My perspective on baroque art has broadened tremendously over the past 4 weeks. I considered most art from baroque Italy to be very similar and characterized by biblical scenes with dark shadows and extreme expression. However, as I have learned about the global impact and renditions of baroque art, the paper museum, and French baroque art, it has become evident that there is scope for me to expand on various topics for my final project.
I considered all the digital resources we discussed in class and narrowed it down to a list of 3 projects that resonated with me and one that stood out as the principal one I could use. First, Dr. McPhee’s Envisioning Baroque Rome impressed me with its details and potential scale. The project has tremendous use cases, including art historical research, tourist education, and for-profit publication. However, the project’s scope is too great for a final project. Second, Mapping the Republic of Letters by a cohort of researchers from Stanford University excited me because of its use of data visualization software to map correspondences in the Republic of Letters group. I am a data science major, and for me, data visualization is the most engaging way to present data. So I love seeing researchers use tools like Palladio to create links between geographically distanced correspondences. Third, ECDS’s OpenTour Builder tool is my current software of choice for my final project. I was intrigued by baroque art in Goa in the second lecture of class since the place is so close to home for me. I set my mind on researching the baroque churches in Goa, looking at their Portuguese influences and how the beautifying buildings were pivotal in voluntary and forced religious conversions of people in the state.