Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806) punctuates the eighteenth century with a burst of fireworks, closing the arc opened by Watteau with his enchanting poems of love and melancholy. While Watteau was ethereal and profound, Fragonard was delightfully light. He captivates us even as he amuses himself, his emotional distance ever apparent. Specialising in “fêtes galantes” executed in the Rococo style, Fragonard was a pupil of François Boucher and also studied under Chardin. Heeding Boucher’s advice, he portrayed romantic gardens replete with fountains, grottos, temples, and terraces—settings that also reveal the influence of Tiepolo. With King Louis XV as his patron, Fragonard shifted his focus towards depicting the pleasure-seeking and licentious court, offering scenes rich in love and voluptuousness.
