rocaille

In Western architecture and decorative arts, an 18th-century style featuring elaborately stylized shell-like, rocklike, flower, fern, and scroll motifs. Originally designating the fanciful shellwork of artificial grottoes, rocaille came to be synonymous with Louis XV style. It is most often found in small pieces of furniture and such personal articles as snuffboxes. The term “Rococo” combines “rocaille” and “barocco” (Baroque).

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