Academic Decathlon Art Practice Test

In seventeenth-century Europe, Baroque is the movement known for exuberant drama and lavish decoration. Baroque art and architecture aim to overwhelm the viewer with energy, emotion, and grandeur. You see dynamic compositions that seem to move, dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, and ornate details that fill space with richness. This style often serves religious or political power, using splendor to inspire awe and emotion.

Renaissance, by contrast, emphasizes balance, harmony, and restraint; Rococo is lighter, more playful and ornate but mostly an 18th‑century development; Impressionism comes much later and focuses on modern life and fleeting light. The description given—exuberant and decorative—best fits Baroque.