About the movement
Le rococo est un mouvement artistique qui s'est développé en France au début du XVIIIe siècle, en réaction à la grandeur solennelle du baroque. Ce style se caractérise par la légèreté, l'élégance et une profusion de motifs décoratifs inspirés de la nature : coquillages, fleurs, arabesques et courbes asymétriques. En peinture, les artistes rococo privilégient les scènes galantes, les fêtes champêtres et les sujets mythologiques traités avec grâce et sensualité. La palette est douce, aux tons pastel et nacrés. Le rococo a profondément marqué les arts décoratifs français, le mobilier et l'architecture intérieure. Les collections des musées de France conservent de remarquables exemples de cet art raffiné qui incarne l'esprit de l'aristocratie du siècle des Lumières.
Major artists
Artworks related to rococo
3 artworks found
Soissons (boucherie Marteau)
photographie, ethnologie
Enfant coiffé d'un toquet, vu de face
beaux-arts, estampe
Portrait de Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721)
beaux-arts, dessinOther art movements
See also
tpl.voir_aussi_centuries
tpl.voir_aussi_techniques
tpl.voir_aussi_museums
tpl.voir_aussi_related
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know
The Rococo movement is an artistic current that developed during the 1720-1780 period. It is characterized by shared aesthetic choices, techniques, and a vision of art among a group of artists, and has profoundly shaped the history of art in France and Europe.
The Rococo movement is generally situated in the 1720-1780 period. As with any artistic current, its chronological boundaries are indicative: the origins may be earlier and the movement's influence may extend well beyond its main period of activity.
The Rococo movement brought together many artists whose works are held in the museums of France. Check the list of associated artists on this page to discover the major figures of this current and access their works referenced in the Joconde database.
The number of works associated with the Rococo movement varies depending on classification criteria. The Joconde database of the Ministry of Culture catalogues works associated with this current across all institutions labeled "Museum of France." The exact total is shown at the top of the artworks list on this page.
Works of the Rococo movement are spread across many museums of France, both in Paris and in the regions. National museums and major provincial museums hold significant collections of this current. Dell'Arte allows you to locate these works by museum or by city.
The Rococo movement (1720-1780) is distinguished by its own aesthetic and technical choices that differentiate it from preceding and following currents. These characteristics are visible in the works held in the museums of France, which you can explore on this page.
Like most artistic movements, Rococo exerted an influence on the currents that followed it. Artists of subsequent generations often adopted, transformed, or challenged the principles of Rococo, thus contributing to the continuous evolution of art history.
On Dell'Arte, you can refine your exploration of the Rococo movement by filtering by artistic field: painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, decorative arts, and others. These filters are available on the movement page and allow you to target works according to your interest.
The artworks presented come from the Joconde database of the Ministry of Culture (data.culture.gouv.fr), under Open License v2.0. The descriptions and artist groupings are based on catalogue entries written by the curators of the museums of France and on reliable historical sources.
The museums of France regularly organize temporary exhibitions around major artistic movements, including Rococo. Check the websites of museums that hold works of this current for current programming and upcoming events.
The presence of the Rococo movement in collections varies by museum and region. Major cities and national museums generally hold the most significant collections, but noteworthy works may also be found in lesser-known provincial museums.
The Rococo movement (1720-1780) holds an important place in the history of French art. It reflects the cultural, social, and technical developments of its era and constitutes an essential link in understanding artistic creation in France, as documented by the collections of the museums of France.