Rococo art

description on Rococo Art

1. Submitted by : Mitali Gondaliya 01 Darshan Bavadiya 04 Urmila Dhameliya 09 Nikhilesh Dhaduk 10 Vatsal Gadhiya 11 Dipti Patel 28 Darshan Savsaiya 34 Ridham Vekariya 39 Rococo Art - Culture - Society 18 th Century Late Baroque

2. Mannerism Origin of Baroque Fall of Renaissance Age of Enlightenment Counter Reformation Council of Trent (War of 30 years ) Restoration (Comedy) Liberalism X Roman Catholics Protestants French Revolution Rococo

3. The word is seen as a combination of the French  rocaille  (stone) and  coquilles  (shell), due to reliance on these objects as decorative motifs. The term may also be a combination of the Italian word " barocco " (an irregularly shaped pearl, possibly the source of the word "baroque") and the French " rocaille " (a popular form of garden or interior ornamentation using shells and pebbles ). The style received harsh criticism and was seen by some to be superficial and of poor taste ,  especially when compared to neoclassicism; despite this, it has been praised for its aesthetic qualities. By the end of the 18th century, it replaced by the Neoclassic style. In 1835 the  Dictionary of the French Academy  stated that the word  Rococo  "usually covers the kind of ornament, style and design associated with Louis XV's reign and the beginning of that of Louis XVI". Intro to Rococo… Origin

4. Intro to Rococo… Origin is an 18th-century artistic movement and style, affecting many aspects of the arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design, decoration, literature, music, and theatre. D eveloped in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction against the grandeur, symmetry, and strict regulations of the Baroque, especially of the Palace of Versailles .   Rococo artists and architects used a more jocular, florid, and graceful approach to the Baroque. Their style was ornate and used light colours , asymmetrical designs, curves, and gold . The interior decoration of Rococo rooms was designed as a total work of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings. 

5. Development of Rococo… 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 but also in Vienna, Prague, Lisbon, and Paris. An exotic but in some ways more formal type of Rococo appeared in France where Louis XIV's succession brought a change in the court artists and general artistic fashion. By the end of the king's long reign, court life moved away from Versailles and this artistic change became well established, first in the royal palace and then throughout French high society . The 1730s represented the height of Rococo development in France. The style had spread beyond architecture and furniture to painting and sculpture, exemplified by the works of Antoine Watteau &  François Boucher.

6. Potsdam, Germany Tea House In the 17th and 18th century it was summer residence of Prussian Kings and German Emperors.

7. The beginning of the end for Rococo came in the early 1760s as figures like Voltaire and Jacques-François Blondel began to voice their criticism of the art. Blondel decried the "ridiculous jumble of shells, dragons, reeds, palm-trees and plants" in contemporary interiors. By 1785, Rococo had passed out of fashion in France, replaced by the order and seriousness of Neoclassical artists like Jacques-Louis David.  Development of Rococo…  Voltaire Jacques-Louis David

8. Development of Rococo… The Enlightenment encouraged criticism of the corruption of Louis XVI and the aristocracy in France, leading to the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. In 1792, Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were beheaded along with thousands of other aristocrats believed to be loyal to the monarchy . Rococo not only confined till decorative arts, but also affected the living of French high Society (also clothing style). Louis XIV turned France into a beacon of art, fashion and culture . 30 years after the Rococo period receded, the French Revolution shook France and shattered its class system. It became the great European revolution of the 18th century that shaped our modern political world. The French Revolution heralded a new era, with no monarchy, no aristocracy and it closed the final chapter of the ancient regime that lasted more than a thousand years. It caused a major cultural shift, not only in visual art but also in fashion and hairstyles. Even shoes changed radically.

9. Inventions in Rococo … Discovery of oxygen & hydrogen. Metric system. Cataract Surgery Steam Engine by James Watt.....steam boat Hot air balloon Parachute French press : method to make coffee Military got uniformed (clothing) Telegraph Modern pencil Paper machine Piano instrument (used for operas) Electricity ….by Benjamin Franklin

10. Painting Music Sculpture Architecture Interior Garden Furniture Rococo

11. Rococo Art… 1 . Interior Design Rococo is fully in control, sportive, fantastic & sculptured forms are expressed with abstract ornament using flaming, leafy or shell-like textures in asymmetrical sweeps and flourishes and broken curves; intimate Rococo interiors suppress architectonic divisions of architrave, frieze & cornice expressed in materials like carved wood &   stucco. Walls , ceiling,  furniture & works of metal & porcelain present a unified ensemble. The Rococo palette is softer and paler than the rich primary colors & dark tonalities favored in Rococo tastes . Plasterwork (POP) in ceiling was started in this era, by Italian-Swiss artists like Bagutti and Artari . In general, Rococo is an entirely interior style, because the wealthy and aristocratic moved back to Paris from Versailles. Paris was already built up and so rather than engaging in major architectural additions, they simply renovated the interiors of the existing buildings.

12. Rococo Art… 2. Furniture & decorative objects 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 . During the Rococo period, furniture was lighthearted, physically and visually. The idea of furniture had evolved to a symbol of status and took on a role in comfort & versatility . Mahogany was widely used in furniture construction due to its strength , resulting in the absence of the stretcher as seen on many chairs of the time. Also , the use of mirrors hung above mantels became ever more popular.

13. Rococo mirror and stuccowork

14. Rococo Art… 2. Furniture & decorative objects Furniture could be easily moved around for gatherings, and many specialized forms came to be such as the fauteuil chair, the voyeuse chair, and the berger en gondola. Changes in design of these chairs ranges from cushioned detached arms, lengthening of the cushioned back & a loose seat cushion. Furniture was also freestanding, instead of being anchored by the wall. Design for a table by Juste-Aurele Meissonnier , Paris  1730 Apron, legs, stretcher have all been seamlessly integrated into a flow of opposed c-scrolls and " rocaille ." The knot of the stretcher shows the asymmetrical " contraste " that was a Rococo innovation.

15. Rococo Art… 2. Furniture & decorative objects In French furniture the style remained somewhat more reserved, since the ornaments were mostly of wood. wood-carving…less robust & naturalistic & less exuberant in the mixture of natural with artificial forms of all kinds (e.g. plant motives, grotesques, masks, badges, paintings, precious stones ). British Rococo tended to be more restrained. Thomas Chippendale's furniture designs kept the curves and feel. The most successful exponent of British Rococo was probably Thomas Johnson, a gifted carver and furniture designer working in London in the mid-18th century.

16. Abstract and asymmetrical Rococo decoration: ceiling stucco

17. Rococo Art… 3 . Painting 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. Painters turned from grand, heavy works to the sensual surface delights of color and light, and from weighty religious and historical subjects—though these were never ignored completely—to more intimate mythological scenes, views of daily life, and portraiture . Still Life with Glass Flask and Fruit by Jean- Baptiste - Siméon Chardin

18. Rococo Art… 3 . Painting The popularity of the Rococo style was inspired in part by the works of the celebrated painter Antoine Watteau . Watteau's elegant paintings perfectly embody the Rococo ideal of grace & playfulness . In addition , the painter's compositions often were asymmetrical. This stylish asymmetry in turn became an important characteristic of Rococo art & design. Pilgrimage on the Isle of Cythera   captures the frivolity and sensuousness of Rococo painting.

19. Rococo Art… 3 . Painting Watteau was not the only champion of the Rococo style, however . Two artists, François Boucher & Jean- Honoré Fragonard also created artistic confections that dazzle viewers with their charm and sophistication. Boucher, Best known for his fashionably frivolous depictions of rosy-cheeked aristocratic ladies & idealized mythological subjects. Francois Boucher Jean- Honore Fragonard Oil Painting by Boucher

20. Rococo Art… 3 . Painting Fragonard’s works reflect the carefree world enjoyed by France during the Rococo period. The colors are bright and shiny & the brush strokes are very delicate. He had a great imagination, wit & refinement that combined to create poetic canvases. A Young Girl Reading by Fragonard The Swing by Fragonard

21. Self Portrait by Vigiee LeBrun Portrait of Marie Antionette Marie Antionette & her children

22. Rococo Art… 4 . Sculpture Sculpture was another area where the Rococo was widely adopted.  Étienne -Maurice Falconet 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 statues. The themes of love were reflected in sculpture, as were elements of nature, curving lines & asymmetry . In this connection, the French sculptors, Jean-Louis Lemoyne, Jean- Baptiste Lemoyne, Robert Le Lorrain, Louis-Simon Boizot , Michel Clodion &   Pigalle  may be mentioned in passing.

23. The sculptor  Edmé Bouchardon  represented Cupid engaged in carving his darts of love from the club of Hercules; this serves as an excellent symbol of the Rococo style—the demigod is transformed into the soft child, the bone-shattering club becomes the heart-scathing arrows, just as marble is so freely replaced by stucco.

24. Companion of Diana by Jean-Louis Lemoyne Bacchus by Le Lorrain

25. Tomb effigy of Amalia Mniszech

26. Rococo Art… 5 . Music A Rococo period existed in music history, although it is not as well known as the earlier Baroque. 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. Musicians include Jean Philippe Rameau, Louis-Claude Daquin   &  François Couperin in France; in Germany, the style's main proponents were C. P. E. Bach and Johann Christian Bach, two sons of the renowned J.S. Bach.

27. In music,  galant  refers to the style which was fashionable from the 1720s to the 1770s. This movement featured a return to simplicity after the complexity of the late Baroque era. This meant simpler, more song-like melodies, decreased use of polyphony, short periodic phrases, a reduced harmonic vocabulary emphasizing tonic and dominant, and a clear distinction between soloist and accompaniment . The word " galant " derives from French. In the early 18th century, a  Galant Homme described a person of fashion; elegant, cultured and virtuous.  Rococo Art… 5 . Music

28. Rococo Art… 6. Garden Design French found landscaping & gardening as their new style statement….to show royalty, grandeur & how prosperous they were. Developed their own Garden style….known as French Gardens & then it got spread throughout the Europe…..known as European Gardens. Examples designed by André Le Nôtre : Gardens of Versailles Vaux-le-Vicomte Château de Chantilly

29. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles Area 800 ha. Designer André Le Nôtre Charles LeBrun Plants 2,00,000 trees 2,10,000 flowers planted annually Features 50 fountains 620 water jets (fed by 35 km. piping) 5.57 km Grand Canal (surface area 23 ha). Gardens of Versailles are part of the Palace of Versailles, France. Situated to the west of the  palace. manicured lawns, parterres of flowers, and sculptures are the fountains. Dating from the time of Louis XIV and still using much of the same network of hydraulics as was used first, the fountains contribute to making the gardens of Versailles unique.

30. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles In 1662, minor modifications to the château were undertaken; however, greater attention was given to developing the gardens. Existing   parterres  were expanded & new ones created. Most significant among the creations at this time were the  Orangerie  and the  Grotte de Thétys . The Versailles Orangery, designed by Louis Le Vau , located south of the château, a situation that took advantage of the natural slope of the hill. It provided a protected area in which orange trees were kept during the winter months. The  Grotte de Thétys , which was located to the north, formed part of the iconography of the château and of the. Garden plan, c. 1663

31. View of the Orangerie in 1695 as painted by  Jean- Baptiste Martin  In the winter, the Versailles Orangerie houses more than a thousand trees in boxes . It is under the flowerbed known as "parterre du midi". Its central gallery is 155m in length, and its frontage is directed towards the south. The “Parterre Bas” is bordered on its south side by a balustrade. The central gallery is framed by two side galleries. It is lit by large arched windows, which enclose the lower bed. In the centre, is a large circular pool, surrounded by six fields of grass. Parc de Versailles, with the orange trees in boxes

32. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles Grotto was as the cave of the sea. A freestanding structure located just north of the château. The interior, which was decorated with shell-work to represent a sea cave, contained the statue group depicting the sun god, his attendants   & his horses. Technically, the  Grotte de Thétys  played a critical role in the hydraulic system that supplied water to the garden. The roof of the grotto supported a reservoir that stored water pumped from the Clagny pond and which fed the fountains lower in the garden via gravity. Exterior Interior

33. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles Grand Canal With a length of 1,500 m, a width of 62 m, was built between 1668 and 1671, along the E-W axis to the walls of the  Grand Parc . the   Grand Canal  served as a venue for boating parties. In 1674, Louis XIV ordered the construction of  Petite Venise  – Little Venice. Located at the junction of the  Grand Canal  and the junction of the northern transversal branch, Little Venice housed the caravels and yachts. It also served a practical role. Situated at a low point in the gardens, it collected water it drained from the fountains in the garden above. Water from the  Grand Canal  was pumped back to the reservoir on the roof of the  Grotte de Thétys  via a network of pumps.

34. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles First & Second Expansion by Kings Louis XIII-IV (till 1670s), includes : The Versailles Orangery Grotte de Thétys Grand Canal Bassin de Latone Bassin d’Apollon Parterre d’Eau Evolution of the Bosquets Bassin des Sapins Pièce d’Eau des Suisses Located on the east-west axis just west and below the  Parterre d’Eau , is the  Bassin de Latone . Further along the east-west axis is the  Bassin d’Apollon  – the Apollo Fountain. depicts the sun god driving his chariot to light the sky. forms a focal point in the garden 4 5

35. Bassin d’Apollon (present)

36. Parterre d’Eau : Situated above the Latona Fountain is the terrace of the château, known as the  Parterre d’Eau .  Forming a transitional element from the château to the gardens below and placed on the N-S axis of the gardens. In 1664, Louis XIV commissioned a series of 24 statues intended to decorate the water feature of the  Parterre d’Eau . Evolution of the Bosquets : Expanding the layout, Le Nôtre added 10 bosquets : The  Bosquet du Marais  in 1670 ;  the  Bosquet du Théâtre d’Eau ,   Île du Roi  and  Miroir d’Eau ,  the  Salle des Festins  ( Salle du Conseil ),  the  Bosquet des Trois Fontaines  in 1671 ;  the  Labyrinthe  and the  Bosquet de l’Arc de Triomphe  in 1672; the  Bosquet de la Renommée  ( Bosquet des Dômes )  and the  Bosquet de l’Encélade ]  in 1675; & the  Bosquet des Sources  in 1678. -In addition to the expansion of existing bosquets and the construction of new ones, there were two additional projects that defined this era, the  Bassin des Sapins and the  Pièce d’Eau des Suisses . Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles

37. Parterre d’Nord

38. Bosquets Parterre d’Eau

39. Water Management of Bosquet Salle de Bal in 1670s.

40. Bosquet of the Salle de Bal (present)

41. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles In 3 rd & 4 th expansion, existing fountains & bosquets were modified. The first major modification to the gardens during this phase occurred in 1680 when the  Tapis Vert  – the expanse of lawn that stretches between the Latona Fountain and the Apollo Fountain. the   Grotte de Thétys  was demolished. To compensate for the loss of the reservoir on top of the  Grotte de Thétys  and to meet the increased demand for water, Jules Mansart designed new & larger reservoirs. Canal de l'Eure  was inaugurated in 1685;  it was intended to bring waters of the  Eure  over 80 km, including aqueducts of heroic scale.

42. Bassin de Latone (present)

43. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles Plan of the gardens in 1746 Louis XV did not undertake the costly building campaigns at Versailles that Louis XIV had. During the reign of Louis XV, the only significant addition to the gardens was the completion of the  Bassin de Neptune  (1738–1741 ). He constructed and maintained  les jardins botaniques – the botanical gardens, in 1750.

44. The  Pavillon (1749-50)  

45. Rococo Art… i . Gardens of Versailles Upon Louis XVI’s ascension to the throne, the gardens of the Versailles underwent a transformation. the winter of 1774-1775 witnessed a complete replanting of the gardens. Trees and shrubbery dating from the reign of Louis XIV were felled or uprooted with the intent of transforming the  gardens  of Le Nôtre and Hardouin-Mansart into an English-style garden . This attempt to convert the masterpiece into an English-style garden failed due to the topology of the land, the gardens replanted in the French style . clipped hedging that formed walls in the bosquets – to be replaced with rows of lime trees or chestnut trees. Additionally, a number of the bosquets dating from the time of the Sun King were extensively modified or destroyed. The most significant contribution to the gardens during the reign of Louis XVI was the  Grotte des Bains d’Apollon . The rockwork grotto set in an English style bosquet was the masterpiece of Hubert Robert in which the statues from the  Grotte de Thétys  were placed.

46. Grotte des Bains d’Apollon (present)

47. Gardens of Versailles (present)

48. While  Baroque art was serious, Rococo was playful. Baroque art depicted heroism, martyrs and biblical stories, but Rococo painters showed lovey-dovey themes and aristocracy at play. Larger-than-life religious or political themes were replaced with light-hearted themes revolving around fun, lovers and naughty behaviour . Baroque used dark colours , Rococo used soft and bright colours in a very optimistic “life is beautiful” ambiance. Also , unlike Baroque, Rococo art was not intellectually deep, provocative or challenging. Even the size of paintings went through a drastic change, Baroque paintings had to be large and easily visible from afar, but Rococo paintings were much smaller in order to make them ideal for decoration. Purely decorative Rococo art is the reason why it did not earn much respect from art scholars . Neither the Church nor governments played any role in the rise of this art movement. It was a sign that French society was less devoted to religion. While some churches were built in and decorated in the Rococo style, generally the religious element was nonexistent in Rococo paintings. Difference between Baroque & Rococo Art…