The term Rococo was first introduced into the English language in the 1830s, referring to the artistic style that originated in France around a century earlier. In French, it appears to have been a playful modification of rocaille, which means “shellwork”, deriving from the Portuguese term for Baroque, barroco. This is because Rococo art resembles Baroque art but with an abundance of intricate ornamentation that often includes or resembles seashells. The term rocaille, initially used to describe a decorative technique that frequently utilized shells, pebbles, and cement, is derived from roc, meaning “rock”. Both the French and English terms stem from a Medieval Latin noun with the same meaning. The origin of barroco is uncertain, but it is believed to be linked to a Spanish word for “wart”, adding an intriguing aspect to its etymology.
