Rococo ( or ), less commonly
roccoco, or "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century artistic movement and style, affecting many aspects of
the arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design,
decoration, literature, music, and theatre. It developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction against the grandeur, symmetry, and strict regulations of the
Baroque, especially of the
Palace of Versailles. Rococo artists and architects used a more jocular, florid, and graceful approach to the Baroque. Their style was ornate and used light colours, asymmetrical designs, curves, and gold. Unlike the political Baroque, the Rococo had playful and witty themes. The interior decoration of Rococo rooms was designed as a total work of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and
tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings. The Rococo was also important in theatre. The book
The Rococo states that no other culture "has produced a wittier, more elegant, and teasing dialogue full of elusive and camouflaging language and gestures, refined feelings and subtle criticism" than Rococo theatre, especially that of France.