Unit 8: Art in the 18th century

1. Rococo

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At the beginning of the 18th century, still during the Ancien Régime, certain changes took place in France. Although we were still in the era of absolute monarchies, the aristocracy increasingly held political sway, and the middle and upper-middle classes of society also gained prominence. These middle and upper-middle classes are what we know as the bourgeoisie. While royalty had an artistic taste inclined toward glorifying their personalities and depicting scenes of war, the aristocracy and bourgeoisie that emerged during this period had a more refined taste for more mundane, intimate, and delicate things. In the scenes of this new art, called Rococo, we find love affairs, ballroom dancing, country parties, mythological scenes featuring the goddess Venus or Diana… and gallant love in general.

 

1.1 Architecture:
In French architecture, there was an accumulation of decorative elements such as wavy lines, irregular elements, rocaille, etc., all within this new sensibility that epitomized the desire for gallantry, irony, and interest in small and delicate objects of this era. The buildings were sober on the outside, but the decoration was overflowing inside. This decoration had a strong orientalizing quality; it was what they called the Chinese taste or chinoiserie, with abundant porcelain and fabrics and extensive landscape decoration featuring exotic animals, etc. Possibly the most representative example of French architecture in this style is the Hotel Soubise in Paris.

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In Germany, the landscape is very similar: palaces, greenhouses, and stables were built, always surrounded by large gardens similar to those at Versailles. An example of this Rococo style, with its highly ornate decoration, is the Hall of Mirrors at Amalienburg Palace by François de Cuvilles, or the Church of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, designed by the architect Balthazar Neumann. However, the most beautiful and representative work is Ottobeuren Abbey, designed by Johann Michael Fischer.

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1.2 Painting

In France, there are three great exponents: on the one hand, Antoine Watteau, whose work Pleasures of Love depicts the amorous play and gallantry of richly dressed aristocrats, all within a landscape with a vaporous atmosphere halfway between dream and reality. Another representative is François Boucher, author of the famous painting Diana resting after Her Bath, which embodies the image of a very delicate and innocent femininity despite depicting goddesses from Greek mythology. The other great representative of French Rococo is Jean-Honoré Fragonard, whose work is full of vivacity, sensuality, a plenitude of color, a joie de vivre, and a certain more or less concealed eroticism. His most famous work is The Swing, a painting that would serve to illustrate practically the entire Rococo aesthetic.

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1.3 Sculpture

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Bernini's influence would be decisive in 18th-century sculpture, although this one would acquire characteristics of refinement, grace, and elegance more characteristic of Rococo,
The main Rococo sculptors would be French: Bouchardon, Pigalle and Falconet.
In Spain, the founding of the Academy of San Fernando sought to renew the tradition of wood sculpture by directing artists toward Italy. The Royal Sites and the need for decorative sculptures for their halls and gardens were of great importance.