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Jean-Antoine Watteau, The Foursome, ca. 1713
Oil on canvas, 19 1/2 x 24 3/4 in. (49.5 x 62.9 cm). Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum purchase, Mildred Anna Williams Collection, 1977.8.
Watteau was the inventor of a new genre in French art: the fête-galante, or courtship party. This painting is an early example. Set in a garden, it depicts elegantly attired men and women engaged in gentle flirtation. The mood is one of quiet reverie. Suspended between the worlds of theater and aristocratic sociability, the scene includes recognizable characters from the commedia dell’arte (Italian theater)—Pierrot, the clown in white at right, and Mezzetin, in stripes at left—but does not illustrate a specific play. The title, La Partie quarrée (The Foursome), was assigned not by Watteau himself but by Jean de Jullienne, the artist's friend, collector, and publisher, who issued an engraving of this scene after Watteau's death.
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Many of the works offered through this store are exclusive and not available anywhere else. We are continually adding new artworks to our offering, so be sure to check back regularly as you build your own gallery. A variety of molding styles means our custom framed prints can match any type of decor.Ordering & Return Policy
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