Rococo

The rococo period of art was an interesting subcategory of French art that gave a bit of insight into the tastes and activities of the French nobility at the time. The delicate nature of rococo art indicates that the nobility of France had begun to move past the richness of baroque art and were embracing a more natural, floral type of art. Baroque art was created during a time of philosophical upheaval and religious revival, so it was appropriately bold and passionate. Baroque art was characterized by bold contrasts, depictions of religious and mythological figures, and strong strokes and accents. As the nobility in French centered around Louis XV, their lofty status, isolation from the people of France, and Louis XV's own excesses allowed them to cultivate a more delicate art form. Rococo art had an element of playfulness to it that matched the spirit of the nobility at the time and notably appeared in paintings depicting people performing everyday tasks in a lighthearted manner. Rococo art also drew influences from foreign cultures, such as Oriental artwork and German baroque. The nobility were well-cultured in foreign arts, unlike the lower classes, and they utilized their knowledge of these other cultures in the creation of Rococo art.