Final answer:
The Baroque period began in the late 16th century, around the 1580s, with Italy and Spain as significant centers where the style flourished, involving artists like Caravaggio and Bernini.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Baroque period is a significant era in European history that is known for its dramatic, elaborate, and highly detailed art and architecture. It began approximately in the late 16th century, more specifically around the 1580s. This period in Italy pioneered the mix of Renaissance painting style with the emotional drama characteristic of Mannerism, thereby creating a new rhetoric in the arts that was often used to express the power of the Catholic Church and the absolutist state. The Baroque period is not just confined to Italy; it influenced Spanish art as well during the same timeframe, spreading its impact throughout Europe. Key figures who shaped the Baroque style include artists like Caravaggio and Bernini, whose works emphasized a new naturalism, dramatic use of light and shadow, and emotional intensity that was a departure from the art of the past.