Rococo Rubbish: Ornament and Waste in the Eighteenth-Century Paris Street.

The article explores the relationship between rubbish and Rococo architecture in eighteenth-century Paris, arguing that the presence of waste can provide a deeper understanding of the materiality and lived experience of the urban environment. It contrasts the clean narratives of architectural history with the sensory realities of streets filled with dirt and debris, suggesting that examining this "Rococo rubbish" can reveal broader questions about beauty, agency, and the complexities of urban life. The author emphasizes the need to consider the interactions between ornamentation and waste, proposing that dirt not only coexists with Rococo but also amplifies its aesthetic and rhetorical qualities. Ultimately, the piece advocates for a re-evaluation of historical narratives that often overlook the significance of materiality in shaping urban experiences. [Extracted from the article]