Rococo | Louis XV

The Louis XV style is, just like the Louis XIV style, a Baroque style. It is less bombastic than the Louis XIV style, more refined and elegant in the treatments, more romantic, but just as lavish. The style features romantic, abundant decorations that are often inspired by nature, such as the frequent use of curves and the use of shells, leaves, garlands, flowers and musical instruments. The heavy lions’ paws are replaced by the hooves of a deer. Symmetry was often replaced by asymmetry, which leaves more to the imagination. In this style, bronze is used a great deal, even for andirons. Next to mythological illustrations, many fireplace firebacks also appear in this period on which the fables of Jean de la Fontaine (1621 – 1695) are portrayed.