Rococo facts for kids

A Rococo painting by French artist Fragonard. Rococo art, by nature, was elaborate, playful, filled with delicate colours, and often witty.

Rococo is an artistic style which originated in the 18th century in France. Often referred to merely as Late Baroque, the Rococo developed from the Baroque artistic movement. Whilst it kept several characteristics of the original style, including elaboration and ornate themes, it was also more playful and asymmetrical. The Rococo is associated with the reign of French king Louis XV (Louis XIV is associated with the Baroque, whilst Louis XVI with Neoclassicism, albeit his style started off as Rococo at the beginning of reign). Rococo's popularity was at its height towards the middle of the 18th century, fading out by the end in favour of Neoclassicism.

Rococo art and architecture was feminine, graceful, florid and ornate. Creamy and pastel-like colours were used for paintings, unlike the darker shades in Baroque art. Religion and politics were no longer necessarily the core theme of Rococo art, unlike the Baroque, and everyday life became more commonly represented. In such a way, Rococo art revolved around themes such as love, romance, fun, landscapes, and mere portraits. Additionally, Far Eastern themes became popular in Rococo, especially Chinoiserie. Famous Rococo artists include Boucher, Watteau and Fragonard, amongst several others.

The Rococo has been the focus of much discussion, analysis and criticism by art historians throughout history. It has been criticised over the years for being over-the-top, superficial and frivolous; in such a way, the term has even been used derogatively in various points of history. Nevertheless, Rococo art and theatre has also received praise for the elegance, "beauty", and "charm" of its artwork.

Images for kids

Integrated rococo carving, stucco and fresco at Zwiefalten Abbey (1739–45)
Capital of the Engelszell Abbey, from Austria (1754-1764)
Frederick the Great, from Johann H. C. Franke, about 1781
Sack-back gown and petticoat, 1775-1780 V&A Museum no. T.180&A-1965
Salon of the Hôtel de Soubise in Paris (1735–40) by Germain Boffrand
Table design by Juste-Aurele Meissonier (1730)
Grand Chamber of the Prince, Hotel de Soubise (1735–40)
Woodwork in the Hôtel de Varengeville by Nicolas Pineau (1735)
Chest of drawers by Charles Cressent (1730), Waddesdon Manor
Detail of a door of the Hôtel de Samuel Bernard from Paris, built in the 1740s
The door of the Hôtel de Marsilly, with two corbels and a cartouche above it, all of them being rococo
Eglise Notre-Dame, Bordeaux (1684-1707)
Ceiling of church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice, by Piazzetta (1727)
Murano glass chandelier at the Ca Rezzonico (1758)
Ballroom ceiling of the Ca Rezzonico with ceiling by Giovanni Battista Crosato (1753)
Amalienburg pavilion in Munich by François de Cuvilliés (1734–1739)
Hall of Mirrors of Amalienburg by Johann Baptist Zimmermann (1734–1739)
Looking up the central stairway at Augustusburg Palace in Brühl by Balthasar Neumann (1741–1744)
The Wieskirche by Dominikus Zimmermann (1745–1754)
Interior of the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers by Balthasar Neumann (1743–1772)
The Kaisersaal in the Würzburg Residence by Balthasar Neumann (1749–1751)
Festival Hall of the Schaezlerpalais in Augsburg by Carl Albert von Lespilliez (1765–1770)
Golden Cabinet of the Chinese Palace, Oranienbaum, Russia, built by Antonio Rinaldi for Catherine the Great (1762–1778)
Design for a State Bed by Thomas Chippendale (1753–54)
Proposed Chinese sofa by Thomas Chippendale (1753–54)
Design for Commode and lamp stands by Thomas Chippendale (1753–54)
Side chair; Thomas Chippendale; circa 1755–1760; mahogany; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
Design for candlesticks in the "Chinese Taste" by Thomas Johnson (1756)
Chippendale chair (1772), Metropolitan Museum
Brazier by silversmith Charles Friedrich Kander (1735), Metropolitan Museum
Candlelabra by Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (1735–40)
Chariot of Apollo design for a ceiling of Count Bielinski by Meissonier, Warsaw, Poland (1734)
Canapé designed by Meissonnier for Count Bielinski, Warsaw, Poland (1735)
Console table, Rome, Italy (circa 1710)
Desk for the Münchner Residenz by Bernard II van Risamburgh (1737)
Clock-chest for Frederick the Great (1742)
A Chinese porcelain bowl and two fish mounted in gilded bronze, France (1745–49)
An encoignure by royal cabinetmaker Jean-Pierre Latz (circa 1750)
Lacquered Commode in Chinoiserie style, by Bernard II van Risamburgh, Victoria and Albert Museum (1750–1760)
Antoine Watteau, Pilgrimage on the Isle of Cythera (1717)
"Luncheon with Ham" by Nicolas Lancret (1735)
Ceiling of the Salon of Hercules by François Lemoyne (1735)
Ceiling fresco in the Würzburg Residence (1720–1744) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Ceiling of the Wieskirche by Johann Baptist Zimmermann (1745–1754)
The "Veiled Dame (Puritas) by Antonio Corradini (1722)
Cupid by Edmé Bouchardon, National Gallery of Art (1744)
Prometheus by Nicolas-Sébastien Adam (1762)
Atlantides in the upper Belvedere Palace, Vienna, by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1721–22)
Assumption scene by Egid Quirin Asam (1722–23) former monastery church, Rohr in Niederbayern
El Transparente altar in Toledo Cathedral by Narciso Tomé (1721–32)
Portal of the Palace of the Marquis de Dos Aguas, Valencia, Spain (1740-1744)
Fountain of Neptune and Amphitrite Palace of Versailles, by Lambert-Sigisbert Adam and Nicolas-Sebastien Adam (1740)
Fountain nymphs by Lambert Sigisbert Adam at Sanssouci palace, Prussia (1740s)
The Music Lesson, Chelsea porcelain, Metropolitan Museum (c. 1765)
High altar of the Karlskirche in Vienna (1737)
Cup with saucer; circa 1753; soft-paste porcelain with glaze and enamel; Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Mezzetin, by Kaendler, Meissen, c. 1739
Harlequin and Columbine, Capodimonte porcelain, c. 1745
Pair of lovers group of Nymphenburg porcelain, c. 1760, modelled by Franz Anton Bustelli
Figure of a cheese seller by Bustelli, Nymphenburg porcelain (1755)
Church of São Francisco de Assis in Ouro Preto, Brazil, 1749–1774, by Aleijadinho
Czapski Palace in Warsaw, Poland, 1712–1721, reflects the rococo fascination with oriental architecture
St. Andrew's Church in Kyiv, 1744–1767, designed by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Zwinger in Dresden
Eszterháza in Fertőd, Hungary, 1720–1766, sometimes called the "Hungarian Versailles"
The Rococo Branicki Palace in Białystok, sometimes referred to as the "Polish Versailles"
Electoral Palace of Trier
Basilica of Santo Domingo in Lima, Peru, completed in 1766, by Manuel d'Amat i de Junyent
Unknown artist. Allegories of astronomy and geography. France (?), ca. 1750s
A. Avelin after Mondon le Fils. L′Heureux moment. 1736
A. Avelin after Mondon le Fils. Chinese God. An engraving from the ouvrage «Quatrieme livre des formes, orneė des rocailles, carteles, figures oyseaux et dragon» 1736
Antoine Watteau, Pierrot, 1718–1719
Antoine Watteau, Pilgrimage to Cythera , 1718–1721
Jean François de Troy, A Reading of Molière, 1728
Francis Hayman, Dancing Milkmaids, 1735
Charles-André van Loo, Halt to the Hunt, 1737
Gustaf Lundberg, Portrait of François Boucher, 1741
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, The Banquet of Cleopatra, 1743
Maurice Quentin de La Tour, Full-length portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour, 1748–1755
François Boucher Portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour, 1756
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Inspiration, 1769
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Denis Diderot, 1769
Jean-Honoré Fragonard The Meeting (Part of the Progress of Love series), 1771
Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, Marie Antoinette à la Rose, 1783
Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Still Life with Glass Flask and Fruit, c. 1750
Thomas Gainsborough, Mr and Mrs Andrews, 1750
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, The Spoiled Child, c. 1765
Joshua Reynolds, Robert Clive and his family with an Indian maid, 1765
Angelica Kauffman, Portrait of David Garrick, c. 1765
Louis-Michel van Loo, Portrait of Denis Diderot, 1767
Thomas Gainsborough, The Blue Boy, 1770
Thomas Gainsborough, Portrait of Mrs Mary Graham, 1777

Rococo facts for kids

Images for kids

See also