An overview of the main architectural themes of the baroque - the city, the church and the palace - through analysis of famous examples on both macro and micro scales: Rome, Paris, Turin and Versailles.
[Baroque Architecture] With a complete range of photographs and drawings, the book analyzes the main architectural themes of the 17th century – the “capital city”, the “church” and the “palace” – through the most famous examples of the era, on both macro and micro scales, in Rome, Paris, Turin and Versailles. A large section on church architecture investigates the works of Della Porta, Maderno, Mansart, Borromini, Bernini and Guarini, shedding light on their local significance and their relationship to the European context. As for the theme of the palace, great attention is paid to the Roman experience and the French hôtel, the unchallenged model for the major residences of the day. The volume closes with an overview of the spread of the baroque in Europe, all the way to the development of an “international style” in its various local versions.