Week Eleven - French Period Baroque, Regency, Rococo, and Neoclassical

 Regency Style

   The Regency style occurred from around 1700 to 1730. This was a transitional style from the Baroque style to the more delicate Regency style. The colors and materials of this style were much more simplified. The color palette mainly consisted of white and gold. 

French Regency Style Interior

Current Example of a French Regency Style Interior

Rococo Style

   The Rococo style focused on lightness, delicacy, and movement. It lasted from around 1730 to 1760. This style was enjoyed by all classes of people for over 30 years. It was also known as French Provincial or Country French. Some of the main characteristics of this style were wood paneling walls, pale-colored woods, and mirrors placed above fireplaces. The furniture of this style used organic curves and asymmetry. It usually contained pastel colors or white and gold. They were also often intricately carved and contained marquetry and parquetry. Marquetry and parquetry were two decorative wood techniques using a thin type of wood called veneer. Marquetry creates decorative pictures and designs, whereas parquetry creates repetitive geometric designs. We learned about both of these techniques in our wood shop class last year and even practiced parquetry. Rococo furniture also contained C scrolls, S scrolls, and scroll feet. 

         

                                C Scroll                           S Scroll                          Scroll Feet

Neoclassical Style

   The Neoclassical style was a revival of classical architectural orders. It was heavily influenced by the Adam style and focused on straight lines. It lasted from around 1760 to 1789. There were stricter architectural schemes for buildings like hospitals, government offices, and railroad stations. The furniture and interiors of this style were more distinctive than the architecture. Walls were often painted to look like marble with dark reds and greens. The ornamentation and decoration used at this time was largely Ancient Egyptian. They also included Roman military symbols. 

The Madeleine

Petit Trianon

   Louis XV ordered for the building of Petit Trianon in 1762 for Madame de Pompadour. It was completed 4 years after her death. It was built as a reaction to the Rococo style. It was a Piano Nobile layout designed with three floors. The rooms were square rather than rounded and were painted a soft off-white or pastel color. The ceilings were flat without coves. It had menial ornamental details. Later on, Louis XVI was crowned king and gave the Petit Trianon to his queen Marie Antoinette. She used it mainly as a retreat and to entertain friends. The interior of Petit Trianon was decorated with gold accents in most rooms. The staircase was even decorated with a gilded iron railing and gold designs that incorporated the initial of Marie Antoinette. 

Petit Trianon Exterior

Petit Trianon Interior

Marie Antoinette’s Bedroom

Furniture

   Furniture during the Neoclassical style focused on straight lines and classical motifs. The pieces were usually made of mahogany or ebony wood. Furniture legs were straight, tapered, or fluted. It was often painted or gilded, some with bright reds or greens. Some famous examples of furniture at this time were the Bergère chair and the furniture of Marie Antoinette. This was also the time when the design of glass and porcelain china, and lighting fixtures like candleholders matched the style.

Bergère Chair

Marie Antoinette’s Furniture

Current Applications:

Modern French Rococo Dining Room

Modern Neoclassical Living Room

Modern Bergere Chair

One Step Further:

   Charles Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, and writer. He is well known for being one of the pioneers of modern architecture today. He was born in Switzerland on October 6, 1887. He worked for 5 decades, designing in Europe, Japan, India, and North and South America. He was dedicated to providing better living conditions for people in crowded cities. He was very influential in urban planning. Although he never had formal training, he was a very accomplished designer. Le Corbusier passed away on August 27, 1965.

Extra Links:

-Petit Trianon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBmf7nKVI6U

-Rococo Design

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2dDqASu9YA