Rococo in painting. Representatives of Rococo in painting and their paintings

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In the visual arts, there are countless directions. Most often, a new style arises on the basis of an existing one, and for some time they develop in parallel. For example, rococo in the painting of Western Europe was formed on the basis of pompous and magnificent baroque.

However, the appearance of a new style, as often happens, was initially met with criticism. Rococo was accused of lack of taste, frivolity and even immorality. Nevertheless, it is impossible to deny his contribution to the further development of fine arts.

The birth of a new direction

In 17th-century France, it became fashionable to decorate parks with stylized grottoes with stucco decorations, which were shells with intertwining plant stems. Over time, this decorative element has become the dominant ornamental motif, although it has undergone significant changes.

By the beginning of the next century, it was hardly possible to recognize a familiar shell in it, rather, it resembled a bizarrely curved curl. Therefore, the French word rocaille has taken on a broader meaning. Now it meant not only a stone or a shell, but everything pretentious andwriggling.

Louis XV succeeded to the throne in 1715, which is why the Rococo style in painting is sometimes called by his name. Indeed, the chronological framework of the reign of the king and the development of a new stylistic direction coincide. And since France at the beginning of the XVIII century. was the undisputed trendsetter, the rococo craze soon swept across Europe.

Style Features

The art of the Baroque, which originated in Italy in the 17th century, was distinguished primarily by its majesty. However, it has not received much distribution in France, although some of its features can be traced in the Rococo style. For example, both directions are decorative and saturated, the only difference is that rocaille splendor is elegant and relaxed, while baroque is energetic and tense.

It is interesting that the previous styles first appeared in architecture and then spread to sculpture, decoration and painting. With Rococo it was the other way around. This direction first developed in the interior design of aristocratic boudoirs and living rooms. It had an impact on the development of applied and decorative arts, almost without affecting the architecture of exteriors.

Rococo in painting is an image of gallant scenes from the life of the aristocracy. There is no place for cruel realities, religious motives, glorification of strength and heroism. The canvases depict romantic courtship with a touch of eroticism against the backdrop of pastoral landscapes. Another characteristic feature of the style is the lack of a sense of the passage of time.

The ideological basis of Frenchrococo

Hedonism, with its desire for pleasure as the highest good and the meaning of life, along with individualism, became the main philosophy of the French aristocracy of the 18th century. He also determined the emotional basis of the Rococo style in painting, expressed in playful grace, sweet whims and lovely little things.

It is no coincidence that the mythical island of Cythera became a favorite allegory of Rococo - a place where pilgrims seeking sensual pleasures rush. This piece of land in the middle of the Aegean really exists.

Here, according to ancient Greek mythology, the beautiful Aphrodite was born. Here the cult of the goddess of love developed, which subsequently spread throughout Greece. Admirers of Aphrodite came to the island to make sacrifices in the sanctuary built in her honor.

During the Rococo era, Cythera symbolized paradise for lovers who went to an imaginary island to the temple of Venus. Sophisticated eroticism, eternal holidays and idleness reigned there. On Kiether, women are young and beautiful, and men are exceptionally gallant.

From palace to private living room

The trend towards intimate interior design emerged as early as the beginning of the 18th century. The aristocratic salons and boudoirs of private houses, where women played the main role, became the centers for the formation of a gallant culture and corresponding rules of conduct.

A whole army of French jewelers, furniture makers, tailors, painters and decorators was ready to satisfy any requests of capricious customers. Rococo fashion was primarily dictated by Queen MaryLeshchinskaya and favorites of Louis XV: Countess Dubarry and Marquise de Pompadour.

Wall plafonds and panels, as well as picturesque compositions over window and door openings were the main types of fine art. Now, in addition to the royal court and church prelates, the new aristocracy and representatives of the third estate ordered decorative paintings for their living rooms.

Genres and plots

Despite the new ideas, Rococo painting did not completely reject the traditional themes developed in the past. For example, mythological subjects continued to be used, only now cupids and nymphs were mainly drawn from the entire ancient pantheon, and Venus rather resembled a secular lady demonstrating the charms of a naked body in a spicy setting.

In the course of time, pastoral appeared - a new genre of chamber painting designed for residential interiors. Pastoral paintings in the Rococo style were idyllic rural landscapes against which shepherds and shepherds in rich outfits play pipes, read or dance. Despite the innocent activities, the whole atmosphere is enveloped in a slight veil of erotica.

Pioneer of gallant style

The founder of Rococo in painting is Watteau Jean-Antoine. The artist began by imitating the Flemish painters, but over time he found his true style, depicting gallant scenes. His paintings are characterized by a special artistic depth, and not just an image of idlearistocrats flirting in the bosom of nature.

Antoine Watteau painted two canvases on the popular plot of the allegorical journey to the island of lovers. One of them, "Pilgrimage to the Island of Cythera", is exhibited in the Louvre, and the other - in Berlin, in the Charlottenburg Palace. Both of them are a vivid example of the Rococo style.

Theatricality, characteristic of the art of the 18th century in general, is especially noticeable in the works of Watteau. For example, in the construction of the composition ("Shepherds", "On the Champs Elysees"). There is always a foreground here - a kind of stage platform, and groups of figures are located in the same way as in the theater.

The many-sided work of Boucher

Of course, Watteau was not the only artist working in the new direction. Francois Boucher is another prominent representative of the French Rococo, whose work most fully reflected the frankly frivolous hedonism inherent in that era. He carried out the orders of Louis XV, the Marquise de Pompadour, in particular, he painted the famous portrait of the favorite.

Boucher also created scenery for operas, engravings for Molière's books, tapestries for tapestries, sketches for Sevres porcelain, in a word, he worked in different areas of fine art.

Antoine Watteau, without suspecting it, left an imprint on the work of Boucher, who copied his drawings in his youth. Later, Boucher studied Baroque technique in Rome, became a professor at the French Academy of Arts, and received all-European fame.

His work covers all topics,characteristic of Rococo painting: mythology, village fairs, allegories, Chinese scenes, scenes from fashionable Parisian life, pastorals, portraits and landscapes.

Representatives of Rococo in painting

Fragonard Jean Honore, one of the greatest French artists of the 18th century, created canvases with playful erotic motifs. Such, for example, are “Swing”, “Ste alth Kiss”, “Two Girls”, “Odalisque”, etc.

His paintings, full of sensual bliss, are distinguished by subtle chiaroscuro effects, light painting style, and decorative coloring. Fragonard's style changed over time. If in the canvas “Latch” one can trace the classical style, then in the portraits painted in the 1760s, a romantic influence is noticeable.

Another prominent representative of rocaille painting was Nicolas Lancret, who did a lot to spread French taste in Europe. His paintings were willingly bought by Catherine II, Frederick II of Prussia, not counting private collectors - admirers of the Rococo style.

Paintings of famous artists of that time are today presented in the expositions of the largest museums in the world. Although critics evaluate the aesthetics of Rococo differently, it is nevertheless impossible to deny the original originality of this style, which has no prototypes in history.