ABU DHABI: Art history enthusiasts may be familiar with renowned French rococo artist Jean-Honore Fragonard’s “The Swing” (c. 1767) and “Young Girl Reading” (c. 1769), but a lesser-known, yet enchanting, painting of his, “Les Marionnettes,” has been recently acquired by and unveiled at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Fragonard’s artworks are mostly hung in major Western art institutions, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the National Gallery of Art (Washington), and the Wallace Collection (London), so it is something of a rarity seeing his creation in the Middle East.
Painted in 1770, “Les Marionnettes” shows a social scene, possibly taking place on a Sunday in September in a private garden in the west of modern-day Paris. (Supplied)
“One of our main goals is to bring the most beautiful artworks, in all forms and shapes, to Abu Dhabi and the region,” the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s chief curator, Guilhem Andre, told Arab News.
“We have selected this artwork, because it has the best quality, and Fragonard was a famous artist of his time.”
However, there is an element of mystery surrounding the life and career of Fragonard (1732–1806), who was educated in Rome.
The artist lived through the turmoil of the French Revolution, “so we lost a lot of information,” said Andre. “But we know a little of him.”Born in the French city of Grasse, now the world’s perfume capital, Fragonard is thought to have painted more than 500 artworks. He took on a variety of painting styles, from historical and mythological to landscapes.
Painted in 1770, “Les Marionnettes” shows a social scene, possibly taking place on a Sunday in September in a private garden in the west of modern-day Paris, where people are enjoying outdoor events. “It was open to everyone, including common people and nobility,” Andre said.
At the center of the painting, some are gathered around a puppet show, while others are buying small items from stalls, as seen at the left side of the image.
“There’s no narrative in the painting,” said Andre. “There is an atmosphere, which is great, and a landscape, which is beautiful and bright. The light is also amazing.”
Andre believes that this work might have been a prototype for another larger work by Fragonard that is owned by Banque de France.
“Les Marionnettes” has been passed down from one generation of collectors to the next over the years. The museum bought the painting from the heirs of the Weil-Picard family, which had owned it since 1936.
