What is "rococo"

Rococo \Ro*co"co\, n. [F.; of uncertain etymology.] A florid style of ornamentation which prevailed in Europe in the latter part of the eighteenth century.

Rococo \Ro*co"co\, a. Of or pertaining to the style called rococo; like rococo; florid; fantastic.

1836, "old-fashioned," from French rococo (19c.), apparently a humorous alteration of rocaille "shellwork, pebble-work" from Middle French roche "rock," from Vulgar Latin *rocca "stone." Specifically of furniture or architecture of the time of Louis Quatorze and Louis Quinze, from 1841. If this is correct, the reference is to the excessive use of shell designs in this lavish style. For differentiation, see baroque. The general sense of "tastelessly florid or ornate" is from 1844.\n\nMuch of the painting, engraving, porcelain-work, etc., of the time has ... a real decorative charm, though not of a very high order in art. Hence rococo is used attributively in contempt to note anything feebly pretentious and tasteless in art or literature. [Century Dictionary, 1902]

a. 1 Of, or relating to the rococo style. 2 Over-elaborate or complicated. 3 old-fashioned. n. A style of baroque architecture and decorative art, from 18th century France, having elaborate ornamentation.

1. adj. having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation; "an exquisite gilded rococo mirror"

2. n. fanciful but graceful asymmetric ornamentation in art and architecture that originated in France in the 18th century

Rococo ( or ), less commonly roccoco, or "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century artistic movement and style, affecting many aspects of the arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design, decoration, literature, music, and theatre. It developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction against the grandeur, symmetry, and strict regulations of the Baroque, especially of the Palace of Versailles. Rococo artists and architects used a more jocular, florid, and graceful approach to the Baroque. Their style was ornate and used light colours, asymmetrical designs, curves, and gold. Unlike the political Baroque, the Rococo had playful and witty themes. The interior decoration of Rococo rooms was designed as a total work of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings.

By the end of the 18th century, Rococo was largely replaced by the Neoclassic style. In 1835 the Dictionary of the French Academy stated that the word Rococo "usually covers the kind of ornament, style and design associated with Louis XV's reign and the beginning of that of Louis XVI". It includes therefore, all types of art from around the middle of the 18th century in France. The word is seen as a combination of the French rocaille (stone) and coquilles (shell), due to reliance on these objects as decorative motifs. The term may also be a combination of the Italian word "barocco" (an irregularly shaped pearl, possibly the source of the word "baroque") and the French "rocaille" (a popular form of garden or interior ornamentation using shells and pebbles) and may describe the refined and fanciful style that became fashionable in parts of Europe in the 18th century. Owing to Rococo love of shell-like curves and focus on decorative arts, some critics used the term to derogatively imply that the style was frivolous or merely modish. When the term was first used in English in about 1836, it was a colloquialism meaning "old-fashioned". The style received harsh criticism and was seen by some to be superficial and of poor taste, especially when compared to neoclassicism; despite this, it has been praised for its aesthetic qualities, and since the mid-19th century, the term has been accepted by art historians. While there is still some debate about the historical significance of the style to art in general, Rococo is now widely recognized as a major period in the development of European art.

Rococo club was an R&B nightclub in Leicester Square, central London, England. It was home to several funky house and R&B nights including the VIP guestlist R&B, Bashment and Hip Hop Cinnamon Fridays nights.

Rococo was one of the places in London where the influence of the modern American R&B dance scene is clearly evident. It was a cultural phenomenon as the scene exists as a by-product of television video broadcasts, since most participants have never been to similar dance events in the United States.

Rococo officially closed in 2006

Rococo were a London-based English progressive rock band, initially operating in the 1970s. They had three singles release in that decade. The band reformed in the 21st Century and have had five albums released, three on Angel Air Records.

Rococo is a style of 18th-century French art and interior design.

Rococo may also refer to:

• Rococo (band), an early 1970s progressive rock band from London, England
• Rococo (club), an R&B nightclub in Leicester Square, central London, England
• Rococo Revival, a 19th-century furniture style
• "Rococo", a song by Canadian band Arcade Fire, from the album '' The Suburbs
• Rocky Rococo, a Wisconsin-based pizzeria chain
• "Rocky Rococo", a supporting character in the Nick Danger sketches by the Firesign Theatre
• Variations on a Rococo Theme, a cello piece by Tchaikovsky