In order to contextualize Baroque art, it is important to understand the scientific achievements and the way that they shaped society. Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler both presented a wealth of information on planet theory, with principles relating to gravity, orbit and laws of motion. Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal, Pierre de Fermat and Isaac Newton contributed to the fields of mathematics, philosophy and physics. In addition, William Harvey and other physicians began to explore the human body and the way it works.
The discovery of the laws of motion and fundamentals of nature led people to question their relationship with the environment, which resulted in artistic expressions of humans amid a clutter of objects and color. For example, Peter Paul Rubens' painting "The Battle of Anghiari" depicts the strength and beauty of the human form in battle, juxtaposing images of humans with a swirl of animals and weaponry. Many interpret his painting and others like it as symbolic of the vague distinction among humans, inventions and animals.
Scientific theories regarding time and space also held implications for Baroque art. Many Baroque artists explored the way that time and nature interact by depicting moments that are both eternal and instantaneous. For example, Jacob van Ruisdael was famous for depicting the way in which time alters the physical structure of nature. His paintings often depicted scenes with fast-moving water frozen in place.
Although some scientific experiments provided fodder for exploratory paintings, it also led many people to cling to religious ideals. Religion allowed people to find solace in the midst of otherwise scary and confusing discoveries. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio created numerous paintings that depicted famous religious scenes, such as "The Conversion of St. Paul." These depictions, however, differed from previous paintings, emphasizing a more scientific and realistic approach to metaphysical events.