Rococo Decorative Art
Rococo was an aesthetic movement in the fine and decorative arts in the 18th century that found its inspiration in nature and fostered an overall lightness and delicacy of form, construction and ornament in interior design. Rococo furniture, while greatly influenced by trends in Italy and Germany, is often called Louis XV style — the movement having reached its best expression during that sybaritic French king’s reign.
The term “rococo” is thought to be a portmanteau of the French words rocaille and coquilles — “rock” and “shells” — organic motifs frequently used in architecture and design of the style.
When it comes to authentic Rococo furniture's characteristics, it is above all sensuous and social. The furniture of earlier eras in Europe had been heavy in every sense; the Rococo period saw the appearance of light-framed upholstered armchairs, side chairs and occasional tables that could easily be moved to form conversational circles.
The signal detail of Rococo furniture design is the gently curved cabriole, or S-shaped chair-, table-, and cabinet-leg. It imitates the bend of a tree limb or a flower stem. In a further reference to nature, furnishings were often asymmetrical and painted white, or in soft, pastel shades. Rococo has become a timeless style, and as the furniture pieces presented on 1stDibs demonstrate, its playful, sculptural forms can provide visual excitement to contemporary, clean-lined spaces.
21st Century and Contemporary North American Rococo Decorative Art
Giltwood, Walnut
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Oak
1880s French Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Wood
Early 17th Century Spanish Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Walnut
18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Wood
Mid-18th Century Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Paper
Late 20th Century American Rococo Decorative Art
16th Century English Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Thread, Velvet, Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Rococo Decorative Art
Faience, Pottery
20th Century Rococo Decorative Art
Leather, Glass, Wood
19th Century French Antique Rococo Decorative Art
Wood