Description
The painting "Autumn" by the French artist Nicolas Lancret is a masterpiece of French Rococo of the 18th century. The painting was created in 1738 and measures 113 x 93 cm. The work depicts a typical scene from eighteenth-century French bourgeois life, in which a group of people have fun in a garden during autumn.
The composition of the painting is impressive, since the arrangement of the figures is very harmonious and balanced. Lancret manages to create a sensation of movement and dynamism in the scene, through the use of curved and undulating lines in the arrangement of the figures and in the vegetation of the garden.
The coloring of the painting is another of its most outstanding aspects. Lancret uses a palette of soft and delicate colors, typical of the French Rococo, in which pastel tones and shades of pink, green and blue predominate. The light that illuminates the scene is very soft and diffuse, which creates an atmosphere of tranquility and serenity.
The history of the painting is interesting, as it was commissioned by the Duke of Orléans, who was a patron of the arts and a great collector of paintings. The work was part of a series of four paintings representing the four seasons of the year, and was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1739, where it received a great reception from the public and critics.
As for little-known aspects, it is known that Lancret was inspired by the work of other French Rococo artists, such as Watteau and Boucher, but managed to create his own original style. Furthermore, some of the figures in the painting are believed to have been portrayed after real models, such as the figure of the woman seated on the bench, which is believed to have been portrayed after the mistress of the Duke of Orléans.
In short, the painting "Autumn" by Nicolas Lancret is an exceptional work of art, combining aesthetic beauty with technical skill and the ability to convey a sense of harmony and balance in the depicted scene. A true jewel of French Rococo that continues to fascinate art lovers around the world.