Rococo STY LE was the height of fashion in the 1740s and 50s, but few purely Rococo rooms have survived in Britain. Perhaps it was too difficult to make a pleasing scheme of such profuse ornament with its swirling flowers and scrolls, asymmetric forms and figures caught in the instant of movement. Nevertheless, householders — especially in London — eager to be in tune with the latest trends, included Rococo features in some of their rooms.

This was the era of the assembly, when polite society would gossip and show themselves off, listen to music, play cards, dine and sometimes dance in the Assembly Rooms built in fashionable towns up and down the country. Pleasure grounds such as London’s Vauxhall Gardens served a similar function. Assemblies were also held in private homes and usually centred on dinner and dancing, or musical entertainment.

Rooms for Entertaining

The bedchamber and closet at the end of a suite of rooms were now less public and the drawing room, which was reached before the bedchamber, became a focus for entertaining. Even better was a suite of rooms for entertaining in the centre of the house — a saloon, a drawing room and a dining room.

Dinner was eaten in the early afternoon, in the saloon if there was no separate dining room. Afterwards the ladies went to the drawing room and took tea, ceremonially prepared by the lady of the house herself. The gentlemen joined them later, and they all went to the saloon for dancing.

Tea was an increasing passion in the r8th century, creating a need for tea tables, kettle stands, teapots, teacups and — because tea was expensive — caddies with locks. Tea was drunk at breakfast as well as after dinner and, as the dinner hour slipped to early evening, afternoon tea was taken to stave off hunger.

This drawing room of about 5755 has plenty of Rococo ornament but it is not overpowering. The scheme is calmed and unified by the use of the same cool blue silk damask on the walls and for the curtains and upholstery; its scrolling pattern is discreet but Rococo in feel. The curtains, made in the current festoon style, are drawn up by tasselled cords which are secured on cloak pins at the side. The tacks pinning the damask to the walls are concealed at the dado and the top by scrolling fillets moulded from papier-mâché. The cornice and ceiling decoration here are also papier-mâché, but many houses had mouldings in plaster or in the much closer-textured stucco which could be carved with fine detail.

1 Carved mahogany Chippendale chair

2 Sofa with curved back, high, scroll arms and mahogany cabriole legs

3 Mirror-backed Rococo girandole

4 Mirror in carved, painted wood frame

5 Petit point and mahogany firescreen

6 English needlework rug on oak floor

7 Side chair with walnut cabriole legs; cover fixed with brass studs

8 Tilt-top mahogany tripod table

9 Liverpool porcelain teabowls and pot

10 Silver spoon plate and tea caddy

11 Carved tripod table with piecrust rim

12 Cane-handled silver kettle engraved with crest, on lamp-heated stand

The mirror frames have typically profuse ornament incorporating plants, birds, ‘S’ and `C’ curves, and extravagantly swirling candle branches. Mirror frames were probably the most popular expression of Rococo, perhaps the only Rococo element in many houses.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
An Early Georgian Drawing Room

• A Late Georgian Library
• The Celebration of Industry continue...
• Antiques Upright Chairs Collections
• A Progressive Late Victorian Living Room
• A Traditional Late Victorian Sitting Room
• Luxury Decor Postwar Bedsit
• Antique Stools
• Ornaments and Handcraft Knick-knacks Treasures
• Elegant Open Armchairs
• Ancient Chairs