The Art of the Renaissance — The art of the quattrocento and cinquecento in Italy is the subject of this film. The discovery of the world and of man, the rediscovery of antique architecture and the inventions of Renaissance... more » architecture, perspectives, space, colorfulness, the exploration of the laws of vision and anatomy - all the revolutionary innovations of this period of art are its central themes. Exemplary masterpieces of architecture, sculpture and painting, together with the great artistic personalities of the era illustrate the achievements and accomplishments of the Renaissance. Florence and the circle of artists around Brunelleschi represent the early Renaissance era, the first daring constructions, paintings and sculptures of the early 15th century. Bramante, Leonardo, Raffael and Michelangelo stand for the High Renaissance and the era of the popes in Rome.
The Art of the Baroque Era
Victory is the great central theme of Baroque art. Rome, the city of the Popes, celebrated its victory over the Protestant Reformation in the architectural splendor of its new churches, squares and palaces. The vast complex of St. Peter's provided a magnificent setting for papal pomp and pageantry. In Bernini the Roman Catholic church found its virtuoso architect and sculptor. The Emperor in Vienna and the Kings and Princes in 17th century Europe also used the arts as a means of displaying their power. In particular Louis XIV who, with his palace and garden of Versailles, created the absolute symbol of the triumph of willpower over man and nature.
Even the cloisters gave visible expression to their rank and significance in magnificent new buildings of palatial proportions. In addition to the well-known highlights, which demonstrate most impressively achievements of the Baroque Age, smaller masterpieces from this epoch, some of them virtually unknown, are also shown, for example the castle and garden of Vaux-le-Vicomte, where Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, the celebrated artists of Versailles, gave their debuts.
The Art of Rococo
The revolt against Versailles and the Baroque system heralded the retreat into private life. In the Paris hotels, the city palaces of the nobility, the 'salon' emerged as the incarnation of a society which was liberating itself increasingly from the thraldom of etiquette and absolutist coercion. A new style emerged which was to characterize the epoch: the ornamental form of the rocaille became the leitmotiv of the Rococo, giving the epoch its name. The world of salons and sophisticated festivities, the lovely world of make-believe is reflected in the pictures of Watteau and Boucher. The huge residential palaces were replaced by small pleasure houses, the maisons de plaisance;. Sanssouci, the palace of the Prussian King Frederick II, was constructed not as a place to represent, but to think. The predilection for all things Far-Eastern and exotic was also in accordance with the ideas of the age. August the Strong had a castle built in Chinese style in Pillnitz, Frederick the Great put a Chinese tea house, complete with a group of gilded life-size Chinese, into his garden. In England landscape gardens were created as a reaction to Baroque absolutism and as an expression of the new ideas of the Enlightenment.« less
