360 



RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE. 



century, often simultaneously, and shade off imperceptibly one into the 

 other. They have been known by a variety of names, usually vaguely and 

 often inappropriately applied, as for instance the " Regence," Watteau, 

 Boucher, Pompadour, du Barry, " Rocaille," and Rococo Styles. 



Certain general characteristics are common to most of these : neglect 

 of strict classical rules, avoidance of the formal and ponderous, of deep 

 shadows, of straight especially horizontal lines and of right angles, 

 delight in caprices and surprises, playful forms and piquant combinations. 



Rococo. The 

 orders were regarded 

 as too formal an 

 element for decora- 

 tion and were either 

 so modified by fan- 

 tastic treatment as 

 to be hardly recog- 

 nisable, or omitted 

 altogether. The 

 place in decoration 

 of pilasters and rect- 

 angular architraves 

 was taken by the 

 frames or borders of 

 the panels and open- 

 ings, which, with all 

 their enrichment 

 and complication, 

 acquired an equal 

 value in vertical em- 

 phasis by the sheer 

 height of the single 

 panels, or mirrors, 

 running from dado 

 to cornice. Projec- 

 tions were reduced, 

 sculpture in the 



round and high relief trophies were replaced by paintings, massive fruit- 

 swags by dainty wreaths of roses with fluttering ribbons. Mouldings 

 became flatter, slimmer ; cornices and pediments casting bold shadows 

 were replaced by gentle coves and graceful volutes. The bottom as well 

 as the top of panels were curved and broken, angles and junctions of all 

 sorts were managed by means of scrolls, flourishes, and other softening 

 devices. There was a tendency to bound spaces and even openings, 

 not by geometrical figures, but by a series of curves, and to retain only 



346. LOWER HALF OF PANEL BY A. ROUSSEAU IN 

 COUNCIL CHAMBER AT VERSAILLES (1756). 



