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- Hi, I'm Rick Steves,

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back with more of 
the best of Europe.

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This time, rather than 
a particular place,

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we are going thematic

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and traveling anywhere 
that theme takes us.

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This time, it's the 
art of the Baroque age.

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You know, divine kings, 
pudgy-winged babies,

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and fancy fountains.

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Thanks for joining us.

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(light uptempo music)

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There's so much of Baroque 
Europe's art to be dazzled by,

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and understanding 
who paid for it

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and why makes it even splashier.

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While the Renaissance was calm, 
composed, and intellectual,

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in this next stage, artists 
cranked up the drama,

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the emotions, and the 
energy in their art.

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We'll start with the 
religious struggles

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that divided Europe,

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leading to both 
exuberant Catholic art

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designed to attract the faithful

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and dramatic secular art 
that made pulse's race.

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We'll see how Bernini 
brought marble to life

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and how Caravaggio 
amped up the excitement.

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France, with its divine right 
kings, emerged as the center

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of European culture.

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And at the palace of 
palaces, Versailles,

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kings did their best to 
prove they were godlike.

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And as the controlled 
exuberance of Baroque led

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to the uncontrolled 
exuberance of Rococo,

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all the queen could say was, 
"I just love this new dress."

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(light orchestral music)

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From Baroque's 
birthplace in Rome,

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we follow it spread 
far and wide,

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venturing from 
Vienna and Germany

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to Belgium and France

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with Paris, Versailles 
and chateaus on the Loire.

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The roots of Baroque 
go back to the 1500s

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to the turmoil of the 
Protestant Reformation.

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People were questioning Europe's 
most powerful institution,

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the Roman Catholic Church.

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This was big news,

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and art, the media of 
the day, told the story.

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When a German monk named Martin 
Luther hammered 95 points

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for debate on this door,

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he opened a Pandora's 
box of issues

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from church corruption

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to the role of art in religion,

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to the legitimacy of the Pope,

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unleashing long 
pent-up frustrations.

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Soon, the protestors, called 
Protestants, were breaking away

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from the traditional 
Catholic church.

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This religious revolution, 
called the Reformation,

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plunged Europe into a 
century-long series of wars.

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Each side expressed its intense 
passion through its art.

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Here a Catholic nun wails on 
a bunch of sinful Protestants

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while a determined cherub rips 
pages from a Protestant book,

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and an angel wrestles with 
the serpent of heresy.

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Artists captured the 
misery and the epic scale.

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As religious wars spread,

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nearly a third of 
all Germans died.

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War crimes became commonplace 
with each side convinced

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that God was on their side

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and that they were 
fighting the devil himself.

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Paintings show how most 
of Europe was at war,

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swept up by powerful forces

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as if the fighting 
might go on forever.

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After decades of war in 1648,

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an exhausted Europe 
reached an uneasy peace

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that enabled Protestants 
and Catholics to coexist,

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but it left Europe 
split into two camps.

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Protestants, mainly in 
the northern countries,

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Catholics in the south.

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Each with its own 
culture and style of art.

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The art of the day was Baroque

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and it fit Catholic 
lands perfectly.

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(uptempo orchestral music) 
The Baroque style,

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with its bright colors,

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big canvases,

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dramatic statues,

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exuberant architecture,

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and over-the-top ornamentation 
appealed to the emotions.

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Put it all together,

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as Baroque artists love to do,

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and the ensemble packed 
a powerful message.

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After all this turmoil, Catholic 
Europe craved stability,

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and the Baroque message 
was pro status quo.

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Obey the Pope and 
the established order

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and things will be okay.

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It's no wonder Baroque 
was the favorite style

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of Catholic rulers.

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The Baroque style 
flourished in Rome,

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especially at the Vatican,

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the headquarters of 
the Catholic faith.

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Art became a tool of the church.

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To help reinvigorate the faith

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and counter the 
Protestant Reformation.

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churches were made 
more welcoming

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with bright, spacious 
interiors and dazzling art.

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Art that made complicated 
theology easier to understand.

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The Grand Church of St. 
Peter's was decorated

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in the Baroque style 
to make a statement,

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The message?

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To proclaim the legitimacy 
of the Roman Catholic faith

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as the one true faith,

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and the Pope as its leader.

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The altar radiates 
these Catholic ideals,

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with sunlight pouring 
like the Holy Spirit

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through its alabaster window,

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illuminating the symbolic 
throne of the first Pope,

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St. Peter, and all 
the Popes since.

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With its sheer 
size, 600 feet long,

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big enough for 
thousands of worshipers,

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colossal cupids and 
massive Baroque canopy,

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St. Peter's has given 
centuries of pilgrims

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and worshipers a glimpse of 
the heaven that awaited them

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if they stayed 
true to the faith.

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The art and architecture

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of this age was also a 
powerful political tool.

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The kings and queens of the 
day claimed they were ordained

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by God to rule without question.

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These so-called divine 
monarchs used art as propaganda

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to convince their subjects 
that their authority was legit.

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This magnificent German 
palace in Wurzburg was home

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to the so-called Prince Bishop.

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He was a ruler with both 
secular and religious power.

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It was built in 
the Baroque style

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and decorated in the even 
frillier Rococo style

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that followed.

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As VIP guests arrived,

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they'd glide gracefully 
up the stairway,

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inspired by a grand fresco 
as it opened up overhead.

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The Prince Bishop was 
the center of the cosmos,

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honored by the Greek gods

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and ruler of the four 
great continents,

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including a bare-chested figure

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of America seated 
on an alligator

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at a rowdy cannibal barbecue.

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And Lady Europe points her brush

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to the center of all culture,

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the capital of his 
realm, Wurzburg.

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(light orchestral music)

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Palaces of this age feature 
grandiose architecture

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with decoration that 
abhors a straight line

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and is full of motion.

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Artists used mirrors 
and lavish gilding

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to enliven interiors.

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They were masters

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of three-dimensional illusion, 
using all the tricks,

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from painting mathematically 
correct architecture,

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to fake shadows, all to 
give a believable sense

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of 3D reality.

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Again, art of this period 
was pure marketing,

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paid for and serving either 
the church or the state.

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Or in the Prince 
Bishop's case, both.

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Here, the bishop is 
being empowered by 
the imperial scepter,

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reminding all that he was 
part of a divinely ordained

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and secular chain of command.

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Big, colorful and melodramatic,

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Baroque art was also well-suited

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to the luxury-loving 
tastes of aristocrats.

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Though they were 
devoted Christians,

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they also considered 
themselves enlightened

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and celebrated the classical

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or pre-Christian world of 
ancient Greece and Rome.

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So besides religious themes,

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they enjoyed secular scenes,

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like epic tales of 
classical mythology.

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Baroque art could be 
surprisingly risque.

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There's lots of flesh,

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violence and rippling motion,

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intense passion, lots of trauma,

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and a sure sign of Baroque, 
pudgy-winged babies.

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A great pioneer of Baroque 
was the dynamic Italian

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named Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

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Known as the 
Michelangelo of Baroque,

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Bernini could do it all.

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He was a great 
sculptor, a painter,

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and a groundbreaking architect.

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He designed St. Peter's Square.

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Using all his artistic tools.

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Bernini turns this 
chapel into a theater

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and invigorates 
reality with emotion.

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Center stage, an angel 
pierces St. Theresa's heart

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with a heavenly arrow.

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As the saint 
described her ecstasy,

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"The pain was so sharp, 
that I cried aloud,

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yet so delightful

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that I wished it 
would last forever."

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At this elegant Roman mansion,

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Bernini sculpted several 
masterpieces for his patron,

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a wealthy cardinal who 
invested in great art

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meant to decorate 
these very rooms.

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Bernini, employing 
both genius and chisel,

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masterfully brought 
marble to life.

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His Rape of Persephone 
packs a dramatic punch.

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Persephone's entire body 
seems to scream for help

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as evil Pluto drags his 
catch into the underworld.

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(light orchestral music)

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His three-headed dog 
howls triumphantly,

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Bernini's Apollo and Daphne 
is quintessential Baroque

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in how it captures 
a dramatic moment.

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Apollo, happily wounded by 
Cupid's arrow, chases Daphne,

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who's saved by 
turning into a tree.

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Bernini captures the instant

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when just as Apollo's 
about to catch Daphne,

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her fingers turn to leaves,

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her toes sprout roots,

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and Apollo is in for 
one rude surprise.

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The statue, as 
much air as stone,

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makes a supernatural 
event seem real.

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This pre-Christian scene, 
while plenty fleshy,

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comes with a 
church-pleasing moral.

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Chasing earthly 
pleasures leads only

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to pain and frustration.

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By the way, to 
appreciate the boldness

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of Bernini's Baroque style,

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compare his version of David

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with Michelangelo's 
Renaissance David

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from a century earlier.

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Michelangelo's is poised, 
balanced and thoughtful,

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perfect for the cerebral 
Renaissance era.

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Bernini's, on the other hand, 
is a Baroque action figure.

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His whole body 
wound like a spring

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as he prepares to 
slay the giant,

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showing the energy of the age.

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Bernini was a brash young man 
of 25 when he sculpted this,

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and the determined face 
of David is his own.

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Bernini inspired a 
generation of artists

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whose work is found 
throughout Rome.

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In fact,

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the city of Rome itself is 
like a Baroque work of art.

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Its great churches sport facades

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with trendsetting 
Baroque elements.

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Classical columns on 
a gargantuan scale,

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showy pediments and arches

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and straight lines 
broken by dips, curls

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and decorative medallions.

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Interiors, of course, are 
also decorated to the hilt

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in the Baroque style.

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You hardly know where to look.

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Every inch is slathered 
with ornamentation.

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Oh, wow, spiral 
columns framing scenes

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that almost jump to life.

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Cupids doing flip flops.

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Explosive, gilded starbursts

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and ceilings opening 
up into the heavens.

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It's all glorious Baroque.

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(orchestral music)

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(light orchestral music)

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The exuberance of the Barque age

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even spills out 
into the streets.

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Piazza Navona, a festival 
of Roman life, is dominated

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by this curvaceous facade.

254
00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,766
Its playful oval domes 
overlook a fountain

255
00:12:55,766 --> 00:12:58,733
by, you guessed it, Bernini.

256
00:12:58,733 --> 00:13:00,666
Fountains, so full of energy

257
00:13:00,666 --> 00:13:03,833
and effectively harnessing 
nature, were a favorite

258
00:13:03,833 --> 00:13:05,400
with Baroque artists.

259
00:13:06,566 --> 00:13:08,066
Nearby,

260
00:13:08,066 --> 00:13:10,466
the famed Trevi Fountain is 
a bubbly Baroque avalanche

261
00:13:10,466 --> 00:13:14,733
that seems purpose built for 
today's Roman embrace of life.

262
00:13:15,633 --> 00:13:17,200
Immersed in history, art,

263
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,300
and partying under the stars,

264
00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:21,500
people toss a coin 
over their shoulder

265
00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:24,866
to assure their return 
to this eternal city.

266
00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:27,833
That may sound silly.

267
00:13:27,833 --> 00:13:29,166
But with every visit,

268
00:13:29,166 --> 00:13:30,533
I go through the ritual,

269
00:13:30,533 --> 00:13:33,300
and it works.

270
00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:42,200
Also in Rome, around 
the year 1600,

271
00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:45,866
a rebellious young artist 
named Caravaggio was inspiring

272
00:13:45,866 --> 00:13:49,233
a new generation of artists 
with his stark realism.

273
00:13:49,233 --> 00:13:50,933
He lived hard and spent much

274
00:13:50,933 --> 00:13:53,500
of his life running 
from the law.

275
00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:57,666
While he died young, Caravaggio 
was hugely influential.

276
00:13:57,666 --> 00:14:01,100
With stark lighting, Caravaggio 
created a film noir world

277
00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:03,533
of harsh glare and deep shadows,

278
00:14:03,533 --> 00:14:06,966
throwing an unflattering 
light on his subjects.

279
00:14:06,966 --> 00:14:09,333
(light orchestral music)

280
00:14:09,333 --> 00:14:13,400
Even his sacred scenes look 
like rugged Roman street life

281
00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,200
with a gritty realism.

282
00:14:17,366 --> 00:14:20,000
Saints with bald, 
wrinkled foreheads,

283
00:14:21,733 --> 00:14:23,000
tattered coats,

284
00:14:24,533 --> 00:14:25,500
dirty feet,

285
00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,866
ordinary plain Jane Madonnas,

286
00:14:33,766 --> 00:14:36,600
and a restless energy.

287
00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,933
(light orchestral 
music continues)

288
00:14:45,133 --> 00:14:46,333
(light piano music)

289
00:14:46,333 --> 00:14:48,500
Caravaggio's David 
Slaying the Giant

290
00:14:48,500 --> 00:14:50,833
is no noble Renaissance hero,

291
00:14:50,833 --> 00:14:52,433
but a sassy teenager.

292
00:14:53,433 --> 00:14:56,066
The lighting is 
stark and dramatic,

293
00:14:56,066 --> 00:14:58,366
and the details are gruesome.

294
00:14:59,933 --> 00:15:03,633
David literally shoves the 
harsh reality in our face.

295
00:15:03,633 --> 00:15:08,533
And Goliath's head, it's none 
other than Caravaggio himself.

296
00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:14,033
In the same generation farther 
north, here in Belgium,

297
00:15:14,033 --> 00:15:15,466
the most prolific

298
00:15:15,466 --> 00:15:18,566
and influential Baroque 
painter was Peter Paul Rubens.

299
00:15:18,566 --> 00:15:20,133
A favorite of Europe's wealthy,

300
00:15:20,133 --> 00:15:22,233
Rubens painted 
extravagant scenes

301
00:15:22,233 --> 00:15:26,633
with a dynamism that has come 
to define the Baroque style.

302
00:15:26,633 --> 00:15:29,066
Well-traveled, 
cultured, and confident,

303
00:15:29,066 --> 00:15:32,800
Rubens exemplified the 
exuberance of the age.

304
00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,833
Running his studio 
like a factory,

305
00:15:34,833 --> 00:15:38,733
he cranked out a steady stream 
of high-energy canvases.

306
00:15:39,900 --> 00:15:41,866
He'd start with a rough sketch

307
00:15:41,866 --> 00:15:44,133
and he'd give that to his 
assistants in the studio

308
00:15:44,133 --> 00:15:46,900
and they would paint 
the massive canvas.

309
00:15:46,900 --> 00:15:49,900
When it was just about done, 
Rubens would come back in

310
00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:52,600
and give it what they called 
the fury of the brush.

311
00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,033
A little twinkle in the eye,

312
00:15:54,033 --> 00:15:56,200
a little glimmer there, 
a little light there.

313
00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:57,433
When he was satisfied,

314
00:15:57,433 --> 00:16:00,100
another Rubens masterpiece 
was shipped off

315
00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:02,300
to his wealthy patrons.

316
00:16:02,300 --> 00:16:05,033
(uptempo piano music)

317
00:16:05,033 --> 00:16:08,433
Rubens painted anything 
that would raise your pulse,

318
00:16:09,533 --> 00:16:10,500
battles,

319
00:16:11,466 --> 00:16:12,566
miracles,

320
00:16:15,066 --> 00:16:15,966
hunts,

321
00:16:17,033 --> 00:16:20,533
and especially fleshy 
Rubenesque women

322
00:16:20,533 --> 00:16:23,266
with rosy cheeks and dimples.

323
00:16:25,433 --> 00:16:27,166
Expert at composition,

324
00:16:27,166 --> 00:16:30,500
Rubens could arrange a 
teaming tangle of many figures

325
00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:32,733
into a harmonious ensemble.

326
00:16:34,333 --> 00:16:35,833
In this Greek myth,

327
00:16:35,833 --> 00:16:39,533
when lecherous half-human 
satyrs crash a party of nymphs,

328
00:16:39,533 --> 00:16:44,233
the action unfolds as 
satyrs chase and women flee.

329
00:16:44,233 --> 00:16:47,000
It's a horrible 
crescendo of violence,

330
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,400
a cresting wave of flailing 
limbs and chaotic figures

331
00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,366
that threatens to crash 
over the poor nymphs.

332
00:16:53,366 --> 00:16:56,533
Until the fierce goddess, 
Diana, the huntress,

333
00:16:56,533 --> 00:17:00,633
plants her feet and makes a 
brave stand to save the day.

334
00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:06,000
Baroque artists certainly knew 
how to satisfy their patrons,

335
00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,000
whether powering the church's 
message both in grand ways

336
00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,766
or intimate ways,

337
00:17:10,766 --> 00:17:13,900
making ancient myths and 
legends come to life,

338
00:17:15,266 --> 00:17:17,500
inflating the egos 
of the powerful

339
00:17:18,666 --> 00:17:21,700
or just capturing a 
wild and crazy party.

340
00:17:21,700 --> 00:17:26,100
For Baroque artists, life 
was always filled with drama.

341
00:17:26,866 --> 00:17:28,100
(light orchestral music)

342
00:17:28,100 --> 00:17:30,433
The Baroque style 
dominated much of Europe

343
00:17:30,433 --> 00:17:32,400
throughout this age.

344
00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:33,633
Whether it was found

345
00:17:33,633 --> 00:17:35,566
in the highly ornamented 
music of the day,

346
00:17:35,566 --> 00:17:39,200
(baroque orchestral music)

347
00:17:41,966 --> 00:17:43,800
its grandiose churches,

348
00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:48,400
over-the-top palaces,

349
00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:51,966
dramatic statues

350
00:17:53,466 --> 00:17:55,300
or bubbling fountains,

351
00:17:56,666 --> 00:18:00,533
Baroque art was designed to 
have an emotional impact.

352
00:18:00,533 --> 00:18:01,933
And it still does.

353
00:18:01,933 --> 00:18:05,600
(baroque orchestral music)

354
00:18:11,700 --> 00:18:13,333
As Europe's nations grew bigger,

355
00:18:13,333 --> 00:18:16,266
many centralized around an 
old, reliable institution,

356
00:18:16,266 --> 00:18:17,666
the monarchy.

357
00:18:17,666 --> 00:18:20,366
This was the era of Europe's 
great kings and queens.

358
00:18:20,366 --> 00:18:23,233
They claimed their authority 
came directly from God

359
00:18:23,233 --> 00:18:24,433
by divine right,

360
00:18:24,433 --> 00:18:27,633
and that their 
power was absolute.

361
00:18:27,633 --> 00:18:29,766
Through the ages, 
portraits had been one

362
00:18:29,766 --> 00:18:32,233
of the ways Royals 
showed off their power

363
00:18:32,233 --> 00:18:34,666
and their divine right to rule.

364
00:18:34,666 --> 00:18:36,533
They hired Europe's best artists

365
00:18:36,533 --> 00:18:38,700
to paint them in 
all their glory.

366
00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:40,866
From the powerful 
Renaissance royals

367
00:18:40,866 --> 00:18:45,933
and rulers of France, Spain, 
(light orchestral music)

368
00:18:47,033 --> 00:18:51,166
Venice to England, 
(light orchestral music)

369
00:18:51,166 --> 00:18:54,966
Baroque artists captured the 
over-the-top style of the age.

370
00:18:56,433 --> 00:19:00,133
By then, Europe was ruled by 
a handful of powerful families

371
00:19:00,133 --> 00:19:02,800
who used such portraits 
to stay in touch

372
00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,833
and like Baroque dating 
apps, to arrange marriages.

373
00:19:06,833 --> 00:19:09,400
And court painters 
pulled out all the stops,

374
00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:13,200
from making young princes look 
impossibly good on a horse

375
00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:17,166
to making a mere mortal 
look as divine as can be.

376
00:19:21,033 --> 00:19:22,700
(light orchestral music) 
In the Baroque era,

377
00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:25,600
Europe's royals 
ruled in splendor.

378
00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,733
Across the continent, they 
built sprawling palaces

379
00:19:28,733 --> 00:19:32,100
from Austria and Spain

380
00:19:33,166 --> 00:19:37,333
to Sweden and France.

381
00:19:41,166 --> 00:19:43,633
France, for centuries, the 
richest country in Europe, is

382
00:19:43,633 --> 00:19:47,133
strewn with lavish palaces, 
chateaus and mansions.

383
00:19:47,133 --> 00:19:50,700
After all, until its revolution, 
its society was the epitome

384
00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:54,233
of that old regime notion 
that some are born to rule

385
00:19:54,233 --> 00:19:57,133
and the rest of us, 
well, just deal with it.

386
00:19:58,366 --> 00:20:02,500
France's capital, Paris, 
glitters with royal parks,

387
00:20:02,500 --> 00:20:04,433
gilded bridges,

388
00:20:04,433 --> 00:20:08,700
and of course, once the biggest 
palace of all, the Louvre.

389
00:20:10,133 --> 00:20:13,433
And when those kings and nobles 
wanted to get out of Paris

390
00:20:13,433 --> 00:20:16,433
for some hunting or perhaps 
an intimate rendezvous,

391
00:20:16,433 --> 00:20:20,800
they escaped to their favorite 
playground, the Loire Valley.

392
00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:25,533
Here, they built their getaways 
with ever greater opulence,

393
00:20:25,533 --> 00:20:27,533
pleasure palaces and playgrounds

394
00:20:27,533 --> 00:20:29,766
where the extravagance 
of the architecture

395
00:20:29,766 --> 00:20:33,600
and the beauty of the settings 
seemingly knew no bounds.

396
00:20:35,566 --> 00:20:37,700
(light orchestral music) 
But the palace of palaces,

397
00:20:37,700 --> 00:20:41,766
the palace other palaces were 
modeled after, was Versailles.

398
00:20:41,766 --> 00:20:43,533
And Versailles,

399
00:20:43,533 --> 00:20:47,033
a potent mix of art 
and architecture, is 
all about this man,

400
00:20:47,033 --> 00:20:50,366
the ultimate divine 
monarch, Louis XIV.

401
00:20:50,366 --> 00:20:51,933
The art and architecture

402
00:20:51,933 --> 00:20:55,300
of the palace celebrates Louis's 
reign as the king of kings.

403
00:20:56,533 --> 00:20:59,466
It's essentially a long 
series of lavish rooms,

404
00:20:59,466 --> 00:21:01,400
each with its own theme.

405
00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,466
The style is 
delightfully Baroque,

406
00:21:04,466 --> 00:21:07,766
a riot of exuberant figures.

407
00:21:07,766 --> 00:21:09,900
The Venus Room reminded everyone

408
00:21:09,900 --> 00:21:12,100
that love ruled at Versailles.

409
00:21:12,100 --> 00:21:15,033
Here, couples would 
cavort, blessed from above

410
00:21:15,033 --> 00:21:16,933
by the goddess of love.

411
00:21:16,933 --> 00:21:19,133
And as if to encourage the fun,

412
00:21:19,133 --> 00:21:21,933
Venus sends down 
a flowery garland

413
00:21:21,933 --> 00:21:25,733
to ensnare others 
in delicious amour.

414
00:21:27,900 --> 00:21:29,300
(light orchestral music)

415
00:21:29,300 --> 00:21:32,633
The hall of mirrors was the 
highlight of the palace.

416
00:21:32,633 --> 00:21:35,866
No one had ever seen 
anything like it.

417
00:21:35,866 --> 00:21:38,466
Mirrors were a great 
luxury at the time,

418
00:21:38,466 --> 00:21:42,866
and this exquisite 
ballroom was astounding.

419
00:21:42,866 --> 00:21:44,900
And whenever you'd look up,

420
00:21:44,900 --> 00:21:49,300
you'd see your king doing 
what he did best, triumphing.

421
00:21:51,133 --> 00:21:53,133
One more way that Louis proved

422
00:21:53,133 --> 00:21:56,933
that he could rule like a God 
was by controlling nature.

423
00:21:56,933 --> 00:22:00,633
These lavish grounds, 
elaborately planned, ornamented

424
00:22:00,633 --> 00:22:03,800
and baroque as can 
be, reminded everyone

425
00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,200
that their king was 
in total command

426
00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,600
and that the kingdom of 
France was in capable hands.

427
00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:12,800
By the mid 1700s,

428
00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,233
Baroque had morphed into 
a style called Rococo.

429
00:22:16,233 --> 00:22:19,066
If Baroque was 
controlled exuberance,

430
00:22:19,066 --> 00:22:22,333
Rococo was uncontrolled 
exuberance.

431
00:22:22,333 --> 00:22:23,733
As if the divine monarchs

432
00:22:23,733 --> 00:22:26,533
and aristocrats needed 
ever more over-the-top art

433
00:22:26,533 --> 00:22:28,733
to flaunt their 
privileged status,

434
00:22:28,733 --> 00:22:31,400
their art became even fancier.

435
00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,666
Ultimately, with the focus 
more on the decoration

436
00:22:34,666 --> 00:22:36,733
than on the subject itself.

437
00:22:36,733 --> 00:22:39,033
(light orchestral music) 
Baroque's curved lines

438
00:22:39,033 --> 00:22:42,433
became Rococo's 
even curvier lines.

439
00:22:43,966 --> 00:22:46,000
Circles became ovals.

440
00:22:47,966 --> 00:22:51,300
Everything glowed with 
gilding and plenty of mirrors.

441
00:22:52,666 --> 00:22:56,133
Rococo was like Baroque 
that got shrunk in the wash,

442
00:22:56,133 --> 00:22:58,800
lighter, frillier 
and more delicate.

443
00:22:59,866 --> 00:23:01,433
(light orchestral 
music continues)

444
00:23:01,433 --> 00:23:04,000
In the decor of this 
royal palace, you can see

445
00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:08,100
how Rococo is even fancier 
than fancy Baroque.

446
00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:10,566
Rooms slathered with 
enormous wealth,

447
00:23:12,033 --> 00:23:13,900
kilos of gold leaf,

448
00:23:15,766 --> 00:23:20,833
lots of exotic Asian influence 
and eye-popping extravagance.

449
00:23:22,133 --> 00:23:25,133
The Rococo style was perfect 
for the new generation

450
00:23:25,133 --> 00:23:28,900
of rosy-cheeked aristocrats, 
embracing their carefree lives

451
00:23:28,900 --> 00:23:33,100
of leisure as never before, 
frolicking amid nature

452
00:23:33,100 --> 00:23:35,900
and indulging in every 
sensual pleasure.

453
00:23:37,233 --> 00:23:40,066
The lives of these elites 
were much like their art,

454
00:23:40,066 --> 00:23:42,533
decoration over substance.

455
00:23:42,533 --> 00:23:45,533
Across Europe, aristocrats 
played in their palaces

456
00:23:45,533 --> 00:23:48,300
and picnicked in their 
bucolic backyards.

457
00:23:48,300 --> 00:23:51,233
Pleasure gardens that 
stretched to the horizon

458
00:23:51,233 --> 00:23:54,133
as if their divine right 
world would go on forever.

459
00:23:54,133 --> 00:23:55,666
But it didn't.

460
00:23:55,666 --> 00:23:58,966
Rococo art was a symptom 
of an excessive decadence

461
00:23:58,966 --> 00:24:02,033
among Europe's increasingly 
out-of-touch elites,

462
00:24:02,033 --> 00:24:05,333
a decadence that would 
lead to their demise.

463
00:24:06,766 --> 00:24:09,900
It's an exciting story from 
the age of divine right kings,

464
00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:12,066
with their palaces 
and propaganda,

465
00:24:12,066 --> 00:24:14,966
to the Enlightenment and 
the age of revolution,

466
00:24:14,966 --> 00:24:19,166
with the sleek simplicity 
of its neoclassical style.

467
00:24:19,166 --> 00:24:21,300
And through great 
art and architecture,

468
00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:24,933
we can track the joys, struggles

469
00:24:26,366 --> 00:24:30,566
and growing pains of Europe's 
long march toward progress.

470
00:24:33,666 --> 00:24:36,533
Europe offers a lifetime 
of artistic treasures,

471
00:24:36,533 --> 00:24:38,166
and the more you 
understand its art,

472
00:24:38,166 --> 00:24:41,266
the more you'll appreciate 
the society that created it.

473
00:24:41,266 --> 00:24:42,666
I hope you've enjoyed our sweep

474
00:24:42,666 --> 00:24:44,933
through the highlights 
of the Baroque age.

475
00:24:44,933 --> 00:24:47,566
While those kings and queens 
were whining and dining,

476
00:24:47,566 --> 00:24:48,966
there was rumbling 
in the streets,

477
00:24:48,966 --> 00:24:50,700
and that would lead 
to a bloody revolution

478
00:24:50,700 --> 00:24:53,033
and even more dynamic art.

479
00:24:53,033 --> 00:24:54,133
I'm Rick Steves.

480
00:24:54,133 --> 00:24:56,433
Until next time, 
keep on traveling.

481
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:00,566
Hey, I'm Rick Steves.

482
00:25:00,566 --> 00:25:03,066
I'm so thankful to be 
able to share my passion

483
00:25:03,066 --> 00:25:05,933
for travel right here 
on public television.

484
00:25:05,933 --> 00:25:08,100
There's only one place 
anywhere in the dial

485
00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:09,766
where I can imagine 
my show's airing,

486
00:25:09,766 --> 00:25:11,400
and that's right here.

487
00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,566
Public television is 
where we find programs

488
00:25:13,566 --> 00:25:17,200
that respect our intelligence, 
assume an attention span,

489
00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,766
and our driven not by profits 
or the needs of advertisers,

490
00:25:20,766 --> 00:25:24,566
but by a passion for better 
understanding our world.

491
00:25:24,566 --> 00:25:26,400
If you appreciate the thoughtful

492
00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,766
and positive oasis this station 
provides you, your family,

493
00:25:29,766 --> 00:25:31,200
and our community,

494
00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:32,966
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495
00:25:32,966 --> 00:25:34,800
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496
00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:36,900
with a generous financial gift.

497
00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:40,566
And not only does your support 
make these programs possible,

498
00:25:40,566 --> 00:25:42,633
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499
00:25:42,633 --> 00:25:45,433
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500
00:25:45,433 --> 00:25:47,000
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501
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,266
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502
00:25:51,266 --> 00:25:52,866
Consider the value

503
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that the programming you enjoy 
right here adds to your life,

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00:25:55,633 --> 00:26:00,566
and then scan or go online 
to make your donation now.

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00:26:00,566 --> 00:26:01,866
(light music)

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- [Announcer] Invest in 
your local PBS station

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00:26:03,433 --> 00:26:05,900
by becoming an $8 
monthly sustainer,

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00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:09,200
or make a $96 annual 
contribution right now

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00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,366
and we'll say thanks with a 
wonderful collection of gifts.

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00:26:12,366 --> 00:26:15,333
You'll receive Rick Steve's 
book, "For the Love of Europe,"

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which shares his favorite 
memories from decades

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of travel in 100 essays.

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00:26:20,066 --> 00:26:24,000
It's 400 pages of fun and 
inspirational travel stories.

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00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,000
On top of that, 
you'll receive a copy

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00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:27,800
of "Europe through 
the Back Door."

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00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,300
This book is packed 
with practical tips,

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from chapters on packing light

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and planning a smart itinerary,

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00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:37,266
to eating your way through 
Europe and finding great hotels.

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00:26:37,266 --> 00:26:39,366
We'll also send you 
this map of Europe,

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00:26:39,366 --> 00:26:41,266
which is perfect for 
pre-trip planning

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00:26:41,266 --> 00:26:44,166
and using while you're on 
the vacation of your dreams.

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00:26:44,166 --> 00:26:46,533
Plus, you'll receive 
Rick Steve's newsletter,

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00:26:46,533 --> 00:26:48,266
which is packed 
full of travel tips

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00:26:48,266 --> 00:26:50,333
about European destinations.

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00:26:50,333 --> 00:26:53,166
And don't forget, with your 
qualifying contribution,

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00:26:53,166 --> 00:26:56,200
you'll be able to enjoy a 
terrific member benefit,

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00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,633
PBS Passport, which lets you 
watch every one of Rick's shows

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00:26:59,633 --> 00:27:01,766
that's available on the PBS app.

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00:27:01,766 --> 00:27:04,100
With PBS Passport, 
you'll also be able

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to stream a treasure trove of 
your favorite dramas, history,

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00:27:07,666 --> 00:27:09,500
arts, music, and more.

533
00:27:09,500 --> 00:27:10,666
So don't wait.

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00:27:10,666 --> 00:27:14,800
Go to pbs.org/rick to give now.

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00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,133
Thank you.

536
00:27:16,133 --> 00:27:19,733
(light music continues)

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00:27:19,733 --> 00:27:22,200
- As you can see, 
it's easy to donate

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00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:23,900
to support public television,

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00:27:23,900 --> 00:27:25,866
whether you're watching 
the station on the air

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00:27:25,866 --> 00:27:28,733
or streaming shows 
like this right here.

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00:27:28,733 --> 00:27:31,666
Please take a moment 
to make your donation.

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00:27:31,666 --> 00:27:34,233
Doing so, you'll support 
your local station

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00:27:34,233 --> 00:27:36,966
and the great programming 
it brings your way.

544
00:27:36,966 --> 00:27:38,733
And again, as a bonus,

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00:27:38,733 --> 00:27:42,533
you'll enjoy great benefits, 
including Passport.

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00:27:42,533 --> 00:27:43,900
Thanks a lot.

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00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:47,133
(light uptempo music)