Lifestyle of Rococo Era

Rococo emerged in the 18th century as a French art and design style, as well as a way of life for many during that time. Rococo works, designs and lifestyles are characterized by elegant and ornate fixtures, furniture, small sculptures, various ornamental mirrors, as well as different tapestries, reliefs, and wall paintings that compliment the architecture they are placed in. Rococo is not only expressed in the arts, but also in the lifestyles of those who lived during that time. The Rococo era encompassed not only visual arts, but also the way people lived along the era.

Looking closely at where the term Rococo came from, we could see that it has roots from the French word rocaille, or shell, which is the most common motif during that time, and also the Italian term barococo or the Baroque style itself. Rococo has been associated with the love of shell-like curves, and the focus on decorative arts. This could be considered as the prevailing fashion statement at that time, where most of the designs of dresses prints and more are related to that of the shell. It was fashion like no other, where curves and other shell like decorations are evident in most pieces of art works.

The fist manifestation of the Rococo Era was in the decorative arts and the interior designs. This is accompanied by a change in leadership, where when the King Louis XV succeeded the throne, there were also changes done in the court artists, thus affecting the general artistic fashion. The lavish designs of the Baroque designs slowly faded as the previous king neared his reign’s end. Because of this, the designs that emerged from that were more on the lighter elements, as well as emphasis given on the curves and the various natural patterns.

When it comes to the daily life of aristocrats during the Rococo period, it is characterized by a grand lifestyle, where it is full of leisure and recreation, a celebration of how they look at life: grand. Aristocrats had their houses ornamented with delicate gilded furniture, as well as wall decorations. What matters in the Rococo lifestyle is how grand and bountiful it looks to others. This can be seen with architecture in Rococo era, where most of its style is limited to the exterior, wherein its facade is ornamented with other facades. This is a manifestation that Rococo lifestyle is mainly for show, or what is seen by others in the outside.

The Rococo era is also characterized as a fanciful and often playful in nature, where the people living in that time were free-spirits, easy-going, and leisure-loving people. Their life depended on their extravagant fashion, as it is a very effective way to express them as to who they really are. As an emergence of the Baroque era, the people living in the Rococo times loved ornately designed dresses, with intricate details of shell-like structures which are very colourful as well as expensive to purchase. What matters to these people is how they would look to others, despite all the money they have spent.

The Rococo era can be credited as a movement in the arts during the early 18th century in France. This has emerged from the Baroque era, which was very evident during the age or period of Enlightenment. It is right about the time to face new ideas about the existence of man and to introduce this to the people. The Rococo movement is basically the visual representation of the optimism in which the populace felt in response to the awakening of ideas regarding the human existence. Rococo in its real essence can be considered as both the rise and fall of the Baroque art and era.

The emergence of the Rococo era can be considered as the artists as well as the society’s reaction to the heavy works that the Baroque style has created. Rococo symbolized changed, a movement from the grand manner of an artwork as well as a lifestyle, towards a lighter more charming manner which began in French architectural works at the end of Louis the XIVs reign. It has quickly spread all over Europe, arousing the interest of the artists in the region. This is a great event in the context of visual arts, as Rococo presented or portrayed a world outside the realms of our understanding.

Rococo was considered to be an art which portrayed another world outside our own, a world of artificiality, make believe, as well as game playing and leisure loving. It is a lifestyle dependent of a person’s stature, as t was considered to be a way of the aristocracy. It is the reflection of how these aristocracies lived their own lives, emphasizing on their indulgences, their wants, and even their utter greed. This is aside from the fact that these aristocracies should be the ones who should help those who were in need. These lifestyles are usually unreflective of their ways that’s why they lack morality, self-discipline, reason and more.

The Rococo era is a very colourful part of man’s attempt to understand more about the world through arts. As an emergence of the Baroque era, the Rococo aims to address the shortcomings experienced by those who were from the Baroque era. The Rococo can be considered as a revolution, a movement which everyone anticipates to take over as soon as opportunity tells to do so. As a part of the human lifestyle, the Rococo era gives us another perspective on reality.

Works Cited:

Rococo Art. (2005).   Retrieved December 17, 2007, from http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c17th-mid19th/rococo.htm

Dress and Decor. (2007). The Baroque and Rococo Style – Introduction.   Retrieved December 17, 2007, from http://www.theatre.ubc.ca/dress_decor/baroque_rococo_intro.htm

Gietmann, G. (1912). Rococo Style.   Retrieved December 17, 2007, from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13106a.htm

Harden, M. (2005). Rococo.   Retrieved December 17, 2007, from http://ww.artchive.com/artchive/rococo.html

World Wide Arts Resources. (2006). Art History: Rococo: (1700 – 1760).   Retrieved Decemeber 17, 2007, from http://wwar.com/masters/movements/rococo.html