Following the grandeur of the Baroque in art, the Rococo period is often dismissed as frivolous and unserious. The famed art historian and British television presenter Waldemar Januszczak disagrees. He re-examines the work of Rococo painters like Hogarth and Goya and finds rich themes ranging from satire to the macabre. In the Rococo, he sees the dramatic early beginning of the modern world.

Following the grandeur of the Baroque in art, the Rococo period is often dismissed as frivolous and unserious. The famed art historian and British television presenter Waldemar Januszczak disagrees. He re-examines the work of Rococo painters like Hogarth and Goya and finds rich themes ranging from satire to the macabre. In the Rococo, he sees the dramatic early beginning of the modern world.