Humanities: Rococo and Neo-Classicism

Flashcards about Rococo and Neo-Classicism art styles.

The Eighteenth Century

The Age of Enlightenment, Reason, and Diversity, marked by optimism, trust in science, and belief in natural order and progress. Also a time of revolution driven by resentment and dissatisfaction.

Social role of Rococo art

grace and charm serving the important purpose of shielding this class from the growing problems of the real world

Characteristics of the Rococo Style

Fanciful, Light-hearted, Graceful, Florid, Lightness, Delicacy, Whimsical, Use of Pastels, Idealistic Scenes, Use of Cupids, Playful, Witty, Frivolity, Decadent, and Erotic.

Jean Antoine Watteau

The first French Rococo painter, credited with inventing the genre of fêtes galantes and revitalizing the waning Baroque style.

Fêtes galantes

Paintings of elegant outdoor festivals attended by courtly figures, often touched by a mood of nostalgia.

François Boucher

A French painter in the Rococo style known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories, and pastoral scenes; painted portraits of Madame de Pompadour.

Jean-Honoré Fragonard

The last of the great French Rococo painters, a prolific artist who captured romance in his works; works exemplify the Rococo characteristics of playful, witty, frivolity, decadent and erotic.

Rosalba Carriera

A Venetian Rococo painter known for her pastel work and her ability to depict textures and patterns, portraying the lavish lifestyle of her rich and influential patrons.

Neo-Classicism

Artistic movement of the 18th century influenced by the excavation of Herculaneum and Pompeii, emphasizing classical style, rationality, and enlightenment.

Antonio Canova and Jean Antoine Houdon

Italian and French sculptors who used Classical models along with their imagination and creativity.

Jean-Antoine Houdon

A French neoclassical sculptor famous for his portrait busts and statues of philosophers, inventors, and political figures of the Enlightenment, including Voltaire, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.