On Feb 23, 2009, at 3:27 PM, William Conger wrote:
Early 20C modernism tends to be classic; later 20C art tends to be baroque. Currently, the art pendulum seems to be in a late baroque phase, analogous to the roccoco.
This summarizes briefly a paradigm of the history of styles: Archaic, Classic, Baroque, Mannerist (Rococo)
As a style develops, its early stage is characterized by attempts to clarify core elements of the style. This is called its "Archaic" phase, named for the Archaic period of Greek development, from the stiff, Egyptizing kouroi statues to the transition to more naturalistic poses. The Kritios Boy is usually given as the exemplar of the shift to the contrapposto pose,characteristic of a newly- developed naturalism in portrayals. The next phase is generally called the Classic period, in which the attempts during the Archaic period have been resolved into clear and often restrained expression. Fifth- century Athenian sculpture, epitomized by the Parthenon sculptures (and other works, too), exemplifies this stylistic stage. Next comes a period of growing exaggeration and dramatic effects, seen in such Hellenistic works as the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which exploited violent depicted action and dramatic effects of light and shadow. Thereafter, the baroque style often declines into very self-conscious effects, called Mannerist. The last two terms come from the periods after the Renaissance. And the Rococo period, which did follow the Baroque, displayed exaggerations and an elevated interest in decorative effects.
These four stages can be seen in a stylistic study of practically any genre of art: Gothic architecture overcame the limitations of the Romanesque style, developing the pointed vaults that permit higher and thinner walls, perforated by glass windows, and decorated by striking external ornament. Laon, Chartres, Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle. Donatello, Michelangelo, Bernini, etc. (i.e., same with Impressionism, Cubism, Modernism).
