Definition for Rococo
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Rococo style (18th century) in architecture, unlike most previous architectural styles, was primarily a style of interior design. Its refinement and decorativeness applied to furniture and décor more than to exterior structure or even detail. At this time in history, the aristocracy lived principally in attached row houses and simply had no exteriors to design. The result was a delicate style with pseudonatural effects typified by curved leg furniture, cornices, and gilded carvings creating a pleasant atmosphere of grace and propriety. Rococo style in painting is essentially a decorous style exhibiting intimate grace, charm, and delicate superficiality. Its scenes portray lively effervescence and melodrama with predominant themes of love, friendship, sentiment, pleasure, and sincerity. A frivolous “naughtiness” often pervades paintings of this style. Rococo style in sculpture, like painting, is decorous, intimate, graceful, charming, and delicately superficial. Cupids, nymphs, and Venus, the goddess of love, are frequent subjects, and their mythological character usually has a contemporary meaning. Love, friendship, sentiment, and pleasure are frequent themes, as in painting. The scale of Rococo sculpture is less monumental than the Baroque. It often takes the shape of graceful porcelain and metal figures that capture erotic sensuality and lively intelligence.