What to Admire About Rococo Furniture

Entymologically, Rococo is derived from a mixture of the French word rocaille, which implies shells or in Italian barocco or Baroque fashion. The former alludes to the preoccupation with cosmetic conceptions and arches in Rococo manner. Those who would criticize originally applied the term as a derogatory comment against what they saw as the frivolity of the Rococo form of art. But when the term was embraced into the English terminology, it retained the intensions of classicism both in style and traditional. Art historians have varying opinions about the meaning of the movement in the development of art but it has today been accepted as an influential feature of the scope of the art of Europe.

This Rococo style which developed in France was to begin with connected to furniture and then step by step spread out to architecture and other art forms throughout the divers areas of Europe. In eighteenth century England the name Rococo was used as an adjective for French appreciation and modes . Then when Thomas Chippendale strated to make furniture, he burnished and refined the expressive style to transform the basics of English furniture making. Some also link up this development to the maturing involvement in Gothic art and building design.

In the period of time this development occurred was in the late Victorian Period, which is the late nineteenth century and is also classed to as the neo-Rococo movement or the Rococo resurgence. The trend became immensely popular in the furniture trade and was one of the most popular trends in the Victorian era. Post-1840s every furniture maker in Victorian England was employing or choosing inspiration from Rococo style.

Rococo furniture is designed to be extremely comfortable being both snug and attractive by sight. The patterns which include a lot of wooden sculpted forms and demarcations are not too bold or over done. Singular characteristics include curving legs, large backrests with built-in carvings from nature, like leaves, grapes, birds etc. Underlying the designs is a sense of distinction and nobility. Another crucial characteristic was the ability for the furniture to be moved around easily.  The furniture was by its very nature designed to be movable and was often used even in open-air parties. Some particular pieces of furniture include the fauteuil chair and the voyeuse chair.

Characteristics like removable chair arms and detachable upholstery cushions were used which had never been encountered earlier. As well, from the beginning, the furniture was not bound to the walls and this awarded a kind of buoyant fresh feel to the interior of a living-room. More often than not, solid mahogany wood was used as a visible material largely because of its strength and lasting ability. Yet another all-important characteristic that was an integral part of the inside decoration at this time was a mirror above the chimneypiece. This also provided a phantasy of size and made the living areas look greater and more ventilated.

If you are the kind of individual who treasures custom but still desires a buoyant warm feel to your abode Rococo is the expressive style of furniture for you.