Baroque style can be identified as a seemingly straight line, for it denotes serenity, peace and silence. It is directed to give self importance and grandeur. That is, it emphasize being a center-piece and not as a beautified ornament. It posses a heavy tone and usually portrayed with broken lines and curves Rococo is another art style that has developed later in the 17th century. Although it also uses different colors with curves and lines, it differs from baroque style for it uses lighter tones and has more shells and leafs, adding more curves to the usual Baroque style. Also it is characterized to posses more ornaments and usually portrayed a ‘play-like’ scenes. The Rococo style is more spacious and has more designed that are usually seen to be inconsequential but is fanciful.
In the reign of Louis XIV the main theme in arts and architecture was the ‘Baroque’ style which is mainly composed of intricacy in forms and patterns. Baroque style was then set by the King for it is the King who has great impact and influenced in the production of furniture and in style in general. The style that was in accordance with Louis XIV is that of grandeur and elegance. It tries to emphasize greatness and in a way gives an astounding impact. Nonetheless, when the reign of Louis XV came, the style becomes more fanciful than usual Baroque style. It comprises of more ornaments and has some with oriental touches. In contrast with the baroque style of Louis XIV the rococo style at the time of Louis XV has more natural and lighter impact.
Watteau, one of the prominent painters who embrace the rococo style had his own version of ‘Departure/Embarkation from Cytherea’ which composed of nature and a more fanciful theme than the original version. Watteau’s version has obviously lighter color that caters a more open and happier feeling. In Watteau work, ‘Gersaint Shop-sign’, one can view that the king there was Louis XIV and the art work style of Louis XIV were being packed away.
As can be interpreted in Bouche’s works, the Rococo style garnered favors because it displays more curves and lighter shades. In comparison to the Baroque style, Rococo style has lighter shades, more space. In his painting ‘Nude in the Sofa’ the lines are finer and more curvaceous than the paintings in the baroque period, also even without light, the painting appear with a more polished and lighter shade. The inclusion of ‘natural materials’ that is favored in Rococo style is also depicted in Bouche’s ‘The Toilet of Venus’.
Overall, the video gave me an idea of how different Rococo style from Baroque style. I like how the video show the contrasting features of the two styles which is not obvious at first glance. Through the artworks that were displayed in the video I was able to get a deeper understanding of arts during the 17th and 18th century.
References:
Video.
Author’s Personal Notes. 2008.
Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
