Rococo brief.

Rococo (so-called "Late Baroque") was a style of interior design, decorating, furniture design, sculpture and architecture originated in Paris in 18th century but was adopted and spreaded throughout first in France then in many other countries like Germany. The style used curves and natural forms frequently in decorating to enhance the sense of elegance, and the use of natural light in architecture was also extraordinary. The world Rococo was developded from rocaille, a French world that refered to ornamentations that were made of rocks or encrusted shells.

 Rococo painting was initiated in Frence, and the very first pieces were produced by Antoine Watteau and Francouis Boucher.

Francois Boucher

                                                                  

Cupid a Captive, oil on canvas by Francois Boucher in 1754

Jean Antoine Wattseau

Mezzetin, Jean Antoine Watteau in 1718-20

                                               

Vermeer brief.

Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) was considered one of the greatest dutch painter with the other artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn of "Gouden Eeuw", a golden period in dutch history where its art reached the peak. Vermeer spent his entire life in and got recognized in Delft. The artist was not so wealth that he had debt that were not yet paid off when he died, probably because he worked slowly and carefully with patience and had been using very expansive pigment on most of his pieces. 

Girl with a Pearl Earring, oil on canvas, 1665

 The painting above was considered to be the most representative piece of Vermeer; the intensity of light was extraordinary, which he created by using limited palette. Using monochrome was also his signature style that he would put a layer of gray shades over his canvas to increase the luminosity of the painting.

The Milkmaid, oil on canvas,1660

Woman Holding a Balance, oil on canvas

Girls Seated at a Virginal

Girl with the Red Hat, oil on panel, 1665/1666