In this class, we discussed how the spirit of the Rococo period still echoed aspects of the Baroque era, with the focus on decorative elements. However, architecturally, this had shifted from the exterior ornaments to indoor/ private luxury. In some sense, this new version of luxury is less heavy and oppressive, perhaps representing the condition of that era, with the death of the King and the nobility taking over the ruling power. This is shown quite clearly in the plain facade, elaborate interior design of Hôtel Particulier owned by these people.

Another aspect of the period that came to represent the arts of the Rococo period is the general triumphs of Rubenists over Poussinists in their influence on the artistic landscape. Paintings of this time are painterly, emotional, sexual, and expressive. We looked at the infamous Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s The Swing, which, on top of the pale color palette and expressive figures, held an underlying sexual tension, both shown and kept hidden from the audience. This form  of subject matters hold an important space in this era, as many artworks were created with a purpose of offering escapism to their viewers. On the flip side, there were also works that were used as a tool to teach moral lessons and impose threats on individuals that society deems as unrighteous, such as Greuze’s The Village Bride which depicts an idealistic portrait of a morally upstanding family structure, or William Hogarth The Rake’s Progress and The Harlot’s Progress series , which respectively creates a continuous story of a downfall of a young figure corrupted by hedonistic activities under an exaggerated, “theater-like” light. Interestingly, animals were sometimes used as a tool to tell these narratives – perhaps as Rousseau, many believed that animals carry an idealistic image of how to be a righteous human, and that there’s an indestructible concept of morality and social condition that all individuals carry.

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.

In today’s class, we shifted our focus to Rococo painting in 18th-century France. We first studied art that was made specifically for the nobility. The nobility typically lived in Paris, in “hotel particuliers,” which were elegant rooms, but were also very small because Paris was a very crammed city. One of the most influential artists of the time was Jean-Antoine Watteau. His “A Pilgrimage to Cythera” was a piece that we studied. Created in 1717, the artwork represents a reception piece that got Watteau into the French Academy of Arts. Cythera is an island sacred to Venus, and is evident through the sculpture of Venus present in the scene. The island is being reached by boat, and people throughout the island all seem to be couples. Everyone is interacting in different ways, but the center of the scene is a lady who is reluctant to leave the island. She is looking back at the island, as her husband is telling her it is time to go. The island is almost a mythological place that is too pleasant and perfect to leave. It is a representation of escapist, which can be described as going to a magical island, and spending a divine moment, only to have to return back to reality upon departure. We can tell that Watteau’s painting is influenced by Rubens, as the colors are blended. They are pastel-like, meaning they are made up of pale colors and slightly toned-down colors. The sunset in the background adds to the beauty of the scene as well.

This class we learned about the Rococo period, and the ways it defines itself and reflects the circumstances of the time. France in particular felt the Rococo deeply, and in a sense the period began with the death of Louis XIV. Now that nobility no longer was bound to Versailles, noblemen began to live in cities in “Hotel Particulier.” While the palace focuses its expression of power outwardly, new noble residences turn towards fancy decor within the home. Walls begin to be decorated with ornate, organic looking gilded reliefs, and furniture was made to look delicate and airy. Scrolls, shells, and leaves were common shapes to find within a wealthy home.

In painting, technique became very painterly and blended. Colors were less pure, and were more seated within the environment. Flowy, elegant composition was favored over rigidity and calculation. A Pilgrimage to Cythera is an example of these, along with the common theme of escapism that was popular among the nobility and those able to commission paintings. For the bourgeoisie, these paintings reflected the moral depravity of the noble classes, so the painting they consumed was much more moralizing and less ornate. Boy Soap Bubble is a painting that acts as a vanitas as well as a genre scene. The boy blows a shiny, pretty, bubble that will inevitably pop–this is how mid and low social classes saw the overindulgent nobility. Eventually, these feelings would culminate in the French Revolution.

In class on Monday we covered the Rococo period (18th-Century Art), mainly covering France and ending by transitioning to England. The Rococo began following the death of Louis XIV in 1715. During the absolute monarchy of Louis XIV, there was a great focus on creating elaborate decorations that created a public face for the king’s power. Following the death of Louis XIV, the aristocrats moved from Versailles into the city of Paris. In Paris, though the city streets were cramped, the aristocrats created grand interior spaces for private use. These homes were decorated in a manner that was lighter in color, more airy in feel, and conveyed a general sense of lightness than the productions under Louis XIV. There was a strong sense of organicness in the interiors.

In today’s class we disscued 18th c. art, particularly the Rococo period in France and the transitional period that followed it. Rococo art began with the death of Louis XIV and the subsequent succession of Louis XV. Under the new king, the nobility gained back much of the power they had lost under Louis XIV and began to move out of Versaille and into Paris. They lived primarily in modest townhouses in Paris which would have plain exteriors, but they paired this with lavish and highly decorated interior. The decoration style is quite similar to that of the Palace of Versaille with lots of gilding and ornate furnate, but these spaces are much more intimate and clearly meant to be functional and adaptable. These homes were called “hôtel particular” and mark a shift in French archetetcure from an emphasis on the facade to the interior.

The nobility also became major patrons of the arts in France commissioned works to decoarte their lavish townhouses or the walls of salons. These works depicted primarily aristocratic individuals, and often in nature. Watteau’s A Pilgrimage to Cythera is a hallmark piece of this era. The work done in a very painterly style with the heavy blending which makes the figures and the background mesh together in a dreamy haze. Watteau also uses pastel colors, such as light pinks and yellows, which pop against the cool green landscape, but are not necessarily very vibrant or bold. Watteau uses light to draw the eye to certain features rather than bright colors.

Today, we analyzed the Rococo style in class. Emerging first in France after the death of Louis XIV, it started as a form of architecture and interior design. Many nobility returned to live in Parisian townhouses know as Hôtel Particuliers, which had plain exteriors. But on the inside, they were decorated lavishly but also delicately, with an emphasis on small design details and a lighter feel with white walls being popular. During this time, the ongoing debate between Poussinistes and Rúbenistes continued, with Rubenistes’ focus on color being synonymous with the Rococo age. Jean-Antoine Watteau was a follower of color. His painting Pilgrimage to Cythera is filled with pastel greens and pinks, and is bright and brushy in style. The line of couples filling the scene mimic the idea of a continuous narrative and direct the eye with the flow of movement. The painting overall is an escapist theme – idealizing a momentary escape from reality.

Boudoir paintings were also popular during this era. So called because they were meant for private viewing, paintings ranged from casual portraits to more erotic scenes. Boucher’s Portrait of Madame de Pompadour shows the mistress of Louis XV relaxed in her finery and in her private chambers, with books and personal letters strewn around her. Fragonard’s The Swing is more implying, with a woman playfully swinging while a baron hides below her looking up. The cupid statue in the garden gives the painting an air of secrecy and hidden delight. Consistent with the Rococo style, both paintings employ pastels and a light technique.

In today’s class we started talking about the Rococo period of art in the 18th century. After the death of Louis XIV in 1715, the world of art shifted. Louis is the longest reigning monarch in all of history and so his death signified an important end to classicism art and moved to a new style called Rococo. We started looking at some interior spaces in the 18th century which are considerably different than what we know today. The uses of the beautiful gold accents tables and chairs and white walls with organic, arabesque, and scroll like designs compare very differently to the 17th century Baroque period.

Looking more into the artwork of the Rococo period, the style of painting changes from using line to only using paint which creates a airbrush, blended painting. In Rococo paintings the use of pastels is very prominent, we will not see any harsh reds, or blues like in the 17the century. A painting I particularly enjoyed was the The Swing made by Jean Honoré Fragonard in 1767. Even though there is an erotic meaning behind it, I really enjoy the color palette and how whimsical and as used in class “fluffy” the painting is.

Today we began class by discussing Dutch Landscape. When looking at the horizon line, the ratio of sky to land is generally 1/3 to 2/3. Elements such as nature, people, and human adaptations determine the scale of the landscape. This was a period when scientists started to conceive the universe as infinite, and this made its way into the arts. Tiny people also allows for a bigger landscape. Many of these elements can be seen in Jan van Goyens Pelkus’s bate Near Utrecht. We then discussed Jacob Van Ruisdael and his Bleaching ground near Haarlem. This is a type of Baroque with contrast of light. There are also patches of light from the clouds depicting motion. It’s like a snapshot, painting is a moment in time. Next, we discussed the Church in Haarlem. This is very much like and architectural rendering, it is very plain and bland as compared to Italian churches filled with art. The church’s interior can also be referred to as a type of landscape or maybe a portrait. We then began the topic of still life from the Dutch Stilleven. Said to be at the bottom of the prestige hierarchy. We looked at Willem Claesz’s Heda, still life with oysters, a Roemer, a lemon, and a silver bowl. The color scheme is very simple and there is a sense of space seen through the window reflected in the glass. Caravaggio also inspires fundamental lighting.

In the next part of the class, we talked about Baroque Art in France and the Palace of Versailles. This was for Louis XIV, the ruler of divine right. It shows absolute monarchy. Versailles starts small, but Louis decides to enlarge a hunting pavilion. He decided to move prior to ruling as result of a revolt, La Fronde which was a series of Civil Wars. The sheer scale is very Baroque as kings and queens were anxious to display their might. The French gardens were massive and almost designed like rooms. The ground plan reveals strong access metaphor as the sun. Louis XIV is referred to as the Sun King. Also, Versailles Hall of Mirrors multiplies the sun’s light, making it infinite. We concluded class by looking at some works from Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin.

In todays class we visited the Colby Art Museum and discussed the types of printmaking. We learned about two techniques of printmaking one being relief which is the carving into wood and the other being Intaglio, which uses etching, drypoint and engraving. We examined a bunch of artworks and distinguished what technique was used by closely looking through a magnifier to differentiate the lines and patterns.