In the Baroque era, paintings and architectural styles were contorted and illusionistic. The faces of the subjects pretty, with delicate features and their bodies adorned with beautiful flowing dresses and dashing suits. Both Baroque and Rococo art have similarities in their styles. Rob has a B.S. Today the Catherine Palace is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with several other important buildings located in St. Petersburg. Here the artwork is blended with other Rococo design elements like the intricate carvings and gold-plated trim. In spite of this, the Ihlamur Pavillion was heavily influenced by these two styles. She also writes and publishes articles about the art scene and historical topics. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is filled with several Rococo Palaces, the largest of which is Nymphenburg Palace. This series of 24 paintings is found in the Luxembourg Palace. The Wrzburg Residenz is a large palace located within the city of Wrzburg, and it was constructed in the heart of the Rococo Age during the mid-18th century. Many Rococo buildings contain bright pinks, blues, and yellows often in soft pastel shades. Before the Rococo Age, there was the Baroque Age, which emerged in the late 16th century. Simple dramatic spatial sequences or the complex interweaving of spaces of 17th-century churches gave way to a new spatial concept. Baroque and late Baroque, or Rococo, are loosely defined terms, generally applied by common consent to European art of the period from the early 17th to mid-18th century. In the image above you can see several Corinthian Columns and some statuary niches within the facade of Zwiefalten Abbey. These features are also heavily utilized in earlier works of Renaissance and Baroque Architecture, and they can often be found hidden in between other Rococo design elements. Save the Date: The Craft Takeover at Mayfair Gallery, Bohemian Glass: A History of Europe's Treasured Crystal, London Craft Week 2020: The Craft Takeover. In France, the Baroque style is most fully realized in Peter Paul Rubens Marie dMedici Cycle. The Baroque movement began in Rome in the early 1600s and spread throughout Europe by the 17th and 18th centuries. These works are very aesthetically beautiful and ethereal. Both the interior and exterior of the church contain all of the typical elements from the Rococo Age, including gold leaf, extravagant details, and many works of Rococo Sculpture. Catholic leaders hoped that the drama of this new art style would stir awe and emotion, making Catholicism the better option. By the end of Louis XV's reign, the Rococo was replaced byNeoclassicism, a new style altogther which reacted against the flamboyance of the Rococo. The Htel de Soubise is a large mansion located in Paris, France. These party landscapes are often referred to as Fte Galantes and were very common themes in Rococo art. Rob Carney, the founder and lead writer for Architecture of Cities has been studying the history of architecture for over 15 years. During the period of the Enlightenment (about 1700 to 1780), various currents of post-Baroque art and architecture evolved. It championed a taste for superior craftsmanship and fine, luxurious materials which resulted in a decadent, unified ensemble for decorations. One of the most iconic elements found throughout Rococo Architecture is the use of excessive details. This was a key factor in the emergence of the Rococo. The Queluz National Palace was constructed by King Peter III of Portugal in the mid-1700s. Most commonly the boiserie would be painted thematically, with gilded elements on a white background, or several shades of complementing pastel colours. Here the amount of gold and other expensive materials was a way to show off the immense wealth of the Russian Monarchy. Baroque comes from the Portugese word barroco which means flawed pearl. Linderhof Palace was completely rebuilt long after the Rococo Age in the mid-1800s, but Ludwig II designed it in the spirit of the Rococo Architecture that is found throughout Bavaria. Baroque art was essentially concerned with the dramatic and the illusory, with vivid colours, hidden light sources, luxurious materials, and elaborate, contrasting surface textures, used to heighten immediacy and sensual delight. Many wealthy individuals would also renovate existing buildings with Rococo interiors as a way to show off their wealth and status. Whereas the Baroque style exudes a masculine energy and presence, Rococo art has a more demure, very beautiful, feminine aura. In this commode, the gilt bronze mounts are crafted with a freehand effect, meaning that while they aim to be roughly symmetrical, subtle differences by the hand of the maker form part of the charm and elegance of the piece, highlighting the carefree informality that was so inherent to the style. Now, she is the Assistant Director of a long-standing, prestigious art gallery in Chicago. These organic undulating carvings can be found in many Rococo Interiors, and they are a great example of the over-the-top detailing found throughout Rococo Architecture. A Renaissance building was to be seen equally from all sides, while a Baroque building had a main axis or viewpoint as well as subsidiary viewpoints. Ludwig was known as an architectural enthusiast, and he spent enormous sums of money to complete his personal projects. Gonzlez Mart National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts. The left image above shows the Palace Ballroom, which is a large open space that was meant for gatherings and parties. The architecture is monumental and everything points to a central axis. In Rococo architecture, decorative sculpture and painting are inseparable from the structure. The image above shows the main chapel within the palace, which contains all of the signature elements found in Rococo Architecture. The Rococo period began in the 1730s and was a popular style for the remainder of the 1700s. Rococo flourishes are often created using seashells and gilded metal in the form of twisting vines. The Catholic Church commissioned art in the Baroque style to retain followers during the Protestant Reformation. Walt Disney's classic film 'Beauty and the Beast' was heavily influenced by the Rococo style, and many of the pieces of talking furniture in the film are almost exact copies of real pieces made by 18th Century makers! As this new hybrid style, the Rococo crossed the Atlantic to North and South America. They are often set in a lush landscape while beautifully dressed (or undressed) party goers galivant through the composition. Linderhof Palace is located in the foothills of the Alps, on the southern edges of the German region of Bavaria. Subsequently this became a description for any contorted idea or involuted process of thought. Other notable French works included writings by Ren Ouvard, Andr Flibien, Pierre Le Muet, and Julien Mauclerc. As a result of this, the modern German region of Bavaria contains one of the highest concentrations of Rococo Buildings anywhere in Europe. The Rococo originated in France, where there was a very strong link between the king at the time and the dominant artistic style. Seventeenth-century Baroque architects made architecture a means of propagating faith in the church and in the state. It emerged toward the end of the Baroque Age, and it was followed by the Neoclassical Age. Rococo interiors were most often decorated as a whole paintings, furniture, walls, ceilings, metalwork and porcelain would present a unified ensemble. During the Rococo Age, carved wooden details were added in between the existing windows on the upper levels. The Rococo loosely coincided with the reign of King Louis XV, who ruled France from 1715 until 1774, and its popularity has often been attributed to the patronage of Madame de Pompadour, the king's mistress who took on a formal role as an advisor within his court between 1745-1751. Baroque space invited participation and provided multiple changing views. With this in mind, Baroque art was a propaganda tool for the Catholic Church. It has become a common practice for modern and contemporary interiors to include a contrasting piece in the Rococo style, where the intricate details and fine craftsmanship are highlighted against a more minimal setting. Baroque space, with directionality, movement, and positive molding, contrasted markedly with the static, stable, and defined space of the High Renaissance and with the frustrating conflict of unbalanced spaces of the preceding Mannerist period. Two fragmentary volumes by Francesco Borromini appeared years after his death, and Guarino Guarinis major contribution (though he brought out two volumes on architecture before he died) did not appear until well into the 18th century. They are recognized by their opulent decoration and aesthetically pleasing visuals. Sign up for our mailing list to get updates on our latest articles and other information related to Architectural History. The palace is surrounded by the Nymphenburg Palace Park, which is one of the largest green spaces in all of Munich. Rococo painting was very popular in the 18th century and many of the worlds greatest museums contain impressive works from this time period. It was designed to be a summer retreat for the Portuguese Royal Family. 8 Intriguing Facts to Know about Caravaggio. Everywhere it can be found, the Rococo is an homage to the 18th Century, the Golden Age of French design and the fine arts. As the Baroque period began to wind down, the Rococo period ushered in an era of soft, private, femininity that countered the intense masculinity of the previous era. Today many people visit the charming German city of Wrzburg to see its many impressive buildings, which include the Wrzburg Residenz, Wrzburg Cathedral, and the Marienberg Fortress. Neoclassical Buildings have a much more simplified and pragmatic design, and they borrow many elements from the Classical Architecture of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. While studying art, she worked in the research department of The Chicago History Museum and wrote articles for Chicago Gallery News. He began to create larger-scale works in this style as a sculptor, and soon the Sevres Manufactory began to produce small-scale porcelain works influenced by the Bavarian models which were adapted into the French Rococo style. The entire building was often lighted by numerous windows placed to give dramatic effect (e.g., Schloss Brhl, near Cologne, by Balthasar Neumann, 1740) or to flood the space with a cool diffuse light (e.g., Pilgrimage Church, Wies, Germany, by Zimmermann, 1745). Rococo Architecture can be found in many of the worlds largest palaces, and it is a style that is synonymous with the autonomous rule of most 18th-century monarchies. The growing Nobel class would hold salons in these spaces where guests would socialize and discuss intellectual subjects. Rococo Architecture emerged in France in the 1730s and would quickly spread to other countries. The Sevres Porcelain Manufactory was bought by Madame de Pompadour in 1756, and from then it enjoyed Royal patronage, which, along with the fine works it created, was instrumental to its success. Unlike many stylistic movements in the history of art and design, the Rococo was more of an evolution of past styles than a conscious revolution or an all-new invention. The Wieskirche in Bavaria, Germany (shown below), is one of the most famous examples of the German Rococo style, featuring white walls with fanciful carvings, and pastel-coloured decorations. Whilst the Rococo spanned much of the 18th Century, the word Rococo, wasn't used until later in the 19th Century. The subjects and themes of Rococo and Baroque art are almost polar opposites. The Munich Residenz contains wings designed in the Renaissance and Baroque styles, but many of the interiors were also updated during the Rococo Age.
It is one of several large palaces designed by King Ludwig II. The Amalienburg is a small pavilion thats located in the park surrounding Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. The Rococo Style emerged in the later stages of the Baroque Age, and it greatly exaggerated many of the same elements found in Baroque Architecture. Finally, whilst the Baroque was conceived by the Catholic church with clear religious motivations, there was no specific meaning behind Rococo style decorations, paintings, or sculpture, except for their beauty, intricacy and elegance. The interior of Catherine Palace also contains many other elements found in Rococo Architecture.
Fete galante paintings are characterised by an outdoors composition, usually a gathering or a picnic, with upper class ladies and gentlemen engaging in flirtations and conversations. The Rococo movement began in France, and it was a response to the more toned-back style that was popularized by French King Louis XIV. A Baroque building expanded in its effect to include the square facing it, and often the ensemble included all the buildings on the square as well as the approaching streets and the surrounding landscape. Rococo, which relates to the French words, Rocaille (mussel) and Coque (seashell) is actually a divergence from the previous Baroque style. By Jacqueline LewisBA Art History and ArchitectureJacqueline Lewis is a History of Art & Architecture graduate. The Rococo, by contrast, was light and playful in its elaborate decoration, embracing comfort, warmth and privacy. Much of the palaces exterior is a blend of Rococo and Baroque, but most of the interior spaces are elaborately decorated in the Rococo Style. Italian Mannerism or Late Renaissance (15201600), Architecture at the turn of the 21st century. The Palace of the Marqus de Dos Aguas was retrofitted in the Rococo style, but the original building actually dates to the 15th century. The Rococo style is characterised by intense decorations, curvaceous shapes and a complicated, detailed appearance. The lavishness of the Rococo Age would eventually lead to major social and political changes in Europe, and over time a new more practical style known as Neoclassical Architecture would emerge as the worlds most dominant building form. The exterior of the palace shows several of the key elements of Roccoco Design. The derivation of the word Rococo is equally uncertain, though its source is most probably to be found in the French word rocaille, used to describe shell and pebble decorations in the 16th century. Known as Wieskirche in German, The Pilgrimage Church of Wies is one of many great examples of Rococo Architecture located in the German region of Bavaria. Within this fanciful, busy style, portraits, pastoral scenes and mythological subjects with themes of love would often form the bulk of works produced.
By the 1730s the style had widened to neighbouring Catholic countries Germany and Austria, where it achieved a new level of extravagance and became a particularly fashionable style for the decoration of churches. One of the most notable painters in the Rococo style was Francois Boucher (French, 1703-1770), who enjoyed the patronage of King Louis XV and his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Germany contains some of the most impressive Rococo Buildings anywhere in Europe. Many of the motifs and designs forming the Rococo style were designed so as to appear free-flowing and organic, sprawling languidly and exuberantly. The Rococo Age also had a dramatic influence on the art world. Baroque and Rococo Art compared: The Masculine and the Feminine, Peter Paul Rubens Marie dMedici Cycle, Things You Should Know About Eugene Delacroix, The Mystery behind DaVincis Salvator Mundi, 6 Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts That Will Amaze You, Rhythm 0: A Scandalous Performance by Marina Abramovi, Eugene Delacroix: 5 Untold Facts You Should Know. Valencia is a city on the Eastern Coast of Spain which is filled with many iconic works of Gothic Architecture. The image above shows the Salon Ovale de la Princesse, one of the most lavishly decorated rooms inside the mansion. This new style directly contrasted the frilly, complex, and excessive nature of Rococo Architecture. Opening hours Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm. The boiserie would often include the core elements of the Rococo style shells, C-shaped and S-shaped scrolls, stylized acanthus leaves and flowers. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Located in the mountains of Northern Portugal, the Falperra Church is a remote building that dates to the 18th century. The Ihlamur Pavilion is a small late-Ottoman building located on the European side of Istanbul. In terms of the overall effect, the Baroque in France was deliberate, heavy-handed and monumentally provocative, embracing ceremony and royal formalities. It was created in response to the excessive complexity of Rococo Buildings, and it closely followed older works of architecture from the ancient Greeks and Romans. For this reason, toward the late 18thCentury, the Rococo and the artists that promoted it, came under fire for being fripperous and lacking substance. Baroque art is mainly Christian in subject matter. Like Architecture of Cities? The interior is a complex array of Rococo carvings, blended with silver plating, and large mirrors. Contact Us - Privacy Policy - About, Top 25 Examples of Renaissance Architecture, Top 25 Examples of Neoclassical Architecture, Top 25 Examples of Byzantine Architecture, Moorish Architecture In Spain: The Top 20 Examples. Please click "OK" to allow. Whilst it was regarded as unflattering for any Royal portraits to include nudity, it is easy to see a distinctive style in both of these paintings by Boucher. Below is a list of some of the worlds greatest examples of Rococo Architecture. Many of the key elements found in Rococo Architecture can be seen in the pavilions exterior. These styles may seem almost indistinguishable but they have distinctive differences. In the image above you can see a ceiling fresco within the Pilgrimage Church of Wies. The style was exuberant and striking, yet contrastingly intimate and cosy. 2022 Mayfair Gallery Limited. The main chapel has a very imposing facade that resembles many of the other Rococo buildings found throughout Portugal. Another feature of the Rococo that became popular was asymmetrical elements in furniture and design. Whilst the Bavarian Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory made figures in glazed and painted porcelain, the French Rococo pieces made by the Sevres Manufactory were of white, bisque porcelain, and looked more like real sculptures. The image below shows the interior of Copenhagen Cathedral, one of many works of Neoclassical Architecture found in the Danish Capital of Copenhagen. The curved shape of the room creates a more intimate, hallowed space rather than an echoing hall, and the light which would have been created by candles would glimmer from every element of the gilded details, creating a warm and cosy elegance. Public buildings such as churches and other religious sanctuaries utilized this style to imbue a sense of wonder to the structures and entice followers. In the image above you can see the interior of the Zwiefalten Abbey in Zwiefalten Germany. Renaissance space was passive and invited contemplation of its precise symmetry.
Rococo buildings are elaborately decorated, and they often contain gold and other lavish materials. The current abbey was constructed in the mid-1700s, and it has a strong connection with the many Rococo Buildings located in the nearby region of Bavaria. In the image above you can see one of the rooms inside the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg. The upstairs rooms became private places for rest and the downstairs areas were designated for guests. During the later stages of the Rococo Period, a new building form known as Neoclassical Architecture emerged in Europe. Rococo decoration and architecture is also used for non-religious means. The image above shows two figures carved from white marble within the Zwiefalten Abbey. Louis XV even modified Versailles to be a more secluded private home.
Rococo painting was characterised by an abundance of intricate details, curves and counter-curves which dance across the canvas, resulting in a very busy appearance. Another distinctive style within Rococo painting was the fete galante a French term that loosely means courtship party. It was completed in the mid-19th century, long after the Baroque and Rococo Ages faded away in the rest of Europe. The building itself was originally built in the Baroque Age, but most of the interiors were redone in the Rococo Style. In churches, the ceilings of side aisles were raised to the height of the nave ceiling to unify the space from wall to wall (e.g., church of the Carmine, Turin, Italy, 1732, by Filippo Juvarra; Pilgrimage Church, Steinhausen, near Biberach, Germany, 1728, by Dominikus Zimmermann; Saint-Jacques, Lunville, France, 1730, by Germain Boffrand). The Rococo style emerged in Paris and spread rapily throughout France. Here, the Embarkation for Cythera depicts a pretty, pastel-shaded landscape with flying cherubs to the centre left, adding a mythological element that is a common theme in most Rococo paintings.
Rococo Architecture was often used in religious buildings to inspire local populations and show the prosperity and prestige of the Christian Church. Sensuous curves, gilded femininity and an unparalleled glittering elegance are crowing features of the Rococo, which was a decorative style that dominated interior design, furniture, painting and sculpture during the 18th Century. Special thanks to all of our current Patreon Supporters. Neither style is objectively better than the other but their differences make them uniquely interesting in their own contexts. The Ihlamur Pavilion is one of only a few examples of Rococo & Late Baroque Architecture in Istanbul, in addition to other buildings like the Ortaky Mosque and Dolmabahe Palace. With no absolute and all-powerful king on the throne, the formality of the French court, that had been so well established under Louis XIV, started to change, and royal proceedings became less public and more intimate.
