Rococo sculpture: “Cupid and Venus time” in art

In France, the Rococo era was called the Cupid and Venus periods. At this time, masters are fond of Greek mythology and depict the respective heroes.

The Rococo style, due to its decorative effect, was not very popular in plastics. The sculpture played only an auxiliary role, illusorily decorated parks and interiors of mansions. Rococo sculpture was for interior, park, and not monumental and impressive. The best representatives of style – sculptors Falcone, Pigalle, Claudine and Lemoine created a small plastic of gallant style – carefree, light, playful.

Falcone is the most famous sculptor of the Rococo era in France. He managed the famous Sevres porcelain factory. His work was dominated by reliefs and statues.  For example, his most famous Rococo sculpture “Cupid” expresses the fashionable trend at that time – to decorate  gardens with a winged hero. The whole workshop of the sculptor’s students worked on such orders.

Sculptor Lemoine performed portraits of bankers, financiers and industrialists. Portrait of gallant epoch – sensual and complementary, aimed at the transfer of portrait similarities, rather than to reveal the psychological features of the portrait. Often, the search for external Rococo expressiveness overlapped the inner meaning.

In another way, the master Claudion worked. Rococo sculpture in the hands of Claudion is an elegant, poetic light world, though without deep meaning, but with psychological depth and high skill of execution. “Poetry and Music” and “Satiressa” are the famous compositions of marble and terracotta statuettes, bronze among numerous performances of nymphs and fauns.

The Rococo era: the lightness of a colorful life in art

In the early 18th century in France, the idle rococo style replaced the massive, solemnly heavy baroque as its antipode. The name rococo comes from “rocky”, as well as from “rocaille”, that is: ornament made of stones and shells, which were used on fountains or grottos. Rococo masters prefer to depict an easy and beautiful life. The color of the painting completely changes to light tones. The dominating colors are blue, pink, pastel and blue. Baroque gilding is a thing of the past. White comes to the foreground.

The Rococo style is marked by the following characteristics :

– The gracefulness of the compositions,

– Ease is depicted as an open minded attitude to life,

– Plot intimacy,

– Decorativeness,

– Playful and flirty character.

The Rococo era: causes:

1.     Change of life of the nobility. The Rococo style is a consequence of the decline of European monarchies. The transition of art from the great style of Louis XIV, from the lush decoration of the palaces of Versailles in small salons, mansions of the Parisian elite.
2. The formation of new decorative elements. “Rocaille Style” was marked by the appearance of decorative ornaments from the scroll of plants, as well as characteristic cartouches and ormoushels (“auricle”).
3.     Decoration of grottoes. The term “rocky” is associated with the decoration of grottoes and pavilions in parks.
4.     Formation of “Greek taste”.

Rococo: painting of the holiday

Pictorial rococo is characterized by frank plots with heroes of myths, as well as pastoral themes. Watto was the first master to work in the rococo style. Boucher and Fragonard are probably the most famous artists of that time.

Creativity of Boucher-painter is diverse and multifaceted. He literally embodied the Rococo era. His favorite subjects are allegories and mythology. The heroes of his paintings lead joyful, easy life in the bosom of beautiful nature, in the middle of village fairs. The true singer of the idle life of Boucher made famous the Parisian life of the 18th century.

Rococo in architecture

Remarkable Rococo architecture of this period gravitates to the interior decor. Despite the strict exterior of the houses, the interiors were painted with all kinds of molding: floral or geometric, asymmetrical and volumetric. This is the Little Trianon in France, built by architect Gabriel.

 Rococo style in architecture was widely used in Austria and Germany. Here, along with decoration, it preserved traditional baroque elements. Architect Neumann built a church in Firtsenheiligen in the solemn baroque style, but in combination with rocky light and fairy-tale decoration of sculptures and picturesque panels.