Set of four engravings of different motifs, 18th... Lot 21

Set of four engravings of different motifs, 18th century. Different scenes. Engraving on paper. Deteriorated. One has losses of paper due to xylophagous. Measurements: 48 x 69 cm, 59 x 80 cm (frame). Set of four engravings on paper, of scenes of countryside or large gardens with people walking through them or working in them. In the 18th century the Baroque survived until almost the middle of the century - depending on the area - and was succeeded by Rococo and Neoclassicism, the latter movement lasting until the beginning of the 19th century. The Rococo developed approximately between 1730 and 1770, and involved the continuation of the main artistic manifestations of the Baroque, with a more emphasised sense of decoration and ornamental taste, which were taken to a paroxysm of richness, sophistication and elegance. The progressive social rise of the bourgeoisie and scientific advances, as well as the cultural environment of the Enlightenment, led to the abandonment of religious subjects in favour of new, more worldly themes and attitudes, in which luxury and ostentation were emphasised as new factors of social prestige. During this period, engraving reached a high level of technical perfection, requiring more and more apprenticeship and professionalism, which meant that most of the works were produced by professional engravers and not by the artists themselves, who combined this technique with painting. Similarly, engravers limited themselves to transcribing artists' compositions and rarely produced their own, except in a few cases such as Jean-Michel Moreau and Philibert-Louis Debucourt. Nevertheless, some artists produced their own engravings, especially etchings, such as Jean-Antoine Watteau, Jean-Honoré Fragonard and Gabriel de Saint-Aubin.