Rococo style

Rococo compositions dissolved the thick textures of Baroque music into direct and transparent melodies. Major themes were short and repetitive, and evoked a clear mood that could change throughout the composition. In brief, it was music that was easy to digest and had immediate appeal.

The Rococo style of the mid-18th century, generally known as style galant, had attained a halfway stage in which counterpoint had been virtually dropped and tunes had occupied the forefront of interest.

rococo in American English a style of architecture, decorative art, music, etc. of the early 18th cent. developed from and in reaction to the Baroque and characterized by profuse and delicate ornamentation, reduced scale, lightness, grace, etc.

What is Rococo Style? Rococo refers to a style of art associated with the French aristocracy during the eighteenth century known for its pastel colors, flowing lines, and display of opulence. The name comes from the French word for seashell, "rocaille," which would be a prominent motif.

Rococo style, or Late Baroque, Style in interior design, the decorative arts, painting, architecture, and sculpture that originated in Paris in the early 18th century.

Jean Antoine Watteau The father of Rococo painting was Jean Antoine Watteau (French, 1684–1721), who invented a new genre called fêtes galantes, which were scenes of courtship parties. Born close to the Flemish border, Watteau was influenced by genre scenes of everyday life that were quite popular in Flanders and the Netherlands.

Rococo architecture, also known as Late Baroque or rocaille, is an ornamental, flamboyant, intricately detailed and layered style of architecture that emerged in the 18th century in Paris and spread throughout France and Europe.

: of or relating to an artistic style especially of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation. b. : of or relating to an 18th century musical style marked by light gay ornamentation and departure from thorough-bass and polyphony. 2. : excessively ornate or ...

Jean Antoine Watteau The father of Rococo painting was Jean Antoine Watteau (French, 1684–1721), who invented a new genre called fêtes galantes, which were scenes of courtship parties.

Characterized by elegance, levity, floral motifs, muted colors, and curving, asymmetrical lines, Rococo soon extended to painting, where its aesthetics combined with themes of sensual love and nature. The style quickly spread to the rest of France, and then to Germany, Austria, England, and other European countries.

This new style has been known since the last century as "rococo," from the French word, rocaille, for rock and shell garden ornamentation. First emerging in the decorative arts, the rococo emphasized pastel colors, sinuous curves, and patterns based on flowers, vines, and shells.

Jean‑Honoré FragonardJean‑Antoine WatteauFrançois BoucherFrancisco GoyaAleijadinhoÉlisabeth Vigée Le Brun Rococo/Artists