The Baroque art movement in Italy and Spain had its roots in the Catholic counter-reformation. The Church patronized prominent artists and used their work in cathedrals and churches to inspire religious faith.
Origins
During the 1600s, Protestantism was sweeping across Northern Europe. Although Southern Europe remained largely Catholic, Church officials felt the need to remind their followers that the Church held their ticket to the afterlife. According to Sweet Briar College, the Church used ceilings to show scenes of heaven that were meant to both awe and humble the viewer.
Techniques
The Collective Artisan website explains that the artists used chiaroscuro--bold contrasts between light and dark areas--to add depth to their paintings. They also used linear perspective, as well as a technique called trompe l'oeil, or 'trick of the eye,' that created the illusion of vast amounts of space.
Artists
The masters of illusionistic ceiling painting in Italy included Pietro da Corona, who created "The Triumph of Divine Providence" from 1633 to 1639 in the Palazzo Barberini in Rome, and Andrea Pozzo, who created the ceiling fresco at the church of San Ignazio in Rome from 1684 to 1690.
