French Rococo
The mirror I have
chosen is claimed to be an antique French Rococo mirror. At the modest price of $200 it remains
to be seen whether this is authentic French Rococo or just a revival without
being able to view the mirror and identify its materials. However the many
conventions it follows are true to the French Rococo style.
Historically, French
Rococo designs were that of intricacy. This was reflective of an economically
healthy time period for the consumers of art in 18th century France
who wanted homes “richly decorated in rococo style. Comfort became a major
issue in the discreet living of the wealthy” (Pile, 2005). The cost of Rococo
was high because of the time the craftsman had to put in to the work, which the
intricacies of this mirror display. This intricacy was also a direct reaction
to the restrictions of the precedent style of Baroque, which Rococo replaced.
In style terms the
mirror has the all the core values of French Rococo. The selection of gold, or
gold lacquer showed the wealth of its time period. The aquatic curves, skewed proportions and its Asymmetry of
the mirror are or Rococo styling’s as they are a reaction to baroques
formality. Adding to this, the fact that the design of the mirror frame is
intrusive to the function of the mirror itself is goes against the principal
restraints of baroque. Rococo
designers no longer bound by restrictions of function, “architectural and
sculptural features are eliminated so that the designer is confronted with a
smooth surface, interrupted only by the window recesses and the chimney piece” (Kitson,
1997).
The cultural context
in which Rococo developed is intrinsic to this mirror. The form itself shows
aquatic curves, A feminine trait that had seldom been seen and is the polar
opposite of masculine styles such as Neoclassicism. On a whole it is safe to
say this a French Rococo Mirror but this analysis is inconclusive as to its
authenticity as rococo has so much more depth to its principals than what we
can only view and not touch.
Sources
Kitson, M. (1997) The
History Of Art (9th ed.). University of London, London.
Townley, A. (Ed.). (2005).
A history of interior design. Laurence
king publishing London, UK.
