2. introduction
The Rococo movement was an art
movement that emerged in France and
spread throughout the world in the late
17th and early 18th century. The word is a
derivative of the French term rocaille,
which means “rock and shell garden
ornamentation”. Rococo style affected
many aspects of the arts including painting,
sculpture, architecture, interior
design, decoration, literature, music, and
3. Fashion
The Rococo era was defined by
seemingly contrasting aspects:
extravagance and a quest for simplicity,
light colours and heavy materials,
aristocrats and the bourgeoisie. This
culmination produced a very diverse
era in fashion like none ever
before. Although this movement was
largely ended with the French
Revolution, its ideas and main aspects
strongly affected future fashions for
decades.
4. Fashion - Hair
At first, ladies apparently wore
wigs only on rare occasions
and preferred to have their
own hair powdered and
coiffed, decorated with a small
bonnet or flowers, jewellery
and bows. There were eye-
popping confections. Anything
and everything could be used
to embellish the hat including
appliquéd silk and satin,
ribbons, feathers, pearls,
5. Fashion - cloth
Men's fashion did not change
much during the whole era. The
justaucorps, waistcoats and
breeches that had been
introduced during the late
baroque era were worn
throughout, changing only
slightly in shape. The coat skirts,
for example, grew fuller until
around 1740, then diminished
and were cut away in front from
around 1760. The waistcoat
below became ever shorter until
6. Fashion - Shoes
The reign of Louis XV in France
was a period of relaxation after
the heavy autocratic rule of Louis
XIV. By 1730, the light, elegant,
feminine tastes of the Rococo era
were fully established.
The English royal family switched
from the Stuarts to the Hanovers
with the coronation of George I.
7. Art
The Rococo style of art characterized by
opulence, grace, playfulness, and lightness in
contrast to the heavier themes and darker colours
of the earlier Baroque period. It is now widely
recognized as a major period in the development
of European art.
8. Art - Painting
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
behaviour 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.
François Boucher
and Jean-Honoré
9. Art - Sculpture
Sculpture was another area
where the Rococo was
widely adopted. Étienne-
Maurice Falconet (1716–
1791) is widely considered
one of the best
representatives of French
Rococo. In general, this style
was best expressed through
delicate porcelain sculpture
rather than imposing marble
10. Music
• The Rococo music style itself
developed out of baroque music
both in France, where the new
style was referred to as style
galante ("gallant" or "elegant"
style), and in Germany, where it
was referred to
as empfindsamer stil ("sensitive
style"). It can be characterized
as light, intimate music with
extremely elaborate and refined
forms of ornamentation.
11. Music - Instrument
Marie-Antoinette’s Harp was made by Jean-Henri
Naderman, luthier and harp-maker to the Queen,
Marie-Antoinette and was delivered in November,
1774, the year of the 19-year-old Queen’s
12. Architecture
Rococo furniture and architecture was
defined by a move away from the austere
religious symmetrical designs of the
Baroque. Instead, they focused on secular,
more light-hearted, asymmetrical design,
while continuing the Baroque penchant
for decorative flair.
13. Furniture
French Rococo art was at home indoors.
Metalwork, porcelain figures and especially
furniture rose to new pre-eminence as the
French upper classes sought to outfit their homes
in the now fashionable style. Rococo style took
pleasure in asymmetry, a taste that was new to
European style. This practice of leaving elements
unbalanced for effect is called contraste.
