timeline
c.1717–18
The Dance,
Watteau
(1684–1721)
c.1737
Fury of Achilles,
Charles-Antoine Coypel
(1696–1752)
c.1739
Soap Bubbles,
Chardin
(1699–1779)
c.1740
Venice: the Upper Reaches of the Grand Canal with San Simeone Piccolo,
Canaletto
(1697–1768)
1743
Marriage à la Mode,
Hogarth
(1697–1764)
1748–49
Mr. and Mrs. Andrews,
Gainsborough
(1727–88)
1750–53
Würzburg Ceiling,
Tiepolo
(1696–1770)
1752
Reclining Girl,
Boucher
(1703–70)
1755
Portrait of Madame de Pompadour,
Maurice Quentin de la Tour
(1704–88)
1757
Ancient Rome,
Giovanni Paolo Panini
(1691–1765)
c.1759
Portrait of Madame Lalive d’Épinay,
Jean-Étienne Liotard
(1702–89)
c.1770
An Architectural Caprice,
Francesco Guardi
(1712–93)
1771–72
The Meeting,
Fragonard
(1732–1806)
1778
Construction of Apsley House,
Adam
(1728–92)
1779
John Parker and his sister Theresa,
Reynolds
(1727–88)
c.1780
Painting Color,
Kauffmann
(1741–1807)
c.1785
The Artist and her Daughter,
Vigée Le Brun
(1755–1842)
1787–93
Cupid and Psyche,
Canova
(1757–1822)
1793
The Death of Marat,
David
(1748–1825)
1814
The Second of May, 1808,
Goya
(1746–1828)
WATTEAU
1684–1721 • ROCOCO
Gersaint’s Shop Sign
1721 OIL ON CANVAS
163 × 308 CM (64 × 121½ IN)
CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE, BERLIN, GERMANY
Watteau’s last work was intended to be a signboard for an art-dealing business run by his friend, E.F. Gersaint. It’s a slice of life showing the interior of Gersaint’s shop, with whom Watteau was staying after his visit to a doctor in England. Painted lightly and rapidly, the colors are subtle, pearly and soft; tones are warm and the airy composition creates a light and agreeable atmosphere. The figures are based on real figures, but their costumes and poses are those of actors—this is an escape from real life.
The French Rococo blossomed through Jean-Antoine Watteau, whose charming and graceful paintings show his love for the theater. Best-known for his “fêtes galantes,” a genre he invented of dream-like and idealized scenes depicting elegant ladies and gentlemen relaxing or performing in imaginary outdoor settings, his short but meteoric career epitomized the new style.
Watteau was born in Valenciennes, a town near the Flemish border. He was the son of a literate, middle-class master roofer and carpenter. Although his three brothers joined the family business, at the age of 15, Watteau began training with a little-known local painter, Jacques-Albert Gérin. Three years later, he traveled to Paris, supporting himself by painting religious pictures and copying the works of popular Dutch artists. He became friendly with a printshop owner, Pierre II Mariette (1694–1774), who owned many prints of works by the great masters such as Rubens, Titian and Bruegel. In reaction, Watteau’s style became more fluid. From 1703, he began working with Claude Gillot (1673–1722), a stage-set designer. After helping Gillot decorate the Paris Opera House, Watteau developed a lifelong fascination with the Italian theater and the Commedia dell’Arte.
In 1708, Watteau began working with Claude Audran (1658–1734), the curator at the Luxembourg Palace. The palace’s collection included Rubens’ early 17th-century paintings from the life of Marie de’ Medici. The works were a revelation to the young artist, and he began to change his own approach, creating completely unique illusions that reflected contemporary tastes. In addition, he helped to develop chinoiserie, a Chinese-inspired decorative style applied to panels, furniture and porcelain. In his painting, he began producing dreamy, pastoral pictures, which became known as his “fêtes galantes.” By portraying figures in seemingly mythological backgrounds, he was appealing to the French Academy’s hierarchy of “appropriate” painting subjects, while remaining popular with buyers.
In 1663 an annual art competition began—the Prix de Rome. The winner was awarded a scholarship to study at the Palazzo Mancini in Rome. In 1709, Watteau entered, but did not win. Three years later, he competed once more; no prize was offered that year, but he was invited to apply to become a member of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture—a prestigious accomplishment. Tragically, after suffering with consumption for most of his life, he died aged 37.
Key Works
La Gamme d’Amour c.1712, NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON, UK
Love in the Italian Theater 1716, GEMÄLDEGALERIE, BERLIN, GERMANY
Les Champs-Elysées c.1717, WALLACE COLLECTION, LONDON, UK
The Shepherds c.1717–19, STAATLICHE MUSEEN, SCHLOSS CHARLOTTENBURG, BERLIN, GERMANY
The Dance c.1719, GEMÄLDEGALERIE, BERLIN, GERMANY
CANALETTO
1697–1768 • ROCOCO PERIOD
Venice: the Upper Reaches of the Grand Canal with San Simeone Piccolo
c.1738 OIL ON CANVAS
124.5 × 204.6 CM (49 × 80½ IN)
NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON, UK
The domed 18th-century church of San Simeone Piccolo softens the “x” shaped composition. The vertical lines of the buildings are also tempered by the activity on the water, as gondolas create a contrast. Canaletto’s control of lighting is masterful, and the tiniest touches of fluid, thin paint have been applied with extremely small brushes to suggest glittering reflections. Canaletto made these grand views of Venice for the many wealthy visitors who flocked to see the city.
For around 20 years, Canaletto was one of the most successful artists in Europe. His dramatic and picturesque views of Venice were extremely sought-after, particularly by the wealthy Englishmen who undertook Grand Tours of Europe. The paintings’ clarity of light, precise perspective and sharp tonal details evoked vivid memories of places visited.