Rococo developed as Baroque artists gave way to a highly ornate, graceful and playful style of design. The word ‘Rococo’ is derived from the French rocaille, said to describe the rock and shell work of the Versailles grottoes. It is characterized by pastel colors, extravagant decoration, asymmetry, undulating lines and prominent curves, and fantasy. The style spread through Europe, although is primarily associated with Louis XV’s reign and the beginning of that of Louis XVI. It includes all art produced around the middle of the 18th century in France, and is often seen as mirroring the excesses of Louis XV’s reign.
Rococo focused mainly on interiors, and rooms were created as complete works of art. Furniture and accessories were designed to compliment the architecture, resulting in spaces so elaborate that the line between function and decoration is blurred.
Gatchina Palace
The Amalienburg
Settee- German, ca. 1761–68
Table, Writing (Bureau Plat)- Gilles Joubert, French, ca. 1689–1775
Rococo Cartouche- Anonymous, French, 18th century
Although popular, Rococo’s over-the-top grandeur received harsh criticism, and by 1785, Rococo had fallen out of fashion in France to be replaced by the order and solemnity of Neoclassical design.
(Images via wikipedia, 18th century history, The Met)
