8 Characteristics of ROCOCÓ Art Outstanding

The rococo art was developed to early 18th century France, being a European artistic movement of transition between Baroque and neoclassical art. A style whose main characteristics are a taste for excessive decoration and for collecting joyful and provocative moments, leaving aside the drama of the Baroque for fun and pleasure.

Thus, the name rococo refers to a type of decoration made with shells and stones in gardens and that became very popular in France and Italy in the 17th century. An ornate decoration that spread to painting, architecture, sculpture and all the decorative arts. In this lesson from a PROFESOR we offer you the main Characteristics of Rococo art so you can distinguish this unique style.

The Rococo had its origin in France from 1730 and was born as an art at the service of the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. It emerged as a way to celebrate luxury, comfort and partying as a reflection of the sumptuous and frivolous lifestyle of these social groups. A reaction to the dense, regal style of the Palace of Versailles and the

baroque art as a lighter style for the decoration of the palaces and residences of nobles and upper bourgeoisie.

Three decades later, around 1760, and faced with the criticism of Voltaire Due to the superficiality of this style, the Rococo began to decline, being replaced from 1780 by an austere style such as the neoclassical.

Between the main characteristics of Rococo art stand out:

• worldly art. As we have already pointed out, rococo art is a worldly art with no other aim than to express joy, festivity, celebrate life and to be the expression of a social class that seeks an enthusiastic way of life in which humor, eroticism and an atmosphere frivolous.
• Aristocrat. It is so the art of certain elites belonging to the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie and that seeks to relax etiquette and solemnity and add humor and a certain mischief.
• love theme. One of the main issues is love and sentimental themes, with pastoral scenes and gallant, recreating the frivolous amusements of those elites. Some scenes that always appear with a sweet or mischievous tone.
• Historical and religious theme. Another characteristic of Rococo art is that historical, mythological and religious themes are also treated, but always with much less solemnity and without the desire to moralize.
• Eroticism. There's a taste for it eroticism, including in the works some erotic nudes camouflaged as mythological figures to avoid criticism or censorship.
• Excessive and detailed art. All the rococo decoration is detailed and excessive, adorning all the spaces in an imaginative, refined and sumptuous way.
• Interest in nature. Rococo artists are inspired for these decorations in oriental art, in Nature, especially in flora and fauna.
• Neutral tones. Both in interior decoration and in painting, pastel colors and white were used, leaving behind the dark and earthy colors of the Baroque.
• Greater thematic freedom. There is greater freedom in terms of themes, without having to bow to absolutist or ecclesiastical propaganda, only joy, elegance and pleasure are sought.

In addition to these characteristics of Rococo art, it is important that you know what was developed first in the decorative arts and interior design to later move on to painting and architecture.

To learn more about the characteristics of Rococo art, we are going to analyze the elements of each of the artistic disciplines. Thus, within the field of painting we have the most striking characteristics are the following:

• are represented gallant scenes, celebrations and gatherings of the aristocracy.
• are introduced numerous decorative elements as asymmetrical and undulating lines.
• Proportions are not respected.
• In addition to the life of the upper classes, they are also treated love and mythological themes.
• It's about getting lots of light in scenes with light tones.