French Rococo Flashcards
French Rococo
In 1720s Louis VX began to rule France
In the 18th century a new social attitude began to assert itself; the direction was toward relaxation & pleasure and this was followed by subsequent changes in arts.
French Rococo contrast from French Baroque
Pursuit of pleasure and happiness
A great rejection against regularité, formality and dullness
Madame de Pompadour
Louis XV’s mistress / was interested in arts & design: patronage of arts
This is the first time in history when a woman had power over arts and design.
Madame de Pompadour
Aesthetics of the period relied on…
feminine forms with curvilinear lines.
Aesthetic theories were developed during rococo
Line of beauty was thought to be found in a woman’s body.
Things are beautiful as they have these kinds of curved & soft lines
Rococo designers used three-dimensional free-flowing curves.
In 18th century, interest in nature increased. This resulted in…
novel views in literature and philosophy (Jean-Jack Rousseau-French enlightenment, democracy & natural rights.)
Rococo was almost exclusively a style for…
the court, aristocracy and the nouveaux riches.
Rococo is an interior design style, but not…
It was not effective on exterior facades. It is the first time in history when interior design takes its own path.
Did Rococo focus on large or small changes
rejecting previous design, but not huge changes to infrastructure and city planning
FRENCH ROCOCO MAJOR THEMEs
Feminine influences, Fascination with nature, Overcome of decoration, Furniture becomes the synthesis of art, Gendered spaces, Functionalism controls interiors
Feminine influences
Smaller, casual, intimate apartments (rooms)
space wanted to feel like it had no corners
General softening of ornamental style
The design of furniture becomes…
more conducive to conversation
(lighter, better scaled and easy to move pieces)
Sense of self / gives user power
Greater attention to comfort
previously about self-control
bodily comfort is not as displinted
what do people think when thinking about French furniture
Rococo furniture
Fascination with nature
Nature overcomes architectural grid through idealized nature representations, and asymmetrical forms
Overcome of decoration
The architectural framework of interiors begins to dissolve in Rococo
hide how the structure is working or where windows end and begin
Disintegration of interiors and architecture
Rococo furniture ornament
Even if a piece of furniture is composed of a number of pieces, the structure is hidden under ornamentation
The structure is subverted to design and ornament
Rococo Furniture becomes…
the synthesis of art / Sculptural pieces
Gendered spaces
Separate wings
Functionalism controls interiors
Disengagement of stories for convenience and comfort
It is not possible to tell the second floor plan by looking at the first floor plan
Military losses in wars with England led to financial constraints on royal building projects.
Louis XV period was more concerned with more modest projects: townhouses (for aristocracy and upper middle-class), renovation of interior
French design periods
Baroque, Regency, Rococo
FRENCH BAROQUE
(1660-1715) Louis XIV
FRENCH REGENCY
(1715-1723) Transitional period
FRENCH ROCOCO
(1723-1774) Louis XV
Important types of rooms/concepts for Rococo
Apartments de Parade
Apartments de Commoditie
Dégagement
Apartments de Parade
Parade rooms for formal entertaining
Apartments de Commoditie
More comfortable, & convenient living rooms
Dégagement
Disengaging of service portions of the plan
Rocaille
Rockwork
Coquille
Shell work
Convenance
Convenience, comfort, fitness, suitability, ease in function. A word that expresses Louis XV. Period VERY IMPORTANT / STAPLE OF ROCOCO
Trummeau
Paintings within the framework of panels
Boiserie
Carved & gilded woodwork
Chinoiserie
Chinese influence
Turquerie
Turkish influence
Lacquerwork / Japanning
A black enamel or lacquer used to produce a durable glossy finish
Savonnerie
Machine made piled carpet. By 1671 the Savonnerie carpet factory was promoted by Louis XIV.
Aubusson
A tapestry or usually pileless, densely patterned carpet woven in Aubusson, France.
Hotel de Soubise ON EXAM
Greek temple like
corinthian columns
human figures / more natural
renaissance facade
used greece and Rome as precedents
rococo interiors
Hotel de Soubise
Paris 1720 - 1740’s
Hotel de Soubise designers
Gabriel-Germain Boffrand and Charles Natoire
Hotel de Soubise is one of the best…
Rococo interiors
Concetto
free standing garden pavilion
Hotel de Soubise illusion by designers
Designers gave the illusion of a garden pavillion by utilizing mirrors
These mirrors in panels implied the idea of opening to nature
Hotel de Soubise wall elevation is…
Highly artificial/ false windows
Hotel de Soubise: last room on the sequence of enfilade
Salon Ovale
Hotel de Soubise decorative elements
Decorative elements illusionistically detaches themselves from the architectural context.
Le Salon de la Princesse in Hotel de Soubise
Intended to feel like a circle
soften interior to eliminate corners
furniture looks very slim and has the material needed for structure and comfort only
Is Le Salon de la Princesse symmetrical?
seems symmetrical, but is not
statues different
paintings different
Le Salon de la Princesse mirror
carving looks like it grows onto the mirror
mirror and wall almost blend in / overlap
Rococo notion
Mischievous, playful
Rococo Furniture
specificity - designed for a specific function, a specific room and a specific location
comfort - bodily comfort becomes an important concern
Rococo Sofa
Sofas are articles of furniture that are not merely luxuries: they contribute much to comfort; and in our artificial state of society, are sometimes essential to health. … The sofa appears to be originally an eastern fashion, probably taken from the divan, which is a part of the floor raised a little above in the Turkish and Persian houses, and having a continued seat along the wall, covered with mattresses, about three feet wide
Lit a la Turque
turkish bed
1750-1760
delicate and intricate carvings
Bombe
swell front chest
Rococo interior
Highly decorated
place to get ready and do makeup
writing desks to write letters
furniture piece that looks like a bed or seat
Bergere
closed arm upholstered chair
Fauteuil
Chair with arms upholstered
tabouret
foot stool or seat
HAS WHEELS CAN BE ZOOMABLE
chaise lounge
long chair or reclining chair
very informal
one piece or two pieces that could be separate of together
Bureau and chaise
desk
writings letters, diary, business paper work
Industrial Revolution coming soon = increased business
J. H. Fragonard
Rococo Painter 1732-1806
J. H. Fragonard famous paintings
The Pursuit of Love 1771
The Swing 1767
The Pursuit of Love 1771 and The Swing 1767 Rococo themes
Both within nature / little architecture
nature is overpowering the scene
playful, mischievous
movement
Baroque Paintings
exterior space
classical architecture
little nature
less movement
dramatic lighting
French Rococo summary
free flowing curves / nature like
not limited to geometry
Playful, mischievous
Movement
Illusions with interiors
