Week 10- French Renaissance and Baroque periods

 

What I Learned

This week we talked about the French Renaissance and Baroque periods. France merged its medieval traditions with the Italian Renaissance! King Francois I was the one who started this period and helped bring artists like Leonardo da Vinci and inspired the creation of lavish chateaux across France.

Religion dominated design in italy, while the french renaissance focused on royalty and refinement. Architecture became much more horizontal and elegant during this period. Symmetrical facades with steep roofs. Interiors shifted from more like fortress spaces to light-filled rooms with pretty furniture, carved paneling, and painted ceilings. Furniture used a lot of walnut wood, elaborate carvings, and architectural detailing. One of the most important pieces is the caquetoire and the dressoir. 

As time went on, france oved into the baroque period led by Louis XIV the Sun King. This era celebrated light and drama, with symmetry and power through monumental architecture. 



Favorite Examples


Chateau de Chambord, double spiral staircase



Chateau de Fontainebleau, carved wall paneling, frescoes, and coffered ceilings


Chateau de Blois combines gothic and italian renaissance styles with classical pilasters and sculptured facades


Francois I Bed, french craft, royal luxury, and carved in walnut

Armoire à deux corps, french refinement and the transition to functional elegance



Current Applications




French Interiors today use paneled walls and exposed beams




Chateau Inspired Architecture uses steep roofs, dormer windows, and stone facades



Carved wood furniture today echoes renaissance pieces with detail




Wrought Iron accents used in stair rails and furniture that was used in 16th-century France 




French Baroque Revival mirrored in luxury hotels and formal dining rooms today


One Step Further: Lavinia Fontana


Lavina Fontina was one of the first professional female painters of the Renaissance. She worked in the mannerist style and became famous for her portraits of noblewomen and religious scenes. Her success was a huge breakthrough for women in art.



Self portrait



Consecration to the virgin



Portrait of the noblewoman



Minerva dressing




Portrait of a gentleman holding a letter



Reflection


The french and baroque periods taught me how design can balance strength and sophistication. I enjoyed seeing how Francois I's chateaux combined architectural order and decorative freedom. The later era of baroque turned into the art of storytelling and emotion. The mix of italian creativity and french elegance was interesting as well. The french design reminds us that there is beauty in harmony.

Comments

  1. Abigail FosterNovember 1, 2025 at 9:19 AM

    The French Revival room that you showed is interesting, especially with the tiled floor. I also like the wrought iron accents on the spiral staircase!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Professor VanderNoordaaNovember 1, 2025 at 11:44 AM

    Allyssa,
    This was a comprehensive and interesting Blog entry. I loved your summary and favorite examples. I thought the image of the paneled ceiling with the wood beams was so beautiful. This is popular today and gives such a cozy and grand impression. Your focus on Lavina Fontina was an excellent choice. 50/50 points

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ruth HernandezNovember 1, 2025 at 8:14 PM

    I enjoy reading about Lavina in your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nicol TorresNovember 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM

    I liked how you compared the French Renaissance and Baroque styles. Your examples showed the mix of elegance and power really well

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog #1- Prehistoric Architetcure and Interiors

Image
This week we learned about architecture and interior design in the prehistoric era. Architecture and interior design in the prehistoric era were designed more for survival versus beauty. The Paleolithic period is known for providing some of the earliest caves in France known for having animals and symbols on them. These were typically painted with thousands of images of animals and symbols. During the Neolithic period, people started building more permanent residences. Dolmens and menhirs were very popular in Europe. Dolmens are a type of stone tomb, and menhirs are upright stone markers. The post-and-lintel construction type was popular during this time period. We also discussed Skara Brae, which is in Scotland. It was a curvilinear home built out of stone and mortar! These houses also have hearths and beds and cupboards. There is even a primitive sewer system. In addition, Catal Huyuk is a massive Neolithic group in Turkey that has solid examples of comfort and design in their livin...
Read more

Blog #2 - Ancient Egypt

Image
  This week we talked about the ancient civilization of ancient Egypt. This is super important because it is one of the most influential design periods in history. In Egyptian culture, they placed a high emphasis on religion and eternity. This was demonstrated throughout their designs, from pyramids to household items. I think it's really interesting how the Egyptians' beliefs and practices of honoring and entombing the dead have given us some unique decorations and old surviving furniture. Weekly Learning Summary During the Old Kingdom, Egyptians developed monumental architecture that demonstrated divine power. Mastabas (also known as tombs) and pyramids were used to preserve not only the body of ancient rulers but also to surround them with objects for the afterlife. Because of this, we are now able to see ancient wooden furniture, which wouldn't be possible without the architecture. The Great Hypostyle Hall at the temple of Karnak is a very cool achievement of this time....
Read more

Week 5- Islamic and Romanesque Design

Image
  Weekly Summary This week we read about Islamic and Romanesque Design. Both of these styles were expressed through strong religious movements, yet in very different ways. Islamic design was developed throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. Mosques served as a very central space for worship in these countries. Common features of the mosques included courtyards and covered halls of columns. They also used decorative elements like horseshoe arches, muqarnas-filled domes, and geometric tilework. Some of the most popular sites are the great mosque of kairouan, the blue mosque in istanbul, and the taj mahal display the islamic architecture designs of both structural innovation and decorative detailing. The Alhambra in Spain uses beautiful garden details and highlights the islamic and european influence. On the romanesque side of design, you can really see the growth of christianity and the rise of feudalism. This era began around 800 AD under charlemagne. Romanesque churches were huge with...
Read more