Compare similarities and differences between the Rococo and Neo Classicism

Posted: August 29th, 2013

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Comparison between the Rococo and Neo Classicism

The dining room from Kirtlington Park was designed by John Sanderson, and it is a Rococo art style. The Rococo is the late decorative style of the 18^th century. It was a decorative style used in the interior designing of the room, painting and carving design. The artist developed a decorative style that became increasingly colorful, extravagant and good-natured. The rooms of the Rococo were designed in a unique way with stylish furniture, ornamental mirrors, well-painted walls and textile complementing structural design. The Rococo style marked the end of Baroque style, and it was eventually replaced by Neo Classicism. On the other hand, the Croome Court wall hanging was designed by Robert Adams. It is an artistic style of the Neo Classicism period, which is the revival of the European art. It began approximately in the mid 1700, and it was an influence of the Greek and Roman, which presented political events of the time. The ancient Italian work of art inspired the Neo Classicism movement and many of the neoclassical artist included classical styles of creating artifacts. This artistic style followed the Rococo, which sought to make changes of the Rococo period. The Croome Court wall-hanging art design was perceived as the purity of the Roman architecture. Both of the rooms are the work of the European art that was meant to create change in the work of art.

There are diverse similarities between the Dining room from Kirtlington Park of Rococo style and the Croome Court tapestry room of Neo Classicism. First, the designs for furniture in both rooms are made of wood. Moreover, both of them are made out of mahogany and furniture in both rooms has a unique style favorable for the period of which they were designed. The original furnishings of furniture are quite appealing thus making the rooms appear extraordinary. Additionally, the rooms have light and dark painting and spirited plaster decorations as well as richly curved chimneypiece made of marble. The light and dark color in both rooms was intended for paintings. Both rooms are well painted with different colors appealing to the painter. This makes the rooms to appear impressive even though they are unfinished.

Secondly, both rooms are made of Palladian style and the central block has a tetrastyle ionic entrance of curved triangular shape. The Palladian is the style of decoration, which exhibits combination of the Italian Baroque and the French Rococo designs. The Palladian rooms have pedimental doorframes with trophies as well as flowers placed on the table. The windows for both rooms have alternating triangular pediments. The walls of the rooms are well painted, and the ceiling has chimneypiece with a brilliant light that makes the rooms appear brighter. In addition, both rooms hung with a set of wall hanging with executive paintings that serve as wall-hanging cartoons. The floors are patterned with flowers, and the walls have suspended exciting silk color, which is a flame-like resembling a carved and golden wood.

Lastly, both of the rooms are the work of the European art that was meant to create change in the work of art. Both rooms have similar tapestry styles and decorative ornaments hanged in the walls. The wall hanging style was common in the Rococo style of art, and it influenced the Neo Classicism styles. In fact, what makes some features in the Croome Court room to be similar to those of the dining room in Rococo is because the Neo Classicism artists were influenced with impressive artifacts of the Rococo style. The Neo Classicism style copied some of the features from the Rococo style thus making the features in both rooms to be similar. However, the differences only occurred because of some changes made in order to create more appealing and modern work of art.

There are diverse differences between the Dining room from Kirtlington Park of Rococo style and the Croome Court tapestry room of Neo Classicism. First, the room of the Rococo style has light, decorative and elaborative artistic style, which is identified by stylish as well as detailed decoration. The artist employed asymmetrical forms and use of curves in styling the interior part of the room. Thus, the style creates an appealing logic rather than intellect and the beauty of the room creates beauty tension in depth. The room of the Neo Classicism style has an ideal style, which is logical, well designed and precisely fitting for the type of the artifacts. The room of the Neo Classical style was a reaction against the room of Rococo style. The room of the Neo Classicism style is closely linked with the revolutionary movement of the period.

In addition, the Croome Court has a Palladian style with rectangular Bath stones as well as tower corners as shown below in figure 1.1. The room has a large tetra style ionic entrance, and it is more fashionable. The wall hangings in the Croome Court survived in a good state because the room was protected by paper case hangings. The wall-hanging room has appealing decorations and wonderful ornaments hanged everywhere in the room. Nevertheless, the dining room has the design of the stucco walls and about 250 sections are attached to wooden timbers. The floorboards are disabled, but the room is well positioned. The flat areas of the walls and the ceiling board were painted by the water-based distemper. This was done using yellow color, and white color was painted on the raised decorative paintings.

Secondly, the two rooms reveal different concepts pertaining to the artifacts. The concept behind the dining room of Rococo style is that the room was marked with a humorous use of artifacts. For instance, the design style used in making the chairs especially the armchair, which is an image of a crown, represented a certain kingdom. This is especially a representation of King Louis XIV who ruled with an iron fist to show off his power and wealth. The decorative style of the tables especially one that has a Homeric heads and the claw feet as shown below in figure 1.2, reveals the powerful kingdom during the reign of King Louis XIV. The decorations of the entire room with various unique motifs used reveal the wealth ruling class of the Rococo period. However, the concept behind the Croome Court room of the Neo Classicism style is that the room presented political events and desire to perceive purity during the Roman art period. The concepts behind the stylistic features used are a way of purification form and revealing knowledge. This was the period of perfect work and exceptional capability of artistic knowledge as expressed in the stylistic art features.

Thirdly, the dining room of the Rococo style has windows engaged with the tetrastyle with curved triangular pediment on each corner. The architrave windows above the pane sashes have triangular pediments. The double staircase is raised above the basement. The windows below the floating cornices have triple stepped key blocks. The central window is surrounded by a Gibbsian arch. The corridors have pedimented entry and niches, and the window has pediments in the middle of the three inlets. On the other hand, the Croome Court room has pedimented corridors and the door has shining glasses. The artist produced complicated features thus making the room a royal one. The windows are highly decorative especially on the edges, and they are not raised above like one of the Rococo style.

Lastly, the designs of the furniture in both rooms are different. The dining room of the Rococo is in its unfinished state, but it is a wonderful room. It has furniture especially chairs made of mahogany wood and the astonishing marble-topped surface table, which has Homeric heads at each corner as well as the claw feet as shown below in figure 1.2. The monumental side tables were carved, and designed in a Rococo style and Palladian style making the tables appear fashionable. Moreover, the shell design, masks, paws of the lion, curling patterns and the scroll motif made on the tables are the characteristics of the Palladian style. On the other hand, the Croome Court room for the Neo Classicism has typical furniture, which is classic and wonderful than that of the Rococo style. Although, they are both made from the mahogany tree, the furniture for Neo Classicism period has typical features because the sofas were made of the decorative tile borders motifs as seen below in figure 1.3. The piedmont features are particularly placed in the centre of the chair making it exceptional and it seems to be comfortable when one sits on it. Moreover, the tabletop is of lapis, and it has a typical dark blue marble marked with amazing colors.

In conclusion, the Rococo style and the Neo Classicism are the work of the European art that was meant to create change in the work of art. They both have diverse similarities and differences. The designs for furniture in both rooms are made of wood and mahogany tree. They are both made of Palladian style, and the middle block has a tetrastyle ionic entry of curved triangular. In addition, in the Rococo style, the room has light, decorative and elaborative artistic style, which is identified by stylish and decorative style, but the Neo Classicism has an ideal style, which is logical, well designed and precisely fitting for the type of the artifacts. The two rooms reveal different concepts being interpreted differently. For instance, the claws of lions designed on the table of the dining room reveal powerful kingdom of King Louis XIV. The dining room has the motif of the stucco walls, and the Croome Court has a Palladian style with rectangular Bath stones. Lastly, the tables in the dining room have marble-topped surface table, which has a Homeric heads and the claw feet whereas the Croome Court has tabletop, which has atypical dark blue marble, marked with glittering colors.

Figure 1.1

Figure 1.2

Figure 1.3