Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum
The Continuing Curve 1730-2008. A groundbreaking exhibition that fully explores rococo style and its continuing revivals up to the present day in multiple fields, including furniture, decorative arts, textiles, prints, and drawings.
In March 2008, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum will present Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730–2008, a groundbreaking exhibition that fully explores rococo style and its continuing revivals up to the present day in multiple fields, including furniture, decorative arts, textiles, prints, and drawings. The exhibition will chart the progress of rococo style as it radiates out from Paris, travels to the French provinces, migrates to other European countries, and later crosses over to the United States.
Rococo: The Continuing Curve is organized by Sarah Coffin, head of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department; Gail Davidson, head of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department; Ellen Lupton, curator of contemporary design; and guest curator Penelope Hunter-Stiebel. This is the first museum survey of rococo and its ongoing resurgence, tracing the design movement’s birth, rebirth and transformation across centuries and continents. The exhibition will explore these regional and chronological modifications, and study the social, political and economic influences affecting the migration and assimilation of rococo style.
Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730–2008 is made possible in part by the Mondriaan Foundation. Mondriaan Foundation
The exhibition is also made possible in part by The Grand Marnier Foundation, Kay Allaire, the Consulate-General of The Netherlands, Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund, and an anonymous donor.
Media support is provided by Smithsonian Magazine
Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum
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