Charles-Joseph Natoire (1700-1777), was a French painter and was one of the major artists in the Rococo period. This painting, The Expulsion of Paradise, is one of his most known works. Rococo art is stylized by feminine men and women and a general "soft" look given to all the art. Rococo art usually contains flowery plants and and animals and gives off a light-heated tone. While this piece of art is slightly more serious than some other Rococo pieces, it still contains all the standard Rococo ideas, effeminate men with rosy cheeks, abundant foliage and flowers, and bright cheerful colors. Rococo style started when Louis XIV exited his rule, and the young Louis XV changed the court artists and decorators, creating a cheerful and playful tone for the new young king.It also celebrates the new respect of the high society that now dominated France. Rococo art became very popular in salons, places where the French middle and upper middle classes discussed philosophical and social issues, because the ladies of the salons preferred the light and carefree art to promote discussion. Rococo art contains themes of Baroque art, emotional and usually religious, but also varies because of its lack of symmetrical designs and gentle curving forms.
