Exploring Fragonard's Playful Masterpiece

Oct 12, 2024

Lecture on Fragonard's "The Swing"

Introduction

  • Location: Wallace Collection, London
  • Painting: "The Swing" by Fragonard
  • Commissioned by a member of the French royal court
    • Initial request: Lover on a swing pushed by a bishop
    • Final rendition: Older man, not a bishop, in lower right

Themes and Context

  • Nature of the Painting
    • Playful, erotic, sexually charged
    • Private commission for aristocracy
  • Fragonard’s Career
    • Transition from formal history paintings to private commissions
    • Departure from royal commissions system

Artistic Techniques and Style

  • Brushwork
    • Rapid brushwork creating energy
    • Visible oil paint on woman’s dress, bodice, lace
  • Symbolism
    • "Menacing Love" sculpture by Falconet on left
    • Cupid figures on a dolphin fountain, lower right
  • Rococo Style
    • Derived from Baroque, lacking seriousness but retaining energy
    • Diagonal lines creating movement, e.g., swing's rope

Elements of the Painting

  • Key Features
    • Young woman in a pink silk dress
    • Details: bodice, décolletage, choker, hat, pink slipper
  • Setting
    • Aristocratic garden, lush and fertile
    • Contrast with later Neoclassicism (e.g., paintings by David)

Historical and Cultural Context

  • Rococo vs. Neoclassicism
    • Rococo: Indulgence, luxury, frivolity
    • Neoclassicism: Moral, severe, plain
    • Criticism of Rococo leading up to French Revolution
  • Modern Interpretation
    • Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare's 3D representation
    • Focus on colonialism rather than sensuality

Conclusion

  • "The Swing" as an expression of Rococo's luxury and indulgence