A style favored by the aristocracy — particularly in France.
c. 1700 - 1775
Beginner's guide
The sensuality of the Rococo style will soon give way to the seriousness of Neoclassicism on the brink of the French Revolution.
videos + essays
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Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait with her Daughter
Artificial? Moi? This genuine portrait of familial affection challenged assumptions about the aristocracy.
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, The Village Bride
Complete with barnyard guests, this rural wedding party embodies the Enlightenment idea of “natural” man.
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait
She fled France in disguise, but Vigée Le Brun does little to conceal her face—or her sympathy to Marie Antoinette.
Bernard II van Risenburgh, Writing table
With its organic curves and elegant lines, this meticulously crafted table encapsulates Rococo design.
The Tiepolo Family
Best known for their allegorical ceiling frescoes, this father-son team also produced cinematic prints.
A beginner’s guide to Rococo art
Flush with power and wealth, French aristocrats pursued all pleasures. Then came the Enlightenment—and Revolution.
Antoine Watteau, Pilgrimage to Cythera
With its fantastical setting and lovers’ dance, this painting introduced a new genre: the “fête galante.”
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Progress of Love: The Meeting
In this cycle, Fragonard indulges the viewer’s taste for theatre and pleasure. Subtly is in short supply!
Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, Madame Perregaux
Vigée Le Brun’s eye for drama and love of theatrical play bring this aristocratic portrait to life.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing
What’s that dog yapping about? This mischievous woman throws caution—and her slipper—to the wind.
François Boucher, Madame de Pompadour
Who is she? Boucher’s intimate portrait of King Louis XV’s mistress is strong on persona, short on personality.
