Jean-Antoine Watteau and Gersaint's Shop Sign

'Gersaint's Shop Sign' (1720) by Jean-Antoine Watteau; Staatliche Museen, Berlin

I'm not really a big fan of French Rococo painter Jean-Antoine Watteau, born on 10 October 1684. He represents the fête galante style, a French term used for (usually small scale) paintings that show groups of elegantly dressed men and women, depicted in a park or garden setting, most of the time engaged in amorous play. It's not so much the frivolity of these paintings or the subject matter that I don't like, but it has more to do with the ornate Rococo style. Watteau studied with a local painter and after his death, he studied with another painter who specialised in decorating theaters. During his 15-year career, Watteau showed his skill in a variety of genres, subjects and techniques. His best known subjects are drawn from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. The painting I have chosen for today, I do like. I have posted the full painting but if you want to see it more closely in detail, then click here and click again to enlarge it. The painting is his last masterpiece, painted on two canvasses, and is a depiction of an art gallery with clients and shop staff. It was actually painted as a shop sign for the art dealer Edme-François Gersaint but never was used as an external sign. It only spent fifteen days at the shop. For further reading on the painting, click here.

Maurice Quentin de La Tour and Head of A Young Girl

'Head of A Young Girl' (no exact date found; early 18th century) by Maurice Quentin de La Tour; Musée Antoine Lécuyer, Saint-Quentin

Today's choice was poorly and I had already decided to do a post on Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder but Wikipedia mentions the 9th of September, 1569, as the day of his death. I was confused because there was a couple of sources saying that the day of his death was 5 September 1569 and even some mention that he died between the 5th and the 9th. Anyway, the confusion was short-lived and replaced by a slight annoyance that I had to search for another painter because I want to stick to the Wikipedia date this time. I found French painter Maurice Quentin de La Tour, born on 5 September 1704, but didn't really like his work. He is a Rococo painter and he worked mainly with pastels. Fortunately I found today's painting. It's beautiful in colour and I like the white lacy scarf wrapped around the girl's shoulders. There is actually another pastel portrait that I came across and like so if I wouldn't have chosen 'Head of A Young Girl', I would have used this painting instead. La Tour was one of the most celebrated pastellists of the 18th century and worked as a painter at the court of Louis XV of France. His legacy of many pastels was given to his native city, Saint-Quentin, and is to be seen in Musée Antoine Lécuyer.

Jean-Honoré Fragonard and A Young Girl Reading

'A Young Girl Reading' (c.1770) by Jean-Honoré Fragonard;
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

There's only one painting by French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard, born on 5 April 1732 and died on 22 August 1806, that I truly like and it is this one of a girl reading. I have always liked it and will keep on liking it. It's beautiful in colour and detail and the girl is lovely to look at. Fragonard was a painter of the Rococo movement and his paintings were frivolous witty scenes in pastel-like colours. His style was lighthearted and even his most erotic subjects were never vulgar. He was a pupil of François Boucher before winning the Prix de Rome in 1752. In 1756 he left for Rome to study at the French Academy and made a special study of Italian painter Tiepolo. His work reflected 18th century life and society always on the lookout for the next diversion or entertainment. When the French monarchy came to an end, the same happened to Fragonard's popularity. His career was finished and he was reduced to poverty. For further reading on today's lovely painting, please click here.