Theaters of the Baroque

Catalog description

This course surveys the visual and material culture of the Baroque world, roughly the period 1575-1750, considering the diverse locales, styles and objects of Baroque artistic production, as related to early modern notions of theatricality. The course is composed of two acts. First, we will investigate the visual culture of several key cities (Rome, Antwerp, Madrid, Mexico City, Munich and Versailles). In the second half of the course will focus on diverse spaces of baroque theatricality (churches, theaters, palaces, civic spaces and the art collection itself). Through these case studies, the course aims to explore how the local economic, religious, political and social contexts for artistic production interact with global networks of exchange and the performance of individual and national artistic identity.