Baroque was born and developed in a historical period worn out by the conflicts between the Catholic Counter-Reformation and Protestantism that led to the Thirty Years’ War, a scene of blood and death in Europe.
With the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, freedom of worship was approved for the three main faiths (Protestant, Calvinist and Catholic), despite the fact that the major European powers involved in the conflict sought the undisputed dominance of one religion.
The Catholic Church had a decisive role in spreading Baroque, which was used as a propaganda tool against the rampant forms of Protestantism and heresy.
The strong scenographic impact and monumental dimension involved in all art forms from this period, interpreted the idea of centrality and greatness of spiritual power used to convince worshippers.
