Rococo

Rococo, also known as Late Baroque, is an ornamental and theatrical style in art, design, and architecture. The style often features asymmetry, meaning that one side of pattern does not mirror the other; exemplified in scrolling curves, pastel colours, trompe-l’oeil, and gilding. Originating in France, the Rococo style reached its peak popularity in the early 18th century and quickly infiltrated the decorative arts across Europe. Rococo remained the predominant style until the 1770s and is occasionally characterised now as playful and illogical in comparison to the order of the Classical style.

The Rococo is said to be a response to the formal and geometric style that Louis XIV popularised. Originally a secular style, the Rococo began to find favour in church interiors, specifically across Europe and South America. The Rococo often features floral motifs and warm pastel colours. It is at times influenced by the movements of Chinoiserie and Japonisme, including Chinese and Japanese motifs. The acanthus leaf is one of the basic motifs of Rococo design, and is rendered in a highly stylised rather than naturalistic fashion.

Browse our exquisite Rococo collection below and discover the charm that made this style so popular throughout the eighteenth century.