This was a time of extravagance. The lavish palazzi of the European nobility and middle-classes were brimming with sculptures, frescoes, tapestries and furniture. Powerful Italian clans like Medici, Sforza and Borgia collated awe-inspiring collections which symbolised their power and prestige. RENAISSANCE (ca.1420-ca.1600)
Doge’s palace in Venice.
The Marie Antoinette room at Chateau Versailles in France.
BAROQUE AND ROCCO (ca.1575-1770)
During this period, interiors were flamboyant and richly-decorated, with frescoes and paintings covering walls and ceilings. Sculptures, figurative works and intricate carvings combined to create a unified aesthetic – especially in royal residences. Interestingly, the collections of art and curiosities by German aristocrats were the predecessors of our museums today. In Holland, genre painting was popular and could be found in many middle- class households.
FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN 2018 69
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