Art History: From Rococo to Conceptual Art
At the end of the 17th century, France experienced an artistic shift with the emergence of the Rococo style, replacing the grandeur of Baroque with lightness and playfulness. Rococo reflected the secular tastes of the royal court and aristocracy, filling painting and sculpture with mythological and pastoral themes.
However, by the mid-18th century, art returned to classical ideals with the rise of Neoclassicism, which emphasized strict forms and symmetry. These changes foreshadowed new artistic movements and mirrored societal transformations.
Rococo: A period of secular sophistication
At the end of the 17th century, the Baroque style was replaced by the Rococo style, which originated and found its fullest expression in France. Rococo is the offspring of purely secular culture, primarily of the Royal Court and the French aristocracy.
The term "rococo" comes from the French "rocaille" (shell) and emerged at the end of the 18th century. The name of the style reveals its most distinctive feature - a predilection for complex, refined forms, whimsical lines resembling the intricate silhouette of a shell.
Unblock Affina Media content after subscribing
