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@ Bashno
2024-07-13 01:55:06Rococo is a style in interior design, decorative arts, painting, architecture, and sculpture, originating in Paris in the early 18th century. It quickly spread throughout France and later to other countries, primarily Germany and Austria.
Palace of Versailles - France
$$The origin of the word "Rococo"$$The term Rococo was first used by the designer Jean Mondon in his book "First Book Of Rococo Form And Setting" in 1736, where he used it alongside illustrations depicting the style used in architecture and interior design.
The word Rococo combines the French word "Rocaille," meaning shell, which was used to describe fountains and grottoes in gardens adorned with pebbles and shells, and "Barocco," the Italian word for Baroque, the art style preceding Rococo. Rococo art is characterized by curved forms resembling shells and wave-like ornaments.
One of the most famous paintings by the artist François Boucher is "The Swing" (La Balançoire), painted in 1767.
$$How Rococo Art Emerged$$With the death of King Louis XIV of France in 1715, one of the greatest French monarchs known for his lengthy reign and cultural influence, France was left economically and militarily powerful, setting it as a cultural beacon in arts, fashion, and culture. His successor, King Louis XV, in contrast, faced challenges and mismanagement, leading France toward bankruptcy with extravagant spending and failed policies. Despite this, his reign fostered an era of lavish court entertainment and artistic patronage, contrasting sharply with his predecessor.
Rococo art developed an aristocratic flavor, adopted by rising upper-middle-class individuals emulating the French nobility's fashion and lifestyle, known as the bourgeoisie. The period, spanning roughly from Louis XIV's death to the French Revolution in 1789, marked an era more than a defined style. Aristocrats in France imposed Rococo artistic style, constructing more elegant homes and commissioning interior decorations for palaces. Unlike its predecessor Baroque art, which was less suited for intimate and comfortable home decor, Rococo allowed for artistic rebellion.
Rococo paintings offered a unique glimpse into the lives of the French upper class in the decades preceding the French Revolution, though it didn't reflect the political and economic realities of the era and largely ignored working-class issues. While intricate Baroque architecture thrived in France, Italy, England, Spain, and South America, softer Rococo styles were prevalent in Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe, and Russia, mainly focusing on interior and exterior design.
$$Information about Rococo Art$$Rococo art, termed by some historians as the late phase of Baroque but lighter and more delicate, was employed by artists and designers in interior design and the arts.
The Rococo era was considered a revolution against the formal Baroque designs that characterized the French royal court at Versailles, emphasizing comfort, warmth, and intimacy.
Rococo is distinguished by its softness, playfulness, imagination, and whimsy compared to its more serious predecessor, Baroque. Ornamentation was used to create a sense of flow, especially through abstract and asymmetrical details.
This art style was influenced by Asian motifs such as Chinese design, influenced by trade relations with the Far East, leading to more modern decorative works. Interior decor and its components formed a harmonious unity, giving a unified impression, with great effort put into selecting furniture shapes, placements, and decorations.
Wealthy property owners renewed their homes' interiors with Rococo-style plasterwork, murals, mirrors, furniture, and porcelain, characterized by a delicate, feminine touch, while maintaining Baroque architecture on the exterior.
In Rococo decor, large candelabra, beautiful chandeliers, and wall sconces stand out to create a warm atmosphere, complemented by luxurious gilt-framed mirrors with floral motifs, enhancing a sense of openness in spaces.
$$Architecture$$As the fundamental principle in Rococo architecture was to achieve the purpose of celebration, in the early 18th century, the aim of construction was festive. French aristocrats ceased gathering at the royal court and palaces of kings, instead opting to enjoy themselves in private palaces intended as venues for parties, incorporating complex, ornate, and asymmetrical styles that imparted a sense of joy and whimsy.
The Fountain of Fountains (Fontänebnlo): A stunning water sculpture located in Munich, Germany, considered a masterpiece of Rococo art, and was part of the design for the Nymphenburg Palace.
$$Art of Painting$$Painters used pastel colors, flowing lines, and non-symmetrical shapes, with many artworks characterized by off-center compositions, meaning the overall design or arrangement was asymmetric or whimsical. Each element contributed to creating a sense of movement and playfulness within the painting, depicting mythical scenes set in imaginative landscapes and images of love as well.
$$Themes Embraced by Rococo$$Rococo paintings did not address national issues, religious piety, morality, saints, or heroes, nor did they provoke deep thought. They depicted outdoor scenes for leisurely activities, lovers in romantic encounters, and playful behavior with a sense of humor. These artworks were created for aesthetic purposes and to please the viewer's eye.
One of the most famous Rococo painters was the French artist Jean Antoine Watteau, and his painting "Les Plaisirs Du Bal" is considered exemplary of the early Rococo period.
$$Rococo in Germany$$aristocrats and nobles desired their palaces to be venues for celebrations, similar to the French. One of the notable examples is the construction of Amalienburg Palace, originally a hunting lodge within the grounds of Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. It was commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII and his wife Maria Amalia, designed by architect François de Cuvilliés and decorated by painter Johann Baptist Zimmermann between 1734-1739. The building is distinguished by its smooth lines, intricate designs, and light pink color.
Amalienburg
Moving inside the palace, one must pause at the Hall of Mirrors, a circular room at the center of the building surrounded by mirrors. It is filled with decorations of gold and silver on the walls, featuring motifs of leaves, flowers, birds, and small cupids. Its design is intricate, vibrant with life and movement.
Inside the palace - Hall of Mirrors
Critics dubbed this art as frivolous, appearing only to vanish, and condemned it for its superficiality, with some even labeling it as failed art, leading to a backlash against it. This resulted in a strong reaction from intellectuals like Voltaire. By the mid-18th century, the popularity of Rococo art began to decline in France, and interest waned across Europe.