1700 - 1760

Rococo comes from the French words for

rocks (rocaille) and shells (coquilles) and
evolved from the baroque style. The
Rococo style embodies light and beauty
and is inspired by nature, people, curved
lines and light colours. Items ranging
from mall scale ornamental pieces to full
scale architectural masterpieces.
King Louis xiv
of France

1638 - 1715
King Louis XIV referred to as the Sun King by
some reigned over France for 72 years and saw the
transition from the baroque to the rococo era.
This transition saw the more formal and
monumental imperial artwork of the 17th century
give way to a lighter more personal form of
expression. The more playful and delicate
Rococo Designs were expressed more during the
reign on Louis XV who was the grand son of the
Sun King, taking over the throne at the tender age
of four.
Brown Odalisque (L'Odalisque Brune) 1745

François Boucher
This oil on canvas piece by Boucher is assumed to be
of the artists wife Madame Boucher. The tile of the
Painting, Odalisque means slave but here it is an
aristocrat lounging on a sofa. the lady seems to be a
Turkish woman who were fantasized about at the time
as orientalism was in vogue. You can slightly notice
this by the shape of her eyes but it is ever so slight yet
Boucher has still gotten away with it. It is also noted
here that the woman does not stare directly into the
viewers eyes
Venetian Pleasure
,

1718

Antoine Watteau
There is a strong link between Rococo art and the
performing arts as the paintings needed a plot and
the theatre needed costumes and decor.

In this piece by Antoinne Watteau we see an

almost operatic setting with the woman in the
centre being confronted by an oriental man. Again
the fascination with people from the orient and
the very soft light almost angelic colours used
along with the cloudy, frilliness in the atmosphere.
The Swing 1766

Jean-Honore
Fragonard
‘The Swing’ by Fragorand is known not only for its
technical quality but also for the scandal involved. In
the painting we see a girl on a swing with her dress
fluttering and revealing her undergarments to a
gentlemen below her. In the background it is said we
can see her priest lover pushing her forward towards
the man with a stick. The soft light colours and the
astrosphere created with the flowing background is
truly Rococo.
Rococo Fashion
Rococo fashion like their art and decor was rather
elaborate with men in high heels and women with
hair mounded on top of their heads with curls and
twirls and strings of pearls. lightweight silks such
as taffeta, satin were chosen as they were layered
around the body several times. They were mainly
light, pastel colours that were light and not too
bold. Large floral motifs were popular at first, then
smaller motifs and finally, stripes sprinkled with
sprigs. Solid colours were also popular throughout
the rococo era
Rococo Interiors
Rococo rooms were designed as total works of art .
Each room was covered with elegant and ornate
furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and
tapestry all complementing architecture, reliefs, and
wall paintings. The furniture has floral like motifs
caved into them and everywhere you looked there
was decor, they were very over the top but very
glamorous and cosy at the same time.
Rococo Furniture
Rococo Jewellery
Rococo style is marked by asymmetry of their
naturalistic designs. Many flowers, foliage, ribbon,
scrollwork and feathers were the images depicted.
They would either be engraved or embossed on the
metal. During Rococo the use of enamel in jewellery
had been completely abandoned as a form of a
decorative technique. The Rococo Style can be said to
be mainly found in functional jewellery such as
chatelaines and snuff boxes..
 Louix XIV ushered in the
Rococo period
 Lasted from 1730 to 1765
 Signified extravagance and
the pursuit of pleasure
 ‘Rococo’ means ‘fancy rock’
 The style spread rapidly  Confession booth at
across Europe Farrkirche Steingaden,
Bavaria
 Paired Corinthian
pilasters on the county
courthouse in Springfield,
Ohio.
 A pilaster is a slightly-
projecting column built
into or applied to the face
of a wall. Most commonly
flattened or rectangular in
form, pilasters can also
take a half-round form or
the shape of any type of
column, including tortile.
 A Vault (French. voute,
Italian. volta,) is an
architectural term for an
arched form used to
provide a space with a
ceiling or roof.[1]

Gothic rib-vault ceiling of the Saint-

Séverin church in Paris.
Barrel vault Pointed barrel vault showing direction
of lateral forces.
A groin vault viewed from Plan of the vault from
the underside, showing Vault from above.
above showing resultant
the arris or 'groin'. outward thrust.
 Architecture
Rococo architecture, as
mentioned above, was a lighter,
more graceful, yet also more
elaborate version of Baroque
architecture, which was ornate
and austere. Whilst the styles
were similar, there are some
notable differences between both
Rococo and Baroque
architecture, one of them being
 Rococo
architecture
 Rococo style was derived in Paris and comes from the
word “rocaille” meaning: fancy rock or shell work.
 Rococo mainly focused on the interior and displayed
fancy plasterwork of flowers, cherubs and other
intricate and delicate designs.
 Rococo architecture was more interior design than
pure architecture.
 Historical development
Although Rococo is usually thought of as developing first
in the decorative arts and interior design, its origins lie in
the late Baroque architectural work of Borromini (1599–
1667) mostly in Rome and Guarini (1624–83) mostly in
Northern Italy but also in Vienna, Prague, Lisbon, and
Paris. Italian architects of the late Baroque/early Rococo
were wooed to Catholic (Southern) Germany,Bohemia and
Austria by local princes, bishops and prince-bishops.
Inspired by their example, regional families of Central
European builders went further, creating churches and
palaces that took the local German Baroque style to the
greatest heights of Rococo elaboration and sensation.
Though Rococo originated in the purely decorative arts,
the style showed clearly in painting. These painters
used delicate colors and curving forms, decorating their
canvases with cherubs and myths of love. Portraiture
was also popular among Rococo painters. Some works
show a sort of naughtiness or impurity in the behavior
of their subjects, showing the historical trend of
departing away from the Baroque's church/state
orientation. Landscapes were pastoral and often
depicted the leisurely outings of aristocratic couples.
An interesting illustration of the hostility sometimes aroused by this
style (similar to that of early Modernists to High Victorian style) can be
found in the critical view of Rococo taken by the 1913Catholic
Encyclopedia, especially on the unsuitable nature of Rococo for
ecclesiastical contexts.[17] due to the style's lack of simplicity, its
outwardness and its frivolity, all of which tend to distract from prayer
and recollection.
When the outwardness of the style was toned down it became more
acceptable in religious environments and contexts. As such, Rococo
decoration was able to be incorporated in sacred architecture, although,
due to the style's garishness, even when religious motifs were used the
results might not have always been pleasing.
 The Rococo staircase of Gruber
1749–1774, by the Brazilian Palacein LjubljanaThe Rococo staircase
master Aleijadinho Ljubljana