Rococo Art : A Unique Style Of Art

The Renaissance occurred in Europe between 1400 and 1600. This event began in Italy during the Medieval period and then expanded to the rest of Europe, marking the start of the Modern age. The Renaissance began in Florence Italy in the 14th century. It was a cultural movement that had an enormous impact in Europe during the early modern period. The Renaissance’s influenced politics, science, literature, art, philosophy, religion, music, and other aspects. Around the 13th century in Italy started the Renaissance’s art influence. Leonardo da Vinci, was known as the "Renaissance man," because of his art masterpieces and his studies in other fields during this time. Italy wasn’t a political concept in the

Rococo was an art style that originated in France in the mid-17th century. Rococo itself evolved from the earlier Baroque period, and shared several elements with it. Indeed, Rococo is often referred to as Late Baroque for this reason. Both placed a heavy emphasis on ornate, highly sculpted detail and ornamentation, especially in regards to architecture and sculpture. Likewise both featured artwork rooted in more realistic depictions of people. However, they were also different in several important ways, and reflected changing social attitudes. Where Baroque was rooted in religion and promoted by the Catholic Church as a response to the Protestant Reformation, Rococo flourished during the “Age of Enlightenment”, a time where

2Louis XV, also known as Louis the Well Beloved, was ruler of France from 1715 to 1774 and like his great-grandfather, he also made great advancements in the field of art as he introduced the Rococo style to Europe. This new elegant and decorative style

During the 17th century when Louis XIV was king, French Society was ruled by his program of order through hierarchy and his minister Colbert economic policies of mercantilism. The French painting seems

Giorgio De Chirico’s art can be viewed one that evolved tremendously over time. However, his artwork portrayed a number of characteristics and traits that differentiated them from the works of other artists in his time. This is probably why his art remains a puzzling factor to many from the 20th Century to date. A wide use themes and concepts can be seen in a number of his works. He has played a huge role in shaping the surrealist works of art.

Regarding the Baroque period, it is stated "the period of time in Western Europe from about 1600 to the mid 1700s was one of religious, political, and scientific upheaval, and these tensions are reflected in the arts of the age." Focusing on the political end, King Louis XIV of France used the style of art during this period to portray himself as an absolute monarch. The phrase "absolute monarch" refers to the method that kings would use to consolidate their power and resources at the expense of the "nobility of the church." King Louis XIV is known to be the most successful of the absolute monarchs. In order to achieve this, he relied heavily on the art and style of the Baroque period. The art was used to emulate their power, and many looked

At this time Paris was fun and careless before the French Revolution of 1789 released its horrors on it. But the outbreak of the revolution changed everything, and with all of the violence around, she fled France with her daughter to find safety in Italy (Moffat and Mossman). When she returned, Paris was a completely different place. However, the demand for her art had not changed. Vigee Le Brun is considered a painter of the rococo period. Rococo is best described as an eighteenth century art style that places importance on the carefree life rather than grand heroes. Originally the rococo fashion started in Paris, where Vigee Le Brun was born. It changed the way people looked at art and the world in general (Bleiberg). Vigee Le Brun not only used the rococo style in her art, but also to influence fashion, persuading women to wear simple, high waist shifts, which would be an important stepping stone in changing fashion forever. By refusing to put powder in her hair, she made being natural beautiful. If it weren’t for her innovations we might still be wearing Victorian gowns and wigs. She made fashion and styles for young women, such as herself, more daring and interesting (Steadman).

France was in trade relations with Italy. Louis XIV convinced the mirror-makers in Italy to come to France. Moreover, the Baroque period in Northern Europe had a different kind of trade. The Dutch, for instance, had slave trade. Going to economics, before France became a leading world power, it had suffered an economic decline during the reign of Louis XIV (1643). The greatest drain on the economy was probably caused by Louis’s insatiable architectural ambition. He spent so much in the beautification of the Palace of Versailles that the economic status was no longer balanced. In contrast, France replaced Italy as the artistic leader because of the standard that Versailles had set in European countries. Louis XIV was then considered one of the greatest rulers in

The artists Jean-Honore Fragonard and Jaques-Louis David both successfully embody their respective stylistic differences. Fragonard’s style of painting is Rococo, which is characterized by its softness, asymmetry and curviness. Contrasting these ideals is David’s style of painting, Neo-Classicism. Neo-Classicism is synonymous with strong gestures, symmetry, and solidness. Two works that best exemplify the ideals of each style of painting are Fragonard’s The Swing, 1767 and David’s The Death of Socrates, 1787. Although at first glance, it is easier to focus on how each work is different to the other, one can argue that they are similar in theme. Both

The reign of Louis XIV was the longest of the modern era, and during his time, France reached remarkable achievements in art and architecture, such as the Palace of Versailles. Louis XIV was responsible for creating the lavish complex that was filled with Baroque interiors and surrounded by French and English gardens. In its later years, it was further renovated for other kings then given to the Republic for public use. Through its elaborate ornamentation and massive scale, the Palace of Versailles represents the glory of the Sun King and expresses the power of the French monarchy.

What is Rebirth? The Renaissance, a cultural and historical movement, began in the 15th and 16th Centuries. Throughout the Renaissance, the influence of Ancient Rome was rediscovered after many advances in thought had been lost during the medieval dark ages. The center of this ideological revolution based itself in Italy. Renowned artists involved in the revolution include Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Jan Van Eyck. After hundreds of years, numerous pieces of work which these gentlemen crafted still stand. The Renaissance springboarded numerous, unique styles of art and dramatically impacted modern day art.

The Renaissance time period was home to many new ideas in art. This includes new artists bringing forth ideas that had yet to be discovered and made popular. New themes and types of art were also being brought forward during this period.

against these oppression. One of the transitions that took place was the move from Rococo style art to

The renaissance or “rebirth” was a cultural awakening which spanned from the fourteenth to sixteenth century. A growing interest in humanist traits and classical ideas heavily influenced the art during the renaissance. A growing community of artists provided much needed competition for their profession. The renaissance introduced many different and modern ideas but also remained obedient to classical belief. The unique art of the renaissance spread throughout Europe. Northern European art differed tremendously from Italian art.

Chapters two to eight follow each other chronologically, and examine how the image of Louis XIV changed during his reign. Chapter two pays particular attention to the different media used by the king and his 'image-makers '. This chapter is a good introduction to the different styles and genres used to create royal images, for example by comparing classicism and baroque and explaining recurrent allegories, metaphors and commonplaces used in the representations of Louis XIV. Chapters two to four give us the necessary background to understand the study of the relation between art and power in the time of Louis XIV. Whilst in chapter three, Peter Burke concentrates on how royal representations respond to contemporary events, he then is primarily concerned in chapter four with the construction of the structures of glorification of the king. The reader is introduced to two key figures in