Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1732 Grasse – 1806 Paris,... Lot 264

Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1732 Grasse – 1806 Paris, Umkreis/ Nachfolge des PARK WITH ROUND TEMPLE, YOUNG COUPLE AND PUTTI IN CLOUDS Oil on canvas. 49.5 x 43 cm. Framed. Of great importance with regard to the work of Fragonard and his time, as this painting reveals the late period of painting of the time like hardly any other, although the authorship is not certain. The painting shows a thinly flowing application of oil and a strikingly cream-colored brightness. The lower part of the picture shows a courtly park with a central aisle of trees leading to a half-hidden building. It is noteworthy that the narrative elements, such as the round temple and the young couple on the left, as well as the small figures on the right, are offset to the sides of the picture. In contrast, the upper cloud zone, in which numerous putti with festoons tumble, with turtle doves in between, forms a focal point. This addresses the actual theme of the picture, namely the joy and light-heartedness of the Rococo period in the interplay between real park events and the fantastic round dance of putti in the unreality of fantasy. It is also noticeable that the classical temple appears to be standing at a slight angle, which is to be understood as the language of the Rococo period. The asymmetry of the composition corresponds to the rocaille style of the second half of the century. The brightness in the picture also shows this period before the heavy coloration that would later find its way into art in Classicism. Nevertheless, a classicist element already appears in this round temple. Fragonard's painting "Blind Cow Game" (1775-80), which is in the Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, is similarly brightly colored. Fragonard is one of the most important representatives of 18th century French painting. Together with his teacher Boucher, he shaped the pictorial world of the Rococo. He turned to painting at the age of 18 and initially became a pupil of Jean Siméon Chardin. However, he preferred Boucher's style of painting, which he further developed in his own characteristic way. Awarded prizes as a protégé of Charles van Loo, friends with colleagues such as Hubert Robert and the patron Abbé de Saint-Non, who brought him to Italy, he returned to Paris in 1765 and became a member of the Academy. Now he created works of a cheerful view of life, as represented by Antoine Watteau, with whom he is counted alongside Boucher as one of the masters of the Rococo period. The Revolution led to the impoverishment of this important artist, who was no longer able to fit in with classicism. The present painting documents the point at which this cultural upheaval occurred and is an outstanding example of the late Rococo phase. Provenance: The first owner of the painting was the French politician, doctor, collector, author and editor Francois Hippolyte Walferdin (1795-1880). From his collection, 80 paintings by Fragonard came to the Louvre in Paris. He owned over 700 drawings by the painter. On April 12, 1880, shortly after his death, the painting was auctioned off at the Hotel Drouot Paris - under lot 44, section "Paintings by Fragonard": "Payssage dans un Parc, un temple; plusieures petites figures et dans le ciel des Amoures tenant des guirlandes de Fleurs". The painting was sold by Fragonard to the "Malinet" collection (Marie-Antoinette Malinet (1811-1881) for 1,300 gold francs. South German aristocratic property. (14005116) (11) Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1732 Grasse - 1806 Paris, circle/ follower of PARK WITH ROUND TEMPLE, YOUNG COUPLE AND PUTTI IN CLOUDS Oil on canvas. 49.5 x 43 cm. In view of Fragonard's oeuvre and his time, the present painting is of great importance as it shows, like hardly any other, the late period of painting of this time, even though the authorship is uncertain. It is striking that the narrative elements, such as the round temple and the young couple on the left and the small figures on the right are shifted to the margins of the painting. By contrast, the focus is on the cloud area above where numerous putti tumble with festoons and turtle doves in between. This addresses the actual subject of the painting, namely the joy and jauntiness of the Rococo style in combining real park events with the fantastic roundel of cherubs in a surreal fantasy. It is also noticeable that the classicist temple appears to be slightly slanted, which is typical for the stylistic imagery of the Rococo period. The asymmetry of the design corresponds to the rocaille concept of the second half of the century. The painting's bright color palette is also typical for this artistic period before the introduction of heavy colors at the start of Classicism. However, a classicist element already appears in the form of the round temple. Fragonard's painting Blind Man's Buff (1775-80), held at the Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, shows similarly bright colors. Provenance: The first owner of the painting was the French politician, physicist, art collector, writer, and edi