The Rococo art is not confined to its own time alone. Many other artistic styles have adopted the distinctive visual elements of Rococo.
This artistic style has made significant contributions to other fields, such as architecture and furniture. In these two fields, Rococo style served as a turning point that transformed their conventions.
Rococo style essentially encompasses nearly all aspects of art, ranging from painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design, decorative arts, to literature, music, and theater. However, in this text, we will limit our discussion of this style to the realm of visual arts.
As a movement, Rococo style may not be as widely known in Indonesia, as its popularity pales in comparison to design styles like Victorian, Modern, Minimalist, and others. Nevertheless, it was once a cherished trend in its time.
In continental Europe, Rococo is used to describe an artistic movement characterized by fanciful and luxurious elements. In its early days, this artistic style was born and flourished in 18th-century France as a reaction against the rigid and austere principles of Baroque art.
The term “Rococo” is actually a combination of two French terms: “rocaille,” meaning garden ornamentation and interior decoration with shell motifs, and “barocco,” which means “extraordinarily beautiful gem, or something depicted beautifully, enchanting, and unique.”
One form of architecture with Rococo style source: http://www.buffaloah.com
Compared to earlier artistic styles, Rococo has its own uniqueness. It cannot be judged solely based on a single object, such as its paintings or furniture products alone.
To appreciate and enjoy the beauty of this style, enthusiasts or admirers must observe how the artistic objects complement and merge with one another to create a distinctive interior beauty.
In its time, Rococo style could be enjoyed in spaces known as salons – rooms constructed and provided by royalty, nobility, and the bourgeoisie as gathering places for the elite, socialites, and intellectuals. These salons were not open to the general public, so not just anyone could enter these elite spaces.
In these salon rooms, the walls were adorned with decorations and three-dimensional objects layered with gold and silver, combined with brilliant white colors. Paintings did not stand alone but were displayed alongside luxurious ornaments such as chandeliers – crystal candleholders, void walls/mirror walls – mirrors as large as walls, and luxurious and classy furniture.
The Rococo style did not end with its time alone. In subsequent eras, many other artistic styles adopted the distinctive visual elements of this style. Rococo also made significant contributions to other fields, such as architecture and the world of furniture.
In these two fields, Rococo became a turning point that changed the rules of architecture and furniture construction, leading to what we can enjoy today. In the world of interior design and home decoration, this style has returned in a different form, often referred to as Shabby Chic. While these two artistic styles are not exactly the same, among others, Shabby Chic is the one that has inherited the most elements and visual ideas from Rococo.
