The Art of Beautiful Excess

Rococo emerged in early 18th-century France as a reaction against the heavy grandeur of Louis XIV's Versailles. Where Baroque demanded awe, Rococo invited pleasure. The style favored pastel colors, asymmetrical curves, and delicate ornament — an aesthetic of intimacy designed for private salons rather than public cathedrals.

The word Rococo comes from rocaille — the shell-and-rock motifs used in garden grottoes. Curves dominated everything: S-shapes, C-scrolls, and asymmetrical ornament covered walls, furniture, and porcelain. Straight lines were practically banned from Rococo interiors.