Relating to a European style of art, music, and architecture from the 1600s and early 1700s, known for being very detailed, dramatic, and decorative. It can also describe anything that is overly fancy or complicated.
It likely comes from Portuguese “barroco,” meaning an irregular pearl. The idea of something oddly shaped or extravagant was extended to this artistic style.
Baroque art was named after “irregular pearls,” as if critics were saying, “This is beautiful, but in a wild, over-the-top way.” Today we still use “baroque” to poke fun at designs or sentences that seem dripping with extra decoration.
'Baroque' refers to an artistic period in which women composers, patrons, and performers were active but often excluded from canons and histories. Descriptions of baroque art and music have frequently centered male figures, minimizing women's creative and institutional roles.
When discussing baroque art or music, include women and marginalized creators in examples and avoid implying that significant contributors were all male. Be specific about whose work is being highlighted.
["17th‑century style","ornate style"]
Women in the baroque era composed, performed, commissioned, and curated works, shaping the period's aesthetics despite limited formal recognition and archival preservation.
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