Rococo is an exaggerated development in the evolution of the style in vogue at the time of Louis XV. ; it was then called rocaille. To quote from a well-known authority, 1 " The general term rococo denotes anything that is heavy, ugly, and tasteless."
The art of painting china has too frequently been envelope in mystery, and its progress obstructed by groundless fears. The tyro was embarrassed with the numerous and varied statements from assumed authorities that ere often misleading and incorrect, with inevitable result of leading him to regard the art as one of unparalleled and perpetual perplexities.
While the popularity of the art was still in its incipience, many were beguiled into a lavish outlay of time, money, and labor, without receiving any commensurate compensation. This misfortune was, however, never due to the art itself, but could e in nearly every instance, directly traced to its real source of mischief, --- that of the ignorance and inexperience of its representatives or exponents.
A superficial knowledge and a limited experience are chiefly responsible for repeated failures.
But another and important factor that mitigates largely against a more popular comprehension of
1 Adeline's "Art Dictionary."
