Museum visit: Jean Honore Fragonard

 Hello everyone! I hope you guys are in the mood for some more art today because we'll be talking about my favorite painting in the El Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Spain.

The See-Saw
Jean Honore Fragonard
1750-1752
    The See-Saw is an oil piece painted by Jean Honore Fragonard (1732-1806) from 1750 to 1752. This painting clearly follows the Rococo style of art that manifested around the time Fragonard was born. In this painting, he has a perspective view from below on the children playing at the see-saw, and the focus is especially on the girl in the dress. Looking from below makes the girl elevated to represent the cheery mood this painting is meant to give off. At the museum, this piece of art stood out to me the most, as it gives a sense of comfort and a hopeful tone as the painting has written underneath it "In The See-Saw the movements and gestures as well as the colour and manner of applying it create an image filled with life"(El Museo Nacional).

     During the 18th century in France, a very significant art style was born, the Rococo style. The main purpose of this style is to create aesthetically beautiful paintings meant to keep the aristocracy hopeful. Fragonard is quite famous for this style, in fact, he is the one to paint the signature Rococo piece The Swing. An article by Ralph Nevill titled "Jean Honore Fragonard. Article I" written for The Burlington Magazine in 1903 discusses the artist and his journey briefly. 

The Swing (1767)
Jean Honore Fragonard
     In the article, it's mentioned that when he was asked about his style, he answered in French
something along the lines of "get out of the woods as best you can, Nature told me, pushing me to life" which represents his interest in presenting the beauty in the world. "From this answer the whole character of the great artist may be inferred. His ambition limited to a desire of leading a smooth and pleasant life"(Nevill,  page 51). This is very present in the Rococo style art, it's like they were made for each other, a talented artist, and a unique art style. Honestly, it makes me wonder what would happen had he grown up elsewhere, or in France, but at a different time.

     I am not the biggest fan of Rococo-style art or classical French art in particular, but this one still stood out to me. No matter how much I grow up, I still to this day go to parks with my sisters and enjoy climbing trees, riding the swings, climbing a jungle gym, a merry-go-round, and even, like this painting, a see-saw. The way this painting captures one of the things I enjoy most about life and includes nature as well. Not only that but does it beautifully, it's no wonder I gravitated towards it.

     Under the painting, it is stated "His love for and interest in nature, which the artist always captured in a particularly lively manner, completely filling his compositions with natural elements"(El Museo Nacional). I feel like this is an accurate way to execute the Rococo style, as he took something that was already existing, the style, and instead of making art to appeal to the aristocracy, he makes it to represent the world as he sees it, to express nature's beautiful aspects. That's as noble a cause as any when it comes to art in my opinion.

The video below goes into some more details about Jean Honore Fragonard and his paintings.

Know the Artist: Jean-Honore Fragonard
Several Circles / Art History
April 22nd, 2020

WORK CITED
Nevill, Ralph. “Jean Honoré Fragonard. Article I.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, vol. 3, no. 7, The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., 1903, pp. 51–57, http://www.jstor.org/stable/855709.
Jean Honoré Fragonard. Article I on JSTOR (losrios.edu)
Several Circles / Art History, Know the Artist: Jean-Honore Fragonard, Youtube, April 22nd, 2020
Know the Artist: Jean-Honoré Fragonard - YouTube
Stein Perrin, Jean Honore Fragonard, The Met Museum,October 2004
Jean Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806) | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History (metmuseum.org)

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