Every conceivable expression of this epoch, from Roman baroque to Dutchpainting and naturally the unfolding splendour of Louis XIV is gathered inthis volume. This work includes: chronological depiction of the fine artsfrom their origins in Rome through the late baroque and rococo;explanation of the socio-political background: the Counter-Reformation,the development
of Protestantism, absolutism, and the French Revolution;and various ways the baroque left its mark, including city planning,architecture, garden design, sculpture, painting and emblems. During thebaroque period, architecture and the other fine arts were the instrumentsof a staging of "world theatre" on a grand scale. The baroque art of thepopes in Rome, the displays of power and opulence in the court of the SunKing, Louis XIV, and Dutch painting - they all reflect different aspectsof the underlying tension between pleasure in life and fear of death thatwas such a prominent feature of the baroque world view. This volumeportrays the entire span of the fine arts of the baroque era, from richsplendour to religious asceticism.