The Rococo style took root around 1720-1730 at the time of the Regency, in reaction to the sobriety and austerity of the Court of Versailles. The term was already in existence and was used to denote the decorative style of artificial caves and garden pavilions decorated with sea shells, rocks and pearls. Founded on a view of life that gives priority to refined pleasure and aesthetic satisfaction, Rococo style will influence the ensemble of plastic and decorative arts. In painting, the style is characterised by brilliant colours, a delicate palette, and a predilection for mischievous courtly and mythological themes. The style is launched by artists like Watteau, and will come to the fore in the 1730s and 40s, with Boucher. In the late 18th century, as the influence of Neo-classicism grows, the Rococo style is disdained and considered to be a degenerate form of the Baroque.
