Watteau's Pierrot
 

Seeing Sharon Knettel's new work in progress, and also her mention of Fragonard and Watteau, I though I would post one of my favourite paintings of the past. It is Watteau's Pierrot or Gilles.
c. 1718-19
oil on canvas
184 x 149 cm
Mus

"Though Rococo originated in the purely decorative arts, the style showed clearly in painting. These painters used delicate colors and curving forms, decorating their canvases with cherubs and myths of love. Portraiture was also popular among Rococo painters. Some works show a sort of naughtiness or impurity in the behavior of their subjects, showing the historical trend of departing away from the Baroque's church/state orientation. Landscapes were pastoral and often depicted the leisurely outings of aristocratic couples.

Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684