Art historical period: Rococo (jan 1, 1730 – jan 1, 1760)
Description:
This artistic movement and style was characterised by the use of pastel colours, light-heartedness/wittiness, asymmetry, naturalism and shell-like forms. In the late 18th century, France was governed by an absolute monarch in a system which made aristocrats and clergymen the most wealthy and privileged groups of the society. Art was therefore marked by their preferences, from the early to the late 18th century the ‘Rococo’ style. During the revolution, when the third class ‘took over the power’ and created a new revolutionary government, a lot of aristocrats fled. Since this class was the one buying most of the art, by the end of the 18th century the rococo was largely replaced by the Neoclassic style.
By the way: rocaille means: an asymmetrical decorative shelmotive.
The paintings are:
1. Antoine Watteau, 'Pilgrimage on the Isle of Cythera' (1717, Louvre). (Jean-Antoine Watteau is generally considered the first great Rococo painter).
2. Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 'The Swing' (1767).
3. Elisabeth Vigéé-Lebrun, 'Marie-Antoinette à la Rose'. -> Lebrun was Marie-Antoinette's favoraite portraitist.
Added to timeline:
Blok 1: De uitvinding van de kunst 1750-1850, Blok 2: The rise of the present (1850-1900) and Blok 3: The hunt for the future Blok 4: Het twistpunt van de tijd (1950-1990)
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