Today we will represent the French artist Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). He lived only 36 years, having died from tuberculosis, but left a poetic heritage: "gallant scenes", touched by irony and subtle lyricism, imbued with grace and harmony.
Brief information about the legacy of the painter
Jean-Antoine Watteau was born into a poor family in the province. Before Paris, he got on foot and began to collaborate in the theater, constantly drawing from nature, and did not receive a professional education. Becoming Watteau as an artist refers to 26 years, and the flowering of creativity - to the 32nd. It must be remembered that in 4 years his life will break the disease. Contemporaries did not just appreciate Watteau's paintings. Antoine - Jean caused them delight. Such a wide success should be attributed to the fact that the painter looked differently at the "gallant scenes", which by this time were known. Pictures of Watteau Antoine - Jean wrote not just as a holiday of arts and love. He invested in them a depth that was later unavailable to his followers. Time will pass, and his work will be permanently forgotten. Poets of the XIX century will open paintings Watteau. Antoine - Jean will be particularly appreciated by Baudelaire, Verlaine. He will devote a poem T. Gauthier. The brothers Goncourt will consider that paintings by Watteau Antoine wrote, creating samples of poetry and dreams. Inspired by the painting of Watteau, composer C. Debussy created a piano piece based on the master painting "Pilgrimage to the island of Kiefer".
The first masterpiece of Watteau
The art of being pleasant in society was captured by the painter on the above-mentioned work. Refined and refined distinguish "Pilgrimage ...", which was created in 1717. The riddle for the researchers is, returning it from the island or setting off for it. At the foot of the statue of Venus, a young woman hears the compliments of her gentleman, who kneels before her. In the next pair, an impatient companion hands the hands of a lady who is sitting motionless on the ground. The third pair is worth it. The lady turns back and looks regretfully at the place where she was happy. At the feet of her companion there is a dog that represents loyalty. The rest of the pilgrims with jokes and noise descend to the gondola, which swayed on the water like a golden dream, twisted with garlands of flowers and scarlet silk. The color is made up of warm pink and golden tones, which are complemented by green and blue. In the same poetic manner of "gallant scenes" Jean-Antoine Watteau performed paintings with the names: "Fix" and "Capricious" (GE), "Love lesson", "View between the trees", "Society in the park", "Love song ", The Venetian holiday".
National Gallery in London
It houses the famous work of Watteau, written in 1717, - Le gamma de l'amour. The diagonal composition attracts attention to the large figures of the first plan: the girls in a magnificent dress made of iridescent taffeta, whose shades, barely touching the brush of the canvas, were prescribed by the painter. Highly lifted hair opens the elegant neck of the model. The notes in her hands are just an excuse for her companion to be free to look into the low cut corset, worrying the girl and herself with a gentle serenade and no less ardent glances. Above them is placed a strict bust of the philosopher, which does not interfere with the couple who are carried away by each other. As they do not care about their other characters in the background. The center is decided in pink and golden tones, which stand out against the background of lush greenery.
The Hermitage, the psychological sketch
In the genre gallant scene "Capricious" nothing distracts attention from two characters: a young girl and her experienced in love companion. The model is in hesitation: take offense at the too frank speech of the chevalier and leave or stay listening to his compliments. She pouted and already picked up a magnificent skirt. Her companion is sitting down behind her and does not want to persuade her to stay. Experienced, he knows that the next meeting is inevitable and will lead to the surrender of this young creature. Jean-Antoine Watteau paintings fills not only poetry, but also a subtle penetration into the inner world of their heroes.
Berlin, "The sign of Gersen's shop"
In 1720 an absolutely ill artist wanted to write a signboard for his friend's antiquary Gersen, but it was always just a picture reverently considered. This is the last masterpiece that Watteau wrote with his cold fingers. The canvas, composed of two parts, is completely different from all previous works. This is work with the interior of the store, and not with nature. The front wall is "taken off" by the artist, and the viewer sees what is happening in the boutique, and also the cobbled Parisian pavement. Three walls from top to bottom are hung with paintings of different sizes. In the foreground, the seller carefully puts a portrait of Louis XIV in a wooden box, which recently died. The portrait of his relative, King Philip IV of Spain, hangs high in the left corner. The second part shows the buyers who are looking through the lorgnette details of a huge picture, made in the form of an oval. The remaining paintings on the walls represent still lifes, landscapes, mythological scenes. Perhaps, the artist's intention was to present the whole history of painting and his changes as an artist who, for the last time, looks dreamily and sadly at the past years.
We examined a small part of the paintings that Jean-Antoine Watteau wrote. Famous paintings of the painter are in all major museums in the world.