Baroque Vs Rococo

Welcome to another article on "Art History Tuesdays" where we take a look at art around the world that influenced art movements, represented a small capsule of time, or represented a way of living and culture. Today we're going to be talking about the two most influential art movements from the 17th and 18th Century. Yes, that's right. Today we're talking about Baroque and Rococo! Though both eras are well known for their painters, I'd like to focus on the architectural side of things today.

Both Baroque and Rococo were equally celebrated all while being held to a level of scrutiny. While some embraced the styles, others condemned them for their sensual overtones. Baroque began around 1600, and actually was part of the inspiration that caused the later movement of Rococo (1730) to take place.

Though they're both distinctive in style, they do house some similarities. They both revel in the use of decoration and aesthetically pleasing scenes.

The biggest difference between the two styles is that Rococo takes a more private tone, seeming to be meant for enjoyment in the home or with small intimate gatherings of friends. Rococo even caused the invention of the Salon- a renovated space (usually a living room) into an elaborate gathering for aristocracy to mingle and view works of art.

The Salon de la Princesse in the Hotel de Soubise, is an architectural piece done in the style of Rococo. It was an intimate room filled with decorative pieces and was very famous up until the end of the Rococo era. The Salon de la Princesse is a much smaller space than those found in the style of Baroque. While just as rich of paintings and gold lining the walls, it seems a bit more reserved, perhaps by the inclusion of a single chandelier and a plain baby blue ceiling. Arabesques were common elements in Rococo Architecture.

You can find even more beautiful pictures of this Hotel in the link below. Just don't blame me when you find yourself making plans to visit France after seeing them!

In contrast, Baroque was loud and dramatic. It was celebrated and used in much more public spaces. Both faced opposition from some members of the church, stating it to be too self-indulgent, and since many of the paintings in both styles featured nude or sexual themes, it can be seen why this was thought by some.

The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles; an architecture piece done in the style of Baroque, had expensive and hard to obtain glass mirrors, placed opposite of the window arches, causing a reflection of light which was astonishing to see in person. The ceiling was vaulted and decorated with canvas paintings glorifying the reign of the king. There are extensive eloquently hung chandeliers and many other accessories to the hall that are anything but subtle. It was a hallway meant to be gawked and talked about, which is much in the spirit of baroque. The over-decadence truly captures the spirit of Baroque era architecture.

Baroque and Rococo share many similarities and differences, yet it seems Baroque lasted for much longer than Rococo. We could ponder as to why Baroque seemed to stick longer than Rococo did; But we may never know. What we do know are the impact both of these styles had on artists, architects, philosophers, and even kings of their respective eras.

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