Transitionality as a Characteristic of European Art of the 16th-17th Centuries (Using Rome and Paris as an Example)

This article examines the factors that shaped the transformation of European artistic language in the 16th and 17th centuries (changing worldviews, the emergence of different types of political systems, the development of the art market and the emergence of new patrons, etc.). The authors note that the chosen period is of particular interest for art history, as it saw a fundamental shift in the artistic sphere over the course of the century, leading to the emergence of a unique situation where two artistic movements coexisted – Baroque and Classicism. The crisis of style that occurred in the previous period provoked a search for a unified artistic direction, but the differing conditions of development of states led to the production of different artistic languages. It is emphasized that the birth of Baroque and Classicism is somehow connected to Rome, yet each of the national artistic schools adapted them in accordance with the traditions established there. The authors then compare the development of Baroque and Classicism in Italy and France. They conclude that the closely intertwined Baroque and Classicism are not simply artistic styles of the Modern Era, but rather represent distinct “metaphysical experiences,” reflecting distinct sociopolitical systems. While Rome (represented by the Vatican) is oriented toward exaltation and dynamism, drama and metamorphosis, the rhetoric of Paris is determined by a desire for order and strict hierarchy. The comparison of Baroque and Classicism allows us to see how the transition from the religious to the secular produces two artistic languages, and how the Modern Era provides two responses to the challenges of the era.