Stirling Newberry [log in to unmask] wrote:

>As noted before the term was in common use by the turn of the 18th century
>in France as a overly ornate art work.  I would still be interested in
>French citations that predate the late 1690's.

It was already mentioned that the word "Baroque" came from "barocco", the
portugese word for assymetrical pearls.  There might be a few possibilities
here that I think (I haven't read every post in this thread) noone
mentioned.

1) The term "Baroque" is derivated from the Italian painter Federico
Barocci (Baroccio), b. ca 1535, d. 1612, from Urbino. He was inspired by
Rafaels and Correggios soft and colorful style.  In his sacral paintings
he inserted the profane.  Through the tendency of collect the images parts
to large overtaking movements (i.e.  in Madonna del Popolo), he was a
forerunner of the Baroquestyle.

2) During the medieval ages "baroco" (it.) was in philosophy and logics a
screwed up, complicated thinking process which broke with the tradition.

These are, especially nr.2 very early usages of the word.  When they
appeared in the French language I cannot say though.

Mats Norrman
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