"In architecture and decorative art, ornament is decoration used to embellish parts of a building or object."
The use of decorative elements such as curves, shells, floral motifs, and arabesques to enhance the beauty of the architecture.
Rococo Art: The wider art movement and style that Rococo architecture was a part of, characterized by intricate and ornate decorative motifs, lightness of form, and pastel colors.
Baroque Architecture: The architectural style that preceded Rococo, also characterized by ornate decoration, but with a heavier and more monumental aesthetic.
Stucco Decoration: One of the key decorative elements in Rococo architecture, stucco is a type of plaster that can be molded into decorative shapes and motifs to adorn walls and ceiling.
Gilding: Another common decorative technique in Rococo, gilding involves applying thin sheets of gold leaf to surfaces, adding shimmer and luxury to the decoration.
Rocaille: A term used to describe the decorative shell and scroll motifs that are a hallmark of Rococo architecture.
Domed Ceilings: Rococo architecture often featured elaborate, ornate domed ceilings, which were decorated with intricate stucco, frescoes, and other decorative elements.
Mirrors: Mirrors were frequently incorporated into Rococo interiors, often framed in elaborate gilded frames and strategically placed to reflect light and create optical illusions.
Gardens and Landscapes: Rococo architecture often extended beyond the building itself, with intricate gardens and landscaped grounds that were designed to be enjoyed as part of the overall aesthetic experience.
Furniture and Decorative Arts: The elaborate decorative style of Rococo architecture also extended to furniture and other decorative arts, with intricate carvings, delicate gilding, and ornate upholstery.
Rococo Revival: The brief revival of the Rococo style in the mid-19th century, as part of a wider interest in historical architecture and decoration.
Cimaise: A decorative band that runs above eye level along a wall. It is usually decorated with elaborate plasterwork and painted designs.
Cartouche: An oval or rectangular ornamental frame used to display painted or sculptured decorations, usually placed on a wall.
Shell: A common motif in Rococo decoration, the shell is used to decorate the curves of walls, ceilings, and even furniture.
Scrollwork: Rococo architecture often featured flowing, curvilinear scrollwork in plaster, stone, or wood.
Acanthus: A motif of the Acanthus leaf, often used in Italian and French Rococo architecture as a decorative feature on columns, pilasters, and cornices.
Putti: These are baby cherubs often used in decoration to add a touch of playfulness and whimsy to a space.
Rocaille: This is a term used to describe various kinds of rock-like motifs often used in Rococo ornamentation.
Stucco: A type of plasterwork used to create intricate relief patterns and decorative elements in Rococo buildings.
Gilding: The application of gold leaf or gold paint to decorative elements such as frames, moldings, and sculptures was a common feature of Rococo architecture.
Frescoes: Paintings on walls and ceilings, were also common in Rococo architecture. These murals often depicted pastoral or mythological scenes with playful cherubs hovering nearby.
"Large figurative elements such as monumental sculpture and their equivalents in decorative art are excluded from the term; most ornaments do not include human figures."
"Architectural ornament can be carved from stone, wood or precious metals, formed with plaster or clay, or painted or impressed onto a surface as applied ornament."
"In other applied arts, the main material of the object, or a different one such as paint or vitreous enamel may be used."
"In textiles, wallpaper, and other objects where the decoration may be the main justification for its existence..."
"The vast range of motifs used in ornament draw from geometrical shapes and patterns, plants, and human and animal figures."
"Across Eurasia and the Mediterranean world there has been a rich and linked tradition of plant-based ornament for over three thousand years."
"Traditional ornament from other parts of the world typically relies more on geometrical and animal motifs."
"The circular lines of the ornaments signalled the sequential perception of time in the wide steppes and the breadth and freedom of space."
"In a 1941 essay, the architectural historian Sir John Summerson called it 'surface modulation'."
"The earliest decoration and ornament often survives from prehistoric cultures in simple markings on pottery."
"The potter's wheel... made some kinds of decoration very easy; weaving is another technology which also lends itself very easily to decoration or pattern."
"Ornament has been evident in civilizations since the beginning of recorded history, ranging from Ancient Egyptian architecture to the assertive lack of ornament of 20th century Modernist architecture."
"Ornament implies that the ornamented object has a function that an unornamented equivalent might also fulfill."
"Where the object has no such function, but exists only to be a work of art such as a sculpture or painting, the term is less likely to be used..."
"In recent centuries a distinction between the fine arts and applied or decorative arts has been applied..."
"Ornament mainly seen as a feature of the latter class."
"Across Eurasia and the Mediterranean world there has been a rich and linked tradition of plant-based ornament for over three thousand years."
"Traditional ornament from other parts of the world typically relies more on geometrical and animal motifs."
"Ornament also depicts a certain philosophy of the people for the world around... the circular lines of the ornaments signalled the sequential perception of time."