Spectacle, Emotion and Playfulness: Dr Christopher Gribbin

Baroque architecture is a highly decorative style, marked by movement, contrast and breaking the rules of Classical design. Baroque design was often all-encompassing, shaping not only the buildings themselves but also their interiors, decoration, sculpture and furnishings. The result was immersive and dramatic environments designed to engage the senses and stir emotion, spaces that continue to captivate and inspire visitors today.

This illustrated talk will explore the defining features of the Baroque style through some of its most impressive and well-known examples. It will examine what architects and patrons hoped to achieve through Baroque design, the historical forces that shaped its emergence and how the style evolved over time, culminating in the Rococo.