light and color, but that drawing, to create the shapes.
  • The realism in the performances, but the artist’s goal is not only to represent reality, as in the Renaissance ideal, but to do it in a way that excites or surprises the viewer.
  • The taste for the theatrical and scenic. Baroque art is full of symbolism and, often, the work of art is presented as a scene, like a stage set that aims to introduce the observer into the world of feelings and sensations.

Baroque Architecture

Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) in his work, the basilica of St. Peter’s colonnade with a large elliptical shape on the outside and one inside badalquino spectacular.

Francesco Borromini (1599-1667) author of the facades of churches such as San Carlos of the four sources and Santa Ines, curvy d movement.

Civil Works: French Le Vau (Palace of Versailles) Mansart (Palace of Versailles and the church of Les Invalides in Paris) and Le Notre.

Baroque Sculpture

Bernini is the most representative figure, and his works are a reflection of all these characteristics. Destacan buonarelli constance Bust, and the tombs of Urban VIII and Alexander VII.

Bernini: Apollo and Daphne, 1625. You get a great impression of footwork through clothing and hair that seem to float in the air. Another project: square and colonnade of St. Peter dl Vatican 1667. Traza an elliptical plaza consists of two side columns.

Nicola Salvi: The Trevi Fountain, 1732-1762. This is the renewal, as the baroque style of an earlier source, which also contributed Bernini.

Baroque Painters

  • Caravaggio: The Entombment, 1604. This work is an example of the innovations of Caravaggio.
  • Rubens: Venus and Cupid, 1611. The rounded figures are characteristic of the work of Rubens.
  • Rembrandt: Night Watch, 1642. The light shines strongly and almost hides characters to others.
  • Vermeer: The Artist’s Studio, 1667. The light creates different levels in the table, also use Outlook (checkerboard floor) and greater detail (light, reflections from the chair …).

Characteristics of Baroque Painting

  • The triumph of color on the color stains dibujo. Son the formas. Se created using bright colors and warm, also support the use of oil, although al fresco painting is continuous.
  • The concern for the light. Se uses a technique of contrasting light areas: clear scuro.
  • The realism. Se intended to represent things as they really are, and therefore used real-life models.
  • The search for movement in the compositions using foreshortening, asymmetry, wavy lines, and characters representacon bit serene or troubled.

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