rococo

ah the rococo period of art and design. a mighty spewing-forth of unrestrained, fruit-laden, cherub-infested, gilt curliques, plaster frivols and hypnotically vertigenous architecture.

how about a gold cherub riding a lion? we can do that! or a painting of fruit, in a gilded, fruit laden frame finished off with the heads of two gold cherubs that look suspiciously like the might be kissing? why not. or a teapot in the shape of a leafy pumpkin? sure, it's the rococo man, the rococo.

i am not alone here - even good old Noah Webster weighs in on this! according to the well-worn, two volume 1880 New Edition With Supplement I've just dipped into, he comments that the rococo is...

A kind of florid ornamentation [...] by some [...] thought to be rich, though luxuriant;  and by others it is condemned as a weak attempt to refine and improve upon the purest models of art, producing capricious, fantastical, or childish results.

thank you noah. i see we are in agreement.