The chief characteristics of Italian Baroque painting include realistically-depicted human figures, a vivid use of color, and extensive use of foreshadowing techniques. Many of these characteristics can be seen in the work of Caravaggio, who is perhaps the most famous painter of the Italian Baroque era. The most stunning characteristic of Caravaggio’s painting is his use of chiaroscuro, an extreme contrast between light and dark values. In many of his paintings, the figures seem to emerge out of total darkness--the background is black--yet they themselves are illuminated in a striking, almost heavenly light that accentuates their flesh tones and their clothing.
In Italian Baroque sculpture, you frequently encounter such aspects as groups of human figures, a sense of movement and energy in static forms, the use of soft white marble, and the ability to observe works from multiple viewpoints. The most famous Italian Baroque sculptor was Bernini, and his works can be seen all over Rome today. His “St. Theresa in Ecstasy” is arguably the best example of Baroque sculpture. It is situated in Rome’s Santa Maria della Vittoria church and depicts the famous Christian story of divinity entering a human body.
As Italy entered the Baroque era, an energetic renewal of architecture began, especially in Rome. Characteristics of Baroque architecture include the use of chiaroscuro, domes, colonnades, interplay between volume and void, and bold massing. In Baroque interiors, stucco was widely employed. One of the first examples of the Baroque in Italy was the Santa Susanna Church, which was designed by Carlo Maderno. Like many Baroque structures, the church features a domed roof. Although it still observes the rules of classical design, there is a playfulness in the structure that signifies a definite break with the traditional style of the Renaissance. This can readily be observed in the building’s central massing, as well as its rhythmic application of pilasters and columns.