History of Painting 3/4
Baroque, Rococo, and Romanticism: Explore Painting History at an Art Course in Zurich
Welcome to the third instalment of our painting history series! After exploring the Middle Ages and Renaissance in our previous posts, we're now venturing into the dramatic world of Baroque, the delicate realm of Rococo, and the passionate era of Romanticism. This period, spanning from the 17th to mid-19th century, brought us some of the most emotionally charged and technically brilliant works in art history. Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee and join us as we dive into these fascinating movements that continue to inspire our modern art courses.
The Dramatic Birth of Baroque in Painting History
“Judith Slaying Holofernes” by Artemisia Gentileschi
Caravaggio, Rembrandt and the Theatre of Light
As Renaissance grandeur faded, the 17th century welcomed Baroque - a style known for its emotional intensity, theatrical lighting and striking contrasts. In Italy, Caravaggio revolutionised biblical subjects by infusing them with raw humanity, while Northern European masters like Rembrandt captured subtle expressions through masterful chiaroscuro*.
What made Baroque so revolutionary was its approach to composition and emotion:
Dynamic Composition: Swirling lines and bold diagonals guide the viewer's eye through the painting
Emotional Impact: Artists deliberately used intense contrasts and lifelike details to stir viewers' feelings
Powerful Patronage: Religious institutions and monarchies commissioned grand works to reflect their authority
Fancy a refresher on Renaissance influences? Hop back to Part 2 of our series!
*We could explain chiaroscuro but the National Gallery does it so much better.
Baroque Beyond Italy: A European Sensation
Baroque wasn't confined to Rome or Naples - it swept across Spain, Flanders and France. Diego Velázquez created stunning royal portraits for the Spanish court, while Peter Paul Rubens produced vigorous mythological scenes in Antwerp. Each region adapted the style to local tastes. The Dutch Golden Age, for instance, preferred secular subjects like landscapes and still lifes, yet still harnessed the era's characteristic drama.
Swiss Baroque Influences
Switzerland, though not yet unified as a nation, showed Baroque influences in religious art and civic decorations. Major Swiss cities like Lucerne and Solothurn embraced Baroque architecture and painting for their churches - proving how this theatrical style resonated far beyond Europe's cultural hubs.
The Delightful World of Rococo Art Movements
A Lighter, Playful Artistic Revolution
By the early 18th century, European courts began shifting away from Baroque heaviness towards something altogether more whimsical. Enter Rococo, often described as "late Baroque," with its love of ornamentation, pastel colours and playful subjects. Painters like Jean-Honoré Fragonard and François Boucher created dreamy scenes of aristocratic leisure - gardens, cherubs and elegant parties bathed in soft hues.
Zurich Art Club is hosting a Ceramic Cake Piping Workshop - An fun, innovative session that lends itself Baroque flair and Rococo’s Romantic ornamentation.
Rococo's distinctive features included:
Gentle Palettes: Lavenders, soft pinks and pale greens replaced Baroque's bold contrasts
Intimate Scenes: Sensuality and playful romance took centre stage, reflecting sophisticated court life
Decorative Excellence: Paintings featured swirling motifs, floral patterns and gilded scrolls
Critiques and Cultural Impact
Not everyone adored Rococo's frivolity. Critics found it excessively decorative and lacking moral depth. Nevertheless, its aesthetic influenced everything from costume design to porcelain production and garden landscaping. Imagine creating your own Rococo-inspired piece - our Paint Your Person workshops offer a splendid opportunity to experiment with these delicate styles in a modern context!
Neoclassical Revival: When Order Returns to Art
Enlightenment and the Rediscovery of Antiquity
By the mid-18th century, Rococo's decorative excesses sparked a counter-movement. Neoclassicism emerged alongside the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and virtue. Fuelled by archaeological discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum, European societies rediscovered their fascination with ancient Greek and Roman art. Jacques-Louis David became the movement's standard-bearer through paintings like "The Oath of the Horatii," highlighting heroism and structural clarity.
“The Oath of Horatii” byJacques-Louis David
Technical Hallmarks of Neoclassical Painting
Neoclassical paintings featured several distinctive characteristics:
Linear Clarity: Crisp outlines and symmetrical arrangements echoed classical sculptures
Moral Gravity: Themes of civic duty and heroism replaced frivolous subjects
Educational Purpose: Many painters saw themselves as moral educators, using art to instil Enlightenment values
The Rise of Art Academies
Neoclassicism found institutional support through royal academies throughout Europe. The French Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture championed a hierarchy of genres, placing historical and mythological paintings at the top - a system that influenced European art education for generations.
Finding a Romantic Revolution in Painting at an Art Course in Zurich
Breaking Free from Rational Boundaries
As the 18th century gave way to the 19th, artists began rejecting Neoclassicism's rigid order. Romanticism championed individual emotional experience and nature's sublime power. The movement varied geographically - France produced Delacroix's vibrant tableaux, while Germany embraced Caspar David Friedrich's contemplative landscapes - but all Romantic painters shared a reverence for imagination and emotional truth.
If you’re drawn to the grand scale and expressive shapes so characteristic of the Romantic era then you may love our Big Coiling Event. It’s a hands-on, messy, claycentric evening of fun.
Romantic Techniques Worth Exploring
In our local Big Canvas Energy event, we often explain and allow you to explore Romantic techniques that revolutionised painting:
Expressive Colour: Intense hues and dynamic brushwork to convey mood
Subjective Vision: Personal feelings and dramatic storytelling replaced measured rationalism
Nature's Grandeur: Vast landscapes and wild storms underscored humanity's smallness against natural forces
“Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” by Caspar David Friedrich
Masters of the Sublime: Goya and Turner
Francisco Goya captured the era's darker currents, from war's horrors to haunting visions in his Black Paintings. Meanwhile, J.M.W. Turner transformed swirling colour into near-abstract explorations of light, influencing countless future landscape artists. Their works showcased Romanticism's extraordinary range - spanning political commentary to existential wonder.
Curious about the movements that came before? Part 1 of our series on the History of Painting explores marks in caves to medieval movements.
Shifting Tides: Realism and Early Modern Influences
The Rise of Everyday Reality
As the 19th century progressed, political upheaval and industrial advances sparked new artistic perspectives. Some painters turned away from Romantic fantasy, focusing instead on everyday life and unfiltered reality - thus establishing Realism. Gustave Courbet famously declared, "I cannot paint an angel because I have never seen one," encapsulating the movement's straightforward philosophy.
Realism brought several significant changes:
Ordinary Subjects: Farmers, labourers and domestic scenes became worthy artistic subjects
Rejection of Idealism: Realists dismissed allegory and mythology as escapist
Modern Foundations: By focusing on direct observation, Realism laid groundwork for the radical experiments that would follow
“The Man with a Hoe” by Jean‑François Millet
Impressionism on the Horizon
The mid-19th century also introduced new pigments, portable paint tubes and plein air methods - early signs of the Impressionist revolution. Although we'll explore Impressionism fully in Part 4, it's worth noting how the shift toward capturing momentary effects began during this transitional period.
Water colour paints also have a bold history, that we’ve explore in our DIY Watercolour Paint and Natural Pigment article; we even teach you how to make your own DIY watercolour paints at home!
Swiss Perspectives: Henry Fuseli and the Road to Hodler
Switzerland's Unique Artistic Position
Switzerland's geographic location - nestled between cultural powerhouses like France, Germany and Italy - allowed Swiss artists to absorb diverse influences. While Ferdinand Hodler would later become Switzerland's most celebrated painter, another remarkable figure emerged earlier: Henry Fuseli (1741–1825), born Johann Heinrich Füssli.
Fuseli's Psychological Dreamscapes
Henry Fuseli specialised in dramatic, supernatural scenes like "The Nightmare." Though he built his career primarily in England, his Swiss origins influenced his distinctive aesthetic, which merged continental Romantic impulses with Northern European introspection.
‘The Nightmare’ by Henry Fuseli
Fuseli's work featured:
Imaginative Themes: Myths, dreams and Gothic elements creating uniquely haunting imagery
Influential Connections: Friendships with figures like William Blake, contributing significantly to British Romanticism
This legacy eventually fed into the Symbolist and Expressionist tendencies that would later characterise Swiss painting, preparing the cultural landscape for artists like Hodler, who bridged Romantic, Symbolist and early Modern approaches.
From Grand Splendour to New Horizons: The Road Ahead
Art in Constant Evolution
With Romanticism's conclusion and Realism's parallel rise, European painting stood on the brink of transformation. Technological advancements, social changes and evolving perceptions of art's purpose all pointed toward Modernism's experimental spirit. Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism and beyond would soon redefine representation itself.
The post-Romantic decades witnessed:
Stylistic Fragmentation: Splintered approaches, each reconsidering representation's fundamental nature
Cultural Exchange: Growing cross-cultural influences, particularly from Japan (Japonisme)
Local Development: Artistic evolution in Switzerland and beyond, with Zurich eventually becoming an avant-garde hub
Our final instalment will explore these radical changes - from Impressionism's light-dappled canvases to abstraction's bold experiments and the globalised art world we know today.
Bringing History to Your Canvas
Inspired by these historical movements? Why not try your hand at some Baroque drama or Romantic landscapes yourself? Our all-skill-level-friendly Zürich based pottery painting workshops offer a relaxed introduction to historical techniques applied to modern forms. Whether you're channelling Caravaggio's shadows or Turner's luminous skies, there's an art course near you waiting to help unlock your creative potential.
Finding Your Artistic Voice Through History
While we've journeyed through these magnificent centuries of painting history, remember that every great artist began somewhere. The techniques developed during the Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical and Romantic periods continue to influence contemporary practice, offering rich resources for today's creators.
Whether you're drawn to dramatic shadows, delicate pastels, classical structure or emotional expression, understanding these movements provides valuable context for developing your own artistic voice. If you're curious about experiencing these techniques firsthand, perhaps there's an art course near where you live that could help you explore these traditions in a supportive environment.
The three centuries we've explored represent a whirlwind of stylistic shifts - artists challenging norms through theatrical flair, personal emotion or rigorous classical ideals. Through these evolutions, painting remained a powerful mirror reflecting societal change.
Stay tuned for our fourth and final chapter, where we'll step into the modern age: covering Impressionism, Abstraction, Surrealism and the dynamic landscape leading to contemporary art. The creative journey continues - each era building on what came before, showing how artistry thrives on both innovation and tradition.
Feeling inspired by history's greatest painters? Our relaxed sessions offer a perfect way to try historical techniques in a friendly setting. Find an art course near you to start your own creative journey today.
Final Thoughts
The three centuries surveyed here - encompassing Baroque vs Rococo painting, Neoclassicism, and Romanticism in painting - represent a whirlwind of stylistic shifts. Artists challenged existing norms, whether by injecting theatrical flair, emphasising personal emotion, or returning to the rigorous ideals of antiquity. Through these evolutions, painting continued to serve as a mirror of societal change.
Stay tuned for the fourth and final chapter, where we’ll step into the modern age: covering Impressionist painting origins, the Abstract art evolution, Surrealism, and the dynamic landscape that leads right up to the present. Art’s journey is far from over - each age builds on the last, reminding us how creativity thrives on both innovation and tradition.
