How did the Counter-Reformation influence Baroque art and architecture?

The Counter-Reformation was a primary catalyst for the development of Baroque art and architecture. Following the Council of Trent (1545–63), the Roman Catholic Church sought to counter the Protestant Reformation by adopting a deliberate, propagandistic program that utilized art to stimulate public faith and devotion.123

To achieve this, the Church moved away from the refined, courtly style of Mannerism, which was increasingly viewed as inadequate for religious expression. Instead, it promoted a style characterized by:23

• Emotional and Sensory Appeal: Art and architecture were designed to be overtly emotional and sensory to engage the faithful directly.423
• Naturalism and Illusion: While naturalistic details made religious images more accessible to the average churchgoer, dramatic lighting, complex compositions, and illusory effects—such as painted ceilings that seemed to open into the heavens—were used to convey the splendour of the divine and inspire piety.123
• Dynamic Form: Baroque architecture favored grand, curvaceous shapes, often based on the oval, to create a sense of motion, drama, and spiritual intensity.43