Let's Rock the Rococo!

Inspired by a costume museum visit and an interesting hashtag #georgianjanuary, (behind the times, as always!) I had a quick sortie into the world of the rococo! I have to admit that although I wear alot of black and love minimal design (my interior is so minimalist that people keep asking me how long I've lived here!), I have always adored the rococo! You have to admire all that frivolity, herds of fluffy sheep, chubby little cherubs and men dressed in ruffles. Pink, turquoise, white and gold , if it moves chuck bows and ribbons at it, if it doesn't move, 200 putti and a tonne of white stucco! Done, sorted!

I was very surprised that the very plain and unfrivolous Germans embraced this style with aplomb. Many of the cities near where I have lived have had amazing examples of Barock / Rococo architecture. Amalienburg at Schloss Nymphenburg in Munich, Würzburger Rezidenz, Kloster Wiblingen near Ulm and my favourite church in Bavaria, Vierzehnheiligen. The large "rocaille" (the inspired by shells stucco pattern from which the rococo gets its name) is from that church.

I often imagine the rococo artisan stars of that period walking through the building sites saying, "looking good, but I think the cherubs are a bit measly! Go on, chuck another 50 up there in the corner!"
Often the exteriors of the buildings are barock, started before the rococo period (1710-1780 ish) and finished later; this is the case in Würzburg, but the mirrored salon is supposed to be an example of rococo in perfection. Kloster Wilblingen is famous for it's library; pink, gold, turquoise and whole football teams of cherubs, you are so gobsmacked that you don't even see the books.

When doing these drawings I discovered that I had lost "my curves", (when that's not a case of "life imitating art" I don't know what is!) In the past I found drawing swishy curls a doddle, now it was boggling my eyes. Speaking of losing your curves, I remember vaguely having a waist, and would be all in favour of squashing myself into one of those sumptuous gowns in the paintings of Fragonard, Boucher, Liotard and Watteau. So covered in ruffles, bows and frou frou, simpering on a divine divan nobody would notice my middle-age spread! Yey, bring back the rococo! I'll take the one one the right!