Politics, Baroque, and Rococo

In the seventeenth century, financial stability opened the door to the luxuries of Baroque. The end of the Thirty Years War that devastated the German states, furthermore, the end of the Turkish Siege of Vienna brought stability to Central Europe (Grant 54). It is these series of events that opened the doors for a new plan. A plan to build great cities and relaxing country sides – Baroque seemed fit to fulfill this vision. Magnificent thinking spread throughout Europe reaching Italy, Spain and Portugal (Grant 57). It was a political need that was interpreted with design that sparked the movement of a new look. What made this style all the more memorable was the colossal size of the building and the high intensity of decoration in the rooms. The exterior was just as decorated as the interior and every artistic detail was symmetrical (Grant54). Every room within the building flowed in contrast and color. The grand staircase and hallways incited a sense of anticipation and expectation. The walls were no longer identified as a structural tool rather as a decorative canvas. Wealth was the theme in Europe. Even in England where they did not experience much prosperity as did Central Europe, they still shared in the glory by adopting the style of Baroque (Grant 57). There homes were filled with artwork and represented a life of luxury.

France revolutionized the design of interiors at the eighteenth century. Extensions and alteration were made to the palaces of the king – Louis XIV (Levy 265). A need for change and a fresh new look is what sparked this change. The ornamental figures on walls became lighter and asymmetrical, naturalistic motifs began to appear, the legs on chairs and other furniture pieces became more rounded, feminine themes began to appear such as the caryatids, intimate living became a need, ornaments and paintings became more picturesque, motifs in swirls and shells began to appear (Levy 267). This French taste in style spread throughout Europe. By 1750, the majority of Europe had adopted this particular style which became known as the Rococo Revival (Levy 266).