Masters of Art: Watteau

by Helmut Börsch-Supan

A French rococo artist whose charming and graceful paintings show his interest in theater and ballet, Antoine Watteau (1684–1721) is probably best known for his fêtes galantes. These romantic and idealized scenes depict elaborately costumed ladies and gentlemen at play in fanciful outdoor settings. In this volume, numerous large-sized illustrations showcase the artist’s oeuvre, and authoritative texts illustrate the decisive stages in the artist’s life and in the development of his work, explaining their significance in the context of his time and for the following generations of artists.

120 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2013

Reviews

[Marius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although book is a bit complicated (an author using academic language), but it helps to understand the life of Antoine Watteau, the most famous XVII-XVIII c. French painter. The prints (by Antoine Watteau's paintings) served as the model for decorative paintings on walls, porcelain, boxes and similar items, and single motif were often separated from the context of a composition and thus lost their real meaning. In this way the name of Watteau became a synonym for carefree dalliance and lighthearted pleasure, so that these reproductions, on which his popularity was based, quite often stood in the way of appreciation of the more profound aspects of his art. You also will know, who had the biggest collection of this artist's works.