Science and art in the 18th century
SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES
ROCOCO ART
Rococo was an aristocratic style of art that was popular in Europe between the 1730s and 1760s
Rococo style was characterised by exuberant forms and elaborate decoration
Painting
Architecture
Rococo interiors were elaborately decorated, with curves, seashells and floral elements
Pastel colours were used to depict rural festivals and domestic scenes
Sculpture
Rococo sculptures were often small, and represented joyful and mythological themes
Two factors brought about great scientific and cultural advances
The influence of the Enlightenment on education and technological progress
The scientific legacy of the 17th century
The result was great scientific and technological developments
Physics and geology
Medicine
In 1750 Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod
In 1714 Gabriel Fahrenheit improved the mercury thermometer by adding a temperature scale in degrees
In 1788 James Hutton established geology as a science
In 1747 it was discovered that eating lemons prevented scurvy
In 1733 Stephen Hales measured blood pressure in animals
In 1796 Edward Jenner discovered a vaccine for smallpox
