ABSTRACT
The Rococo appeared as an attractive, colorful reminder of aristocratic values and pretentions. Pretty people in delightful situations emerged in the art of Watteau while architects labored to make interior rooms of mansions beautiful and unchallenging through the repetition of natural forms. A contrasting art emerged among those who wished to express true human emotions and sentiments in a realistic form, providing an honest vision of domestic life. Similar developments and differences emerged in novels, poetry, plays, and philosophical works and these often joined with the works of Enlightenment writers in leveling penetrating criticism of social order, political habits, and religious persecution. Cultural values began to emerge in debates concerning how life should be lived and under what conditions. The chapter highlights the changes in cultural and intellectual life that built on previous creative efforts.
