A Comparison of Rococo and Neoclassical Sculptures

Throughout recorded history, art has changed to depict and represent different values and the way of life idealized by the people of the time. Just as history can be used to see a change in art and life, it can also be used to see similarities and differences between painters, sculptors, and musicians. Artists in the 1750’s and into the early 1800’s are referred to as rococo and neoclassical artists. Rococo art is characterized by an elaborately ornamental late baroque style of decoration prevalent in 18th-century Continental Europe, with asymmetrical patterns involving motifs and scrollwork.

An article on Neoclassical and Rococo art stated that in the rococo period, “Colors became softer and subject matter became generally lighter” (Galbraith et. al.264) Neoclassical art is characterized by the revival of a classical style or treatment in art, literature, architecture, or music. Two sculptors from this these time periods shared ideas yet differed drastically in their work.The romantic and neoclassical sculptor is Jean Antoine Houdon, and the rococo sculptor is Etienne-Maurice Falconet.

These sculptors showed insights to humanity in their work by using various methods such as detail, medium, and the subject itself.

Falconet sculpted a piece in 1763 titled Pygmalion and Galatea. This sculpture was created to embody the ancient Greek myth of the same name. The story behind Pygmalion and Galatea is the story of a sculptor and his sculpture. Pygmalion was a famous sculptor who after seeing local prostitutes, lost interest in women. In his disgust he completely dedicated himself to his latest work, Galatea, a sculpture of a woman of marble.

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The irony being that the artist’s greatest work was that of a woman, as if he sought to correct in marble the flaws he saw in flesh and blood. After completing his work Pygmalion fell in love with his work and became obsessed with providing gifts and treating the marble statue as a human. …