Rococo

Rococo is the name for a style in the final phase of the Baroque, which lasted from about 1720 to 1780 and found its primary expression primarily in architecture and interior decoration. With the Rococo, the heaviness and monumentality of the Baroque was broken up by more graceful forms and a lighter, pastel color scheme. The name of the style derives from the French word "rocaille" (shell shape) and refers to the curved ornamentation that runs in playful lightness through the wall structure, which becomes more two-dimensional. The Rococo, characterized by its ornate elegance, playful cheerfulness and celebration of courtly festive culture, became the heyday of porcelain sculpture and served to embellish the lives of feudal society. Starting in France, the Rococo period developed in many parts of Europe with regional variations.