The Rococo era in Europe was a time of new ideas, thoughts and expressions. High society adapted to the cultural change upon the death of Louis XIV of France. The Rococo era/chronology brought a new wave of elegance and sophistication. This period is often called the century of revolutions. Philosophy, science, rhetorical works, and industries were all part of the age of revolution, a bevy of ideas and discoveries in the world of men. This era influenced American art only in the sense that it became pleasantly elegant. The art in Europe, however, was extremely elegant; if man were so lofty, elevated and scientific, art should be beautiful works of intelligence. The man had faith in himself; women strove to be independent, a characteristic that shone through in many women's works such as Self-Portrait with Two Pupils by Labille-Guiard (26-16) and Self-Portrait by Vigee-Lebrun (26-15). In an era of revolutions, ideas swept through people's minds. Compared to Baroque art, Rococo art featured people in almost every single painting, sculpture, or image. Although this era was a time of tension and unrest in many countries, the art produced by the people was highly, almost excessively decorated with designs and emblems, such as Robert Adam's Etruscan Hall (26-24). The architecture was definitely different, but it was still symmetrical. Otherwise, the art remained very majestic but unique for its time. Interestingly, the role of women linked to the artistic world was a statement of individualism. The women tired of suffering everything decided to free themselves from these proverbial bonds and become artists. It was a declaration of independence in society. (Kleiner, 739) An example of this is the beautiful self-portrait painted...... in the middle of the paper ...... by the Curiatti brothers, and vice versa. Unfortunately the brothers had disagreements and, despite the complaints of their sisters and wives, they fought and ended up killing each other. The tension shown in this piece is, in a way, a parallel to the tension David experienced during the French Revolution. Overall, I noticed that each piece from this era, while sometimes tense, had a certain slow-paced peace, which is an element that made the art of this period so distinctive. Works Cited Kleiner, Fred S. and Helen Gardner. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History. Boston, MA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2009. Print."Thomas Gainsborough, The Blue Boy English Rococo Era." Tips for fine arts and painting. WordPress. Network. February 15. 2012. .