Fêtes vénitiennes

Watteau, Jean-Antoine (1684-1721)

Item type:

painting

Date of creation:

1718-1719

Height:

68.2 cm  (26 7/8 in.)

Width:

59.0 cm  (23 1/4 in.)

Depth:

8.0 cm  (3 1/8 in.)

framed dimensions

Technique / Medium:

oil on canvas

Description

This is a very fine example of the 'fêtes galantes' perfected by Watteau. He included himself as the seated musician playing a musette. The central dancer may be the leading actress Charlotte Desmares, who was mistress of the Duc d'Orleans. Her male dancing partner is Nicolas Vleughels, a Flemish painter, who was Watteau's friend and landlord. The painting may contain a private meaning enjoyed by the two artists. The other figures are based on drawings Watteau made from his direct observations of contemporary society. The painting acquired its present title from an engraving made after it, published in 1732. (National Gallery of Scotland)

People as subjects

Vleughels, Nicolas (1668-1737) (Dancer)
Desmares, Charlotte (1682-1753) (Dancer)
Watteau, Jean-Antoine (1684-1721) (Musician)

Iconclass

33C93
garden of Love, court of Love, 'fête galante'
43C92
one pair dancing; man and woman dancing as a couple
43AA2
private festivities, merry company - AA - in the open air, 'fête champêtre'

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Musette [3768]

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 1

RIdIM record id

77