This class we discussed the end of absolute monarchy and how it led to the onset of the Rococo Period. Since the nobles were no longer required to be near the king, they moved into cities. With that, art and design became lighter and less oppressive, as well as much more private. The Rococo was characterized by its derivation from nature, its use of color and emotion, as well as its step away from symmetry. One notable painting from the Rococo is Jean-Antoine Watteau’s A Pilgrimage to Cythera. Watteau’s painting is extremely blended and painterly, and uses warm color. The lack of structure creates a flowing quality, that helps create a sense of escapism.
While many paintings and pieces from the Rococo display the luxurious and self-indulgent lifestyle of the nobility, the bourgeoisie often commissioned paintings warning against hedonism. William Hogarth’s painting, The Orgy, is from a series which tells the story of a wealthy man who indulges in immorality. The painting depicts the main character in a brothel, with urine spilt on the floor. This was reflective of the paintings commissioned by the bourgeoisie, moralistic rather than the flaunting paintings of the aristocrats.