Rococo and Neoclassic Art.
Rococo refers to a style of art, architecture, and decoration that emerged from Paris, France, in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries (Bycroft, 365). The term derives from the French word ‘rocaille’ meaning rock or rubble. Some authors refer to it as late baroque and another expression within the movement. This art has some characters, including asymmetrical values, pastel color palette, and curved lines. It also features sculpted molding, soft colors and some aspects of trompe l’oeil frescoes. They mostly depict themes that revolve around love, nature, classical myths, romantic encounters, and youth. The Venetian school influenced art through the use of erotic subjects, color, and Arcadian landscapes. It had painters such as Giorgione and Titian. Many authors first attributed the first piece, The Pastoral Concert to Giorgione, although it later became clear that it was one of Titian’s early works. It depicted and became the foundation of Rococo’s fete Galante, which is a courtship painting. The school of Fontainebleau also contributed to its internal design. When Louis XV took the reign in 1723, he became a patron and proponent of Rococo art and design. Some great artists who excelled and promoted this kind of art include Jean-Antoine Watteau through his works such as Embarkation for Cythera, Mezzetin, and the pleasures of the ball. Another one is Francois Boucher in his work, such as the toilet of Venus. Madame de Pompadour became known as the godmother of Rococo. She promoted the style, primarily through her patronage of other artists such as Jean-Marc Nattier and Jean-Baptiste Réveillon. Even though France was central to the development of Rococo art, it spread to other areas such as Italy, particularly Venice. It had artists such as Giovanni Battista Tiepolo through his works, such as Apotheosis of the Spanish Monarchy. Another one was Giovanni Antonio Canal and his works, such as the Piazza San Marco in Venice. Rococo art also spread to Germany, identifiable through the use of vibrant pastel colors such as lilac, pink, and blue. The English Rococo also incorporated serpentine lines such as the work of William Hogarth titled A Harlot’s Progress.
Neoclassicism refers to movement during the classical art period and drawing from the ancient Greek and Rome cultures in keeping up with the age of enlightenment in the late eighteen and early nineteenth centuries (Yan and Chongzhou, 63). It got more momentum from the exploration and discoveries made from the excavation of the buried Roman cities Herculaneum and Pompeii. It also adopted the work of the French Royal Academy of the Arts in 1669. The works include paintings and sculptures of classical literature and history in Greek and Roman art. Its characteristics include aspects such as somber colors, with occasional brilliant highlights depicting moral narratives of self-denial and self-sacrifice and acknowledging the superiority of the antique. They also used hard edges and bright primary colors in paintings. The sculptures had smooth and highly polished marble. Another dominant characterization of such art was the use of the heroic male nude. The work also portrayed feelings of unemotional, serious, and sternly heroic figures. Unlike Rococo, which was decadent and more decorative, Neoclassic art had more political purposes and inspired a movement in cooperating with Greco-Roman culture. Some primary influencers of neoclassic art include the two French Baroque artists, Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain, through their emphasis on a classical approach. Anton Raphael Mengs was one of the earliest neoclassic painters with works such as Parnassus. Another artist was a Frenchman, Joseph-Marie Vien, through his works such as the Cupid Seller in 1763. Neo-classism has evolved through a new phase between 1900 and 1930, including painters such as Pablo Picasso with pieces such as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in 1907 and Weeping Woman of 1937. The other artist is Fernand Leger, and his work titled Woman in Red and Green.