Dutch rococo

Magazine Antiques, Dec, 2001 by Miriam Kramer

A new style succeeded the baroque in European architecture and decorative arts at the end of the seventeenth century. Its arrival coincided with the reign of Louis XV in France, and its name, rococo, is derived from the synthesis of the French words rocaille (rockwork, particularly in fountains and grottoes) and coquillage (shellfish).

The rococo style is characterized by exuberant decoration and ornament frequently based on such natural motifs as shells, rocks, flowers, and leaves. Straight lines gave way to the asymmetrical and curvilinear. The style spread from France to England via the Netherlands and Germany, peaking by the middle of the eighteenth century. Almost every aspect of the decorative arts was affected, and there are rococo examples galore of porcelain, silver, furniture, and complete room decorations.

The Dutch interpretation of the rococo is being celebrated in an exhibition entitled Rococo: A Riot of Ornament on view at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam until February 3,2002. In the Netherlands there was initially a craving for all things French, for France represented the epitome of modernity and luxury. However, by the time France conquered the Dutch in 1795, the rococo was no longer of any importance in the Netherlands.

The curator of the exhibition is Reinier Baarsen, and the sponsor is the electronics group Philips. Among the areas covered are garden ornament, silver, porcelain, furniture, and paneling. A catalogue in Dutch, by the curator and other contributors, accompanies the exhibition and may be ordered by telephoning 31-20-6747352.

Complementing this exhibition is one entitled A la Mode featuring Dutch eighteenth-century costume, which is on view at the Rijksmuseum until February 3, 2002.