Survey of Art 1B
Rococco
Fast Facts
Although lacking in complex theory, the Rococo style had a momentum of its own. It evolved in response to the desire for escape from the stiffly formal atmosphere of French court life during the reign of Louis XIV following his death in 1715. The essential objective of French Rococo art was to please the senses, and to decorate the graceful, relaxed interiors of polite society's homes. The ideal was rooted in a concept of prettiness rather than in a concept of beauty.
It was a period when aristocrats valued good taste over morality, and poor taste was treated as an intolerable social offense. Youthful enjoyment, fantasy, playfulness, and a high spirit of romance prevailed!
The Embarkation to Cytheria, 1717
The Swing,1776
Portrait of Marie Antionette, 1783
The Honorable Frances Duncombe, c.1777
To contact the instructor or for comments:
kathleen_grisham@westvalley.edu
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