Chinoiserie Red

Chinoiserie Red

Baroque vs. Roccoco

Both 17th and 18th centuries were a great time for modern civilization with scientific breakthroughs, geographical discoveries, cultural and political changes. French domination and reign of Louis XIV in 17th century affected European culture forever. In art and architecture this period was called baroque, especially in French variant characterized opulence forms, exorbitance of decoration, extravagance and theatrical background, intending to proof greatness and power of France. To pointed his vanity, Louis XIV in 1682 moved his residence to Versailles and created there unofficial capital of France. Court’s lifestyle gave directions. Despite of huge, expensive and sometimes few-days performances, Versailles life was rigid and ordered. Everything was focused on the King and for the King. It was very simple, even to no avail of life. Changes came over 70 years of reign of Louis XIV, when young Louis XV was ruled as a King in 1715.

Despotism of his father was gone!

On the beginning personal control of government, between 1715 and 1723, had uncle of 5 years old king, Philippe Charles of Orleans, as a Regent. The NEW was coming – named later as Rococo, called sometimes as the Style of Aristocracy. Indeed, new style was a response of wealthy groups of citizens, rich merchants, bankers and French aristocracy. In fact, at the beginning it was French style with domestic and famine character existing mostly in interior art as a decorative style against extravagance, stiff, overwhelming, theatrical baroque. Because of the fact that Louis XV moved capitol of France again to Paris, the main arena for new style was privet, town houses called Hotels smaller in scale then chateaus and palaces with smaller and characterised by intimacy rooms. Urban lifestyle of rich people was totally different from rigid, pompous Versailles life. Conscious of new era, lived in modern and cultural time, people had concept for new life, gay and light-hearted from one side and domestic, restrain from the other. First of all, new style as a decorative focused mainly on the elements to built frivolous, optimistic and lighter character then baroque. Heavy, fussy baroque ornaments were replaced by whimsical, restless, undulating curves. To achieve less formal and lighter character then baroque interiors, rococo designers were using contrast by asymmetry what was absolutely new taste in European decoration. Asymmetrical decoration, including natural elements as animals, shells, leaves and exotics motifs from East countries as China, for example, were used with judgment. Rococo was also totally different from baroque in colours vocabulary. In place heavy, rich red, green and over gilded interiors appear in pastels with pink, light blue or green colours rooms with gilded or silvered ornaments. In many cases, frescos and three dimensional baroque ceilings were replaced by white or light painted with subtle, flats ornaments. Mentioned before, feminine look of new style was reflected by cultural and social position of women as mistress to king Louis XV and patron of Rococo artists, Madame de Pompadour in France, Catherine in Russia or Maria Theresa in Austria who gave rococo, delicate, elegant, even erotic sense. Because rococo was secular style, religious themes in art were rarity to compare it with previous baroque. Main subjects, thus were different variations of love such as romantic, erotic, mother and also scenes of aristocratic social live and human relationships. As a romantic and domestic style rococo brought different kinds of artistic, interiors, decorative ‘new’ objects as small sculpture, delightful ceramics, silver objects, others home wares and developed existing furnishing, tapestry, paintings. Undoubtedly, accounted above decorative elements were quintessence of rococo and reflected mobility, affective and sensible character of people at that time. Distinction to heavy ornate and colours, carved, symmetrical and grave baroque furniture, in Rococo were smaller, more pleasure and lightsome. Upholstered chairs had cushioned arms, back and seats, consoles, commodes, pedestals for display of small sculptures. Free standing, movable, carved and sensitive curved, often with chinoiseries taste furniture were typical in contrast to baroque. Three other exemplary, existed residual in baroque, rococo materials were glass, porcelain and metal. At first porcelain was exported from China, later produced by European manufactures as well. Metal was commonly used as accessories for smaller and more elegant then in baroque chimneypieces, balustrades or furniture elements and other decorative objects. Rococo, French originality spread across the Europe, especially to Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, and Austria, Holland, Czech and Poland minutely. In England in turn, rococo developed self directing. It was mainly apparent as French influential in some kinds of art. In architecture, rococo as decorative style differentiates to baroque was existed in smaller way, mainly in rebuilding and renovation of existing buildings. Leading features used in rococo facades were asymmetrical arrangement, in place of domes, slope roofs as mansard’s roofs for example were used, shells motives, pastel colours, restrain design and ‘human’ scale. In fact, rococo evaluated from baroque, but with totally different circumstances of insurrection, even contrary mood, at times of similar elements but unlike intention to act this style was independent and more humanist. For me, however, rococo is still too opulent, too many elements and exorbitance in use, s-shapes and floral motifs merged with chinoiseries to prevent existing pure forms, clear appearance, master decorations and private, individual character. In conclusion, after all for me the most important principle of architecture and design is LESS MEANS MORE.

About the Author

Christopher Adach

Antique English Regency style (19/20th Cent) red lacquer