Rococo

Rococo was a pretty and playful art style that started in France in the early 1700s. It was all about fun, beauty, and decoration. Artists used soft pastel colors like pink, light blue, and gold. Paintings showed fancy parties, gardens, and people having a good time. Buildings and furniture were covered in swirling decorations. Rococo made everything look like a fairy tale.

A Fancy Style

Rococo art was light and cheerful. It started as a way to decorate the homes of rich people in France. Walls were covered with curvy designs and gold trim. Furniture had carved flowers and ribbons. Everything felt soft and dreamy. This was very different from the serious, heavy style that came before it.

Paintings of Play

Rococo painters loved to show people enjoying life. Jean-Antoine Watteau painted people dancing in gardens. Francois Boucher painted colorful scenes with flowers and clouds. The colors were light and gentle. Brushstrokes were smooth and airy. The Rococo style spread from France to other parts of Europe. It lasted until about 1770 when people started wanting more serious art again.

Fun Facts

• The word Rococo may come from the French word rocaille, which means little rocks and shells used in decoration.
• Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, loved the Rococo style and filled her palace rooms with it.
• Rococo furniture was so fancy that some chairs were covered in gold paint and silk cushions.

Did You Know?

The Palace of Versailles in France has rooms decorated in the Rococo style with so much gold that the walls seem to glow!