The Vaulted Garden
Artist
Jean Honoré Fragonard
(French, 1732-1806)
Datec. 1772-4
CultureFrench
MediumBlack chalk
ClassificationDrawings
Credit LineMuseum purchase, 1959
Object numberSN710
By the 1770s, Jean-Honoré Fragonard had become one of the most celebrated French artists of the eighteenth century. Painter, printmaker, and draftsman, he imbued all his works with the elegance of the Rococo style that was so fashionable with collectors and artists.
In this work, which is reminiscent of his Tivoli drawings of mid-1760, Fragonard approaches the scene with a fresh and casual air. Seen from a relatively low vantage point, the juxtaposition of thick dark lines with lighter, thinner markings suggests a sunlit atmosphere. His shorthand rendering of leaves and foliage gives the drawing a feel of improvisation and spontaneity. Neither a documentary view nor a preparatory study, this work was most likely an autonomous execution for a private collector who enjoyed the fantasy of this luxurious gardenscape.
On View
Not on viewFRAMED: 20 5/8 x 23 5/8 in. (52.4 x 60 cm)
Giuseppe Spampani
19th century
