{"id":35011,"date":"2022-07-25T11:36:34","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T10:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fineart-restoration.co.uk\/?p=35011"},"modified":"2023-05-17T16:39:48","modified_gmt":"2023-05-17T15:39:48","slug":"rococo-revival-restoring-paintings-objects-and-interiors-of-the-late-baroque","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fineart-restoration.co.uk\/news\/rococo-revival-restoring-paintings-objects-and-interiors-of-the-late-baroque\/","title":{"rendered":"Rococo revival: restoring paintings, objects and interiors of the late baroque"},"content":{"rendered":"

The rococo period is known for its extravagance, standing out as the crescendo of the baroque era before neoclassicism put an end to its unblushing display of affluence. From the pastoral scenes of Watteau to the ribband furniture of Thomas Chippendale, rococo can be found in all aspects of mid to late 18th century design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"RococoAbove: a selection of rococo decorative arts, including a painting by Anton Raphael Mengs and a tapestry designed by Fran\u00e7ois Boucher<\/em><\/h6>\n

But what are the defining characteristics of true rococo style, and how was it developed? This article will look into the rise and fall of a truly lavish time in art history. We will also discuss the ways in which rococo paintings, ornaments and interiors can be sensitively restored and cared for by our highly trained conservators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"RococoAbove: a detail from Concert Champ\u00eatre by Jean-Baptiste Pater, 1734<\/em><\/h6>\n

What does rococo mean?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Rococo comes from the word rocaille, this was originally a method of decoration using shells, stones and pebbles mixed with cement, as you might come across in the grottos of aristocratic gardens. Later, the term rocaille is used to describe a style of French decorative art featuring a multitude of curves, swirls and elements inspired by nature, such as acanthus leaves and seashells. Whilst rocaille is often balanced and symmetrical in design, rococo has more of a free-flowing effect with an extra emphasis on over-decoration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Rocaille\"Above: examples of the rocaille shapes and style on gilt bronze decorative features<\/em><\/h6>\n

The rococo period is usually defined as 1740 to 1770, taking over from the baroque Louis XIV style and later being replaced with toned-down neoclassical tastes.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the difference between baroque and rococo?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Whilst baroque and rococo have some overlapping features, rococo has more emphasis on natural shapes – often choosing the flow of leaves, vines, flowers and curves over the symmetry that might have previously been expected from interior design. Garlands or festoons of leaves and flowers can be seen in paintings, sculptures and decorative architectural features, as well as C and S shapes commonly recurring in all aspects of art and design.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"RococoAbove: a wall tapestry after a design by Robert Adam, featuring floral garlands and scenes by Boucher, 1763<\/em><\/h6>\n

Rococo may also have inclusions of Chinoiserie or Japonism, as many Asian artforms in this period were restricted to only the very wealthy and therefore carried a sign of status. The picture of Chinese life found in typical Chinoiserie patterns and scenes is very close to the pastoral settings found in many rococo paintings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"rococoAbove: a detail from a French ceiling design with <\/em>Chinoiserie features, 18th century<\/em><\/h6>\n

Rococo oil paintings<\/b><\/h2>\n

Oil paintings in the rococo period had a focus on natural, arcadian environments and the romanticism of pastoral life – an aristocratic view of peasants working the land in seemingly carefree lives without regal rules and expectations. You will also come across mythological scenes and religious art with a soft, pastel palette of creams, pinks, light blue skies and pearlescent tones. Whilst both France and Germany have spectacular in-situ examples of rococo painting, it was French artists, with the exception of Italian master Tiepolo, that dominated the market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"RococoAbove: a detail from The Interrupted Sleep by Fran\u00e7ois Boucher, 1750<\/em><\/h6>\n

The f\u00eate galante style is an iconic part of rococo painting, this was a category created in the French academy in 1717 to describe the work of Antoine Watteau (1684-1721), who had a unique mixture of romantic landscapes and genre scenes that often depicted a f\u00eate champ\u00eatre – a pastoral festival held by nobility, often in the grottos and follies of landscape gardens. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"WatteauAbove: a detail from The French Comedians by Antoine Watteau, 1720<\/em><\/h6>\n

As Watteau worked for patrons he required the ability to include them in his work, but also wanted to elevate his art by alluding to allegorical history paintings – the f\u00eate galante allows him to bring French aristocracy into the arcadian settings usually found in mythological works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WatteauAbove: a detail from an engraving after Watteau’s masterpiece L’Embarquement pour Cythere, 1717<\/em><\/h6>\n

The second name in rococo art is Francois Boucher (1703-1770), one of the most celebrated painters of the 18th century. Boucher worked in both portraiture and history painting, composing classical scenes of gods, goddesses and aristocratic figures, often with an intimate and erotic focus rather than the grand drama of typical mythology. It was Boucher\u2019s patronage from Marquise de Pompadour, a chief mistress of Louis XV, that furthered his career and the grandeur of the rococo form in Versailles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"BoucherAbove: a detail from Shepherd’s Idyll by Boucher by Fran\u00e7ois Boucher, 1768<\/em><\/h6>\n

Further artists you will find in the rococo genre include:<\/span><\/p>\n