The Age Of Rococo - Poland and Russia

The Rococo style reached Poland through Saxony, early in the reign (1733 - 1763) of Augustus III, who was also Elector of Saxony and who entrusted what he found to be the boring business of government to his all powerful minister of state, Count Heinrich von Bruhl. On of Bruhl's responsibilities was the Meissen porcelain factory near Dresden, the capital city of Saxony, and it is probable the Dresden china figures - the perfect expression of the late Baroque and Rococo styles - originated as table ornaments for the banquets von Bruhl delighted in giving.
With such an enthusiast for rich decoration supervising the country, it is hardly surprising that Polish Rococo was both colourful and a little florid in its interpretation of the Louis XV style; the carved motifs on fauteuils and canapes for instance, were sometimes picked out in colour against a gilt ground. By contrast, the handmade furniture of the countryside was often left plain, primitive shapes being employed without even a hint of carved decoration.

In the region of Cracow in the south 'Little Poland' there was a long tradition of making marriage chests painted with a single floral composition. It was general practice in Poland throughout the 18th century for landlords to have large workshops on their estates, where the fitted and non fitted furniture for their own homes was made, often to a very high standard.

A rather similar system obtained in Russia, where most of the furniture was made on country estates by serf craftsmen who were often highly-skilled, especially in the field of wood carving. A lush a vivid version of the Rococo suited to their talents, was developed during the reign (1741 - 1762) of Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great.
It was a promising period for the arts, and saw the fruition of Peter's plans for a Russian university in Moscow, the establishment of the theatre and the encouragement of literature. In this atmosphere, the leading architect of the time, Count Bartolommeo Rastrelli, designed Rococo pieces in carved and gilt wood that display a magnificent self-confidence. The Count, Russian-born but of Italian descent, was responsible for the Peterhof and other great Baroque buildings.